A RALLYING prime cattle market ensured a strong start to southeast Australia's autumn bull selling season last week.

In a positive sign ahead of Victoria's on-property selling season - which gets under way today - a healthy 88 per cent clearance rate was recorded at eight sales in South Australia's South East.

From an offering of 381 bulls, 335 sold at an average of $3741. The sales grossed $1.25 million.

While prices were not red hot, demand was described as steady, with many stud principals happy to sell bulls given the uncertain climate of stagnant beef prices. However, there is renewed positivity in prime markets, with recent Meat and Livestock Australia data showing export prices to Japan and the US have risen 20 per cent in the past two months.

The market rally has been attributed to the low domestic supplies and a slight fall is the Australian dollar against the US Greenback.

Last week's top bull money, of $20,000, was paid for a young sire from the Woonallee Simmental stud at Furner. Sired by Barana Yeardleigh and weighing 988kg, Woonallee Dimension boasted an eye muscle area of 128 sq cm. He sold to Nigel DeVeth of Murphy's Creek in Queensland, on behalf of his sons Joshua and Jesse's JD Simmental stud.

Woonallee sold all 36 bulls offered and averaged $5833.

Fellow Simmental stud, Waterfront, at Tintinara, cleared 28 bulls from an offering of 35 at an average of $3027. The top-priced bull fetched $6000.

Angus bulls were also sought after, with total or near-total clearance rates at all sales last week.

"I was definitely nervous about the sale two weeks ago, but I am really pleased with the result," John Gommers, principal of Stoney Point Angus stud at Keith, said.

Stoney Point recorded a complete clearance of 56 bulls to a top of $11,000 and an average of $4004. "This was about $650 better on average than last year," Mr Gommers said.

The stud's top-priced bull sold to a commercial client from Western Australia.

In other sale results:

  • Granite Ridge Angus, at Reedy Creek, sold 53 of 60 bulls to top at $9000 and an average of $3350.
  • Glatz's Black Angus at Avenue Ridge cleared all 50 bulls and sold five extra after the sale. The top-priced Glatz bull made $8000 while the sale averaged $4050.
  • Hidden Valley Angus at Naracoorte offered 38 bulls and sold 28. The best sold for $6000 while the sale averaged $3135.
  • Yerwal Estate Simmental and Angus stud at Lucindale sold all 29 Angus bulls offered to a top of $6000 to average $3164. Sixteen of 22 Simmental bulls sold to a top of $4750 and averaged $2865.