The combination of high cattle prices; seasonal conditions that resulted in high pasture growth; herd rebuilding across the county and overall optimism for agriculture all played a role in driving bull drives. Its worth remembering that the prices are relative to the cattle market. And even though a bull may seem dear, he is still on average worth 5 heavy steers or 7 weaner animals.
The impact of Covid-19 on bull sales was felt by buyers and sellers this year. Travel restrictions, limits on gatherings and social distancing were all factors that had to be addressed ahead of and during sales.
The result of all these influences has changed the way many people view the process of buying and selling bulls. Some of the key outcomes are worth addressing and perhaps adopting for your wn benefit in coming years.
-
On-line Interface is Essential
Selling cattle online is now commonplace. Producers now want to look for cattle more broadly than in their immediate location. And while attending a bull sale is aways a good day out, taking time to travel and look is becoming a factor for many producers. Often the visual assessments that producers make have been done I private visits or inspections well ahead of the sale, and bidding on line is a more efficient use of time for those producers.
For those selling bulls, online selling allows bulls to be marketed to a much broader group of potential Byers and can be a very effective way of diversifying your client base.
2. Provide presale inspection opportunities
Assessing bulls in the hours ahead of a sale can be very challenging. Looking at the bulls you have chosen as possible sires means you have to work around other producers and bulls that are peened in sale lots. Not everyone is able to see the bulls as they may like. Having a pre sale inspection – either privately formally arranged – takes some of the pre sale pressure off. You get a chance to look at bulls and perhaps see the vow herd that forms the basis of this years draft.
