BULL buyers in SA are being encouraged to take advantage of value buying this season before expected price rises in 2016.
Although the long-awaited lift in cattle prices since Christmas has restored some confidence for producers it will take a while for these financial gains to flow back to many of them.
Producers are being promised good times ahead if there is a string of favourable seasons, but whether the large reduction in breeding females will dampen clearance rates this year remains to be seen.
Meat & Livestock Australia figures show that in 2014, 52 per cent of the national kill were breeding females - only the third time in history more than half the adult kill has been females.
Recent northern rains are expected to generate pastoral interest, helping some Angus and Poll Hereford sales.
Between February and late April, 33 bull sales with seven different breeds will be held across the state, and buyers will be spoilt for choice.
Angus Week alone will see more than 750 bulls offered by 12 studs in the South East in a 10-day period, starting Wednesday next week.
The bull sales this season are once again expected to attract Australia-wide interest for the outstanding genetics on offer.
Elders stud stock manager Tony Wetherall said the line up were of extremely high standards.
He was hopeful average prices would be similar to last year with a possible small increase.
"People who are in a position to buy top stud bulls or commercial herd-improving bulls should because they could be comparably cheaper than many years," Mr Wetherall said.
"It would be advisable for them to take advantage of high bull prices, cashing-in their old bulls and replacing them with good young bulls to ensure good conception rates and no break downs into the coming mating season.
"Next year, an $8000 bull could make more like $12,000."
Landmark stud stock manager Gordon Wood said the number of bulls on offer would be very similar to 2014, with some breeders holding off this year to expand numbers.
He said the quality of sale bulls was exceptional, especially given the dry spring finish.
"Many of the stud breeders are saying bulls are 50-60 kilograms in front of their weights from last year. One lucky thing was the good feed early," Mr Wood said.
He acknowledged that one of the biggest challenges was the number of cows in the paddock that required a bull.
But with over-hook cow and bull prices as high as most people could remember, and many selling between $2500 and $5000, it was a "terrific" time to change over to the latest genetics.