AuctionsPlus WA cattle sale continues to “knock out the centuries”

The WA Cattle Sale is an important feature of AuctionsPlus commercial sales platform, held most Monday’s at 3:30pm. Averaging 32 sales a year, the WA cattle sale has had the most consistent clearance rate on the platform, with 109 sales (57%) since 2016 achieving a “perfect” 100% clearance.

The weekly WA cattle sale primarily features slaughter cows, mixed sex and heavy steer lines. For the first half of 2022, 400kg+ heifers and slaughter cow categories have registered the largest price gains - up 26% and 18% year-on-year, respectively. While facing much different seasonal conditions than the rain-fuelled eastern markets since 2020, average cattle prices for the WA sale have registered similar gains. In the first quarter of 2022, 400kg+ steers averaged $2,361/head, up 33%, or $592/head on the same period in 2021, while slaughter cows averaged $2,330/head, up $637/head or 27%.

While the majority of lots offered in the WA cattle sale are sold locally, demand from interstate buyers, especially from NSW and SA increased significantly upon the breaking of the drought in late 2020 - as eastern states producers looked to the west to secure re-stocking lines. This demand has been maintained throughout 2022, with most interstate purchases from SA, which has increased 6% in 2022.

As a long-term participant in the sale, Colin Thexton, Independent Rural Agencies, Pemberton, stated that “the success of clearance rates comes down to doing your research prior to the sale and meeting the market with realistic reserves.” For Colin, listing in the sale provides an accessible platform for both his clients to watch their stock sell and local buyers to participate. Another key factor for Colin’s frequent listings is the pre-marketing of the stock, “AuctionsPlus provides the sale platform, but you need to let people know they are listed.” As of June 16^th 2022, the WA Cattle Sale has achieved the 100% clearance milestone for 11 out of the 14 sales held so far in 2022.