Red hot bull sale prices persist during a cold end to Autumn

As the weather cooled and rain gauges filled throughout May, the heat endured for bull sales through AuctionsPlus – both for interfaced and online selling options. For the past month, average prices increased by 45% on the same period in 2021, after increasing 50% from 2020 to 2021.

Sales held on AuctionsPlus back in May 2020 averaged $6,848/head. This increased to $10,246/head in May 2021. In May 2022, the average hit $14,865/head. Accelerated herd rebuilding over the last two years, with significantly higher incomes, has brought bull purchases into key focus, as competition pushes bull prices to historically high levels.

With solid rain in most grazing regions of Australia in 2022, along with the prospects for another wet winter, herd rebuilding is expected to increase breeding female numbers. With the ongoing need for producers to bolster their bull team, sale prices are expected to remain high going into the spring selling season – very likely exceeding the record levels of 2021.