THE cattle industry may be in a build-up phase but that's not going to mean more bulls are sold this year.
And it is going to take some time before numbers get back to where the southern Australian beef industry wants them, according to experts.
In its most recent analysis, the Australian Bureau for Agricultural Resource Economics and Sciences predicted the nation's cattle herd would reach a 34-year-high in 2011-12 of 30.2 million.
ABARES said herd rebuilding would continue as producers retained breeding stock.
But years of drought and downsizing of herds take time to turn around. And while industry analysts believe the coming bull sales will be good, few are expecting a huge peak in demand.
What hasn't helped, either, is the increasing number of young female cattle going into feedlots. Producers will be looking out for good genetics to get the best results from the females they are joining.
Landmark southeast region stud stock manager Ray Atwell said there was "no reason" to think this year's bulls sales wouldn't be as good as the levels set last year.
"The demand for good-quality bulls will be there," he said.
"Commercial producers will be selective in what they choose.
"There may be limited extra demand for bulls, but the country is still a long way off being stocked to capacity. A lot of females are still being bought for the feedlot trade and the live export of heifers has put a bit of a hole in the restocking plans too."
Regardless, Mr Attwell said sales should be good.
"We are not pessimistic at all - we are optimistic of a good selling season over the next three months," he said.
"I think producers have found the right balance between (Breedplan) figures and structural characteristics."
Many studs will be hoping to repeat the results they set last year, with the vast majority recording rises in averages and some increased clearances.
Figures collated by The Weekly Times last year from sales showed autumn bull averages at 10 of southeast Australia's biggest studs jumped $2107 to $6603.
Some of the stellar results included Te Mania Angus, which sold 114 bulls for a $7978 average; Lawsons Angus which sold 213 for a $5793 average; and Mawarra Herefords, whose 67 bulls averaged $7366 - up $1688.
Te Mania also achieved a stunning $91,000 for an Angus bull sold at its autumn sale to a group of Australian and New Zealand buyers.
But honours for the top average went to Milla Murrah Angus at Bathurst, NSW, which set an Australian Angus record of $8850 for 80 bulls last spring.
