Unled format to strengthen SE sales

It will be held at the Pathfinder sale complex at Tivers Road, 18 kilometres west of Naracoorte, on Thursday March 26.

Run by the state branch of Shorthorn Beef, it was previously a show and led bull sale for about four decades at Naracoorte Showgrounds, and was the last remaining led multi-vendor bull sale in SA.

In 2014 low numbers prompted a rethink, but the catalogue for the 2015 sale has rebounded well with more than 30 bulls from SA and Vic vendors.

SA president Ashley Rowe said there was strong support to maintain a multi-vendor sale in SA and to continue to bring bulls into the South East, where many ardent supporters of the breed run herds.

He was pleased that many past vendors have continued to support the new format, along with a few new studs ensuring a wide selection of genetics.

"We wanted to attract more vendors and recognised the need to have more bulls to offer a good selection for buyers," he said.

"By being unled we have become more commercially focused. There will be the same consistent high quality of bulls with a few potential stud sires as well as herd-improving commercial sires."

The Shorthorn breed had a bright future with its strong maternal traits, doing-ability and early maturing pattern. Many breeders had focused on the latter to maximise returns for their clients.

"We are breeding bulls which can produce calves which are born alive and get to point-of-sale weights as quickly as possible," he said.

"It all comes down to dollars a head, not just cents a kilogram."

Sale coordinator Rosemary Miller said the new sale format would create renewed interest in the breed.

She said the multi-vendor sale was particularly important to young breeders who were still growing their studs. It gave them an opportunity to market their bulls to a wider range of clients.