A larger offering of bulls during SA Angus Week has not tested the market so far with plenty of rapid fire bidding at auctions and many millions of dollars changing hands.
Across 18 sales there are 1065 bulls catalogued - at least 150 more than 2021- with three studs holding their first sales and other vendors growing their offerings.
With a couple of days to go, the clearance rates have been nearly 100 per cent .
Some sales have posted only modest increases but many have surpassed the 20-25 per cent predicted.
So far there have been few stud breeders operating to create any record breaking highs for individual bulls. Instead commercial buyers from SA and Vic have been willing to go to $15,000-$20,000 and beyond for their pick young sires.
Angus Australia SA branch president Brad Lucas said there had been some "phenomenal sales" but this was not unexpected with the strength of the cattle market, especially demand for Angus.
"Angus cattle are where the premiums are at, you just have to look at the last Mount Gambier store sale, so it follows that people are wanting to breed black cattle," he said.
"The east coast (Vic and NSW) sales through spring had some big averages and while we (SA sales) have always been a bit behind them we have matched them in some sales."
Mr Lucas said it was brilliant to see stud breeders enjoying strong pay days and said it "had been a long time coming" following many years of small margins.
"With prices like they are people are missing out on bulls which is not a good thing, they are starting to realise they need $10,000 to $15,000 to be in the hunt," he said.
"People are selling their cull bulls for $4000 so it is not really a big outlay if you consider what you are getting over the years you use those bulls."
Keringa Angus stud, Culburra, has had the week's biggest lift in average on 2021 so far - more than double - while selling seven more bulls.
Stud principal Trent Walker had a full clearance of 48 bulls for an outstanding $18,500 average, many of these being by influential sire Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15 PV, including the $32,000 sale topper.
On Monday, the DiGiorgio family, Sterita Park Angus stud, Lucindale, became the new pacesetters with an off-the-charts sale.
Despite including nearly 20 more bulls, the average jumped by $7373 on the 2021 result.
Stud principal Nanni DiGiorgio said "never in (his) wildest dreams" would he have expected their 106 bulls to top at $38,000 and average $19,689.
"While the averages and gross is a fantastic reward for effort, most people that do this would agree that you have to be passionate about it (stud breeding), which we definitely are," he said.
On Tuesday, the Hann family's Nampara stud, Penola, also notched up their highest average in 14 years of on-property auctions, selling 93 of 95 bulls to $32,000 twice for a $16,193 average - up $3376 on last year's sale.
"For the sale to be able to accommodate a few more bulls and still be so strong was really rewarding for us," stud principal Nat Hann said.
The highest price of the week so far was paid on Wednesday afternoon at Mandayen stud, Keith, where Damian and Mandy Gommers received $40,000 for lot 40, Mandayen Paratrooper R477 PV.
Putting in the winning bid was McCarthy Livestock, Lucindale.
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