The AuctionsPlus commercial goat market started 2022 at a rapid pace, with the largest weekly offering on record registered on Tuesday, January 11, with 15,548 head offered across 31 lots. While the recent headlines continue to be dominated by record cattle prices, the Australian goat market continues to steadily expand, underpinned by robust export demand and excellent production conditions.
Driving the record numbers for the week was several large runs of young goats, with the huge offering sparking a jump in online interest, with a massive 3,375 catalogue views and 157 users logging into the sale. Immediately following the sale, total clearance was just over 50%, however post sale negotiations boosted clearance rates to 67% during the following hours.
For the two commercial goat sales held so far for 2022, a total of 19,891 head of goats have been offered - a four-fold increase from the same period in 2021. Numbers for this week’s commercial sale alone were well above the monthly totals for December 2021, as well as year-on-year levels, with January 2021 only totaling 10,489 head across the four commercial sales held.
Queensland accounted for 50% of the catalogue, with the key producing regions in southern and western Queensland listing 5,584 and 1,934 head, respectively. Western NSW was the largest listing region, offering 49% of the catalogue, with 7,566 head. On the buy side of the auction, 80% of purchased lots went to Queensland buyers.
A total of 76% of this week’s offering included rangeland bucks and does, which provided an attractive opportunity for restockers. Rangeland bucks offered ranged from 17.7-29.6kg liveweight, to average 21.5kg, while does averaged slightly heavier, at 22.2kg, with a range of 16.8-37.1kg.
Highlights from this week’s sale across rangeland goats included a run of 1,300 head split across two lots of 4-10-month-old does from Bollon, Queensland, which averaged 20.8kg and returned $150 and $149/head, respectively. Additionally, another standout offering hailing from Lavelles, Northwest Victoria, which comprised of 190 1-5-year-old rangeland does and bucks, averaging 37kg lwt, with 113 kids at foot, returned $250/head.
Boer/Kalahari/Rangeland goat listings averaged 31.7kg across the offering this week. From Morvern Queensland, a line of 84 continuously joined does aged 1-4-years with 53 kids at foot returned $233/head. The does averaged 36kg lwt, while the kids at foot, which ranged from 2-6 weeks of age, averaged 10kg lwt.