Stud farm Gorbro Holsteins has a reputation for creating International Dairy Week champions and the reputation has paid dividends at the on-farm auction where bidding went as high as $22,500 for individual Holsteins.
The 57 heifers and cows on offer grossed $427,750 in total with an average sale price of $7504 – only a few hundred dollars off the farm’s record of $7875, set by a 2017 sale.
Before the auction Gorbro Holstein owner Glen Gordon said he was hoping to get “around $5500” as an auction average.
“Anything over that is a bonus,” Mr Gordon said.
Mr Gordon said the farm decided to sell “60 of our best, not for any particular reason”.
“We love breeding cattle and seeing them go to good homes, and you sell cows so you can do it all over again,” Mr Gordon said.
Auction agent Lawrie Flanagan said the sale started off with a bang as the first 12 lots grossed $132,250 and averaged $11,020.
“It is the best sale in Australia this year, without a doubt,” Mr Flanagan said.
When asked why the sale did so well Mr Flanagan said Gorbro Holsteins were “high profile people who knew how to market well”.
“They were the premiere breeders at the last Dairy Week,” he said.
“And they were prepared to sell their very best.”
The top priced cow was Gorbro Crushabull Jessica ET who will be transported to her new home in Cobargo after fetching $22,500 at auction.
Jessica ET was bought by a syndicate between Rockstar Holsteins in NSW and Weeksdale Holsteins in Ontario, Canada.
The immediate plans for her future include entering an embryo transfer programme with some resultant eggs being exported to Canada.
Second top price was for Gorbro Livias Solotatoo for $18,750 to young Western District breeder Isaac Stephens.
The very correct heifer was carrying a valuable heifer calf by stud bull Arrow, due March.
Top priced milk heifer was Gorbro Lambda Tiffany who sold to the Chesworth family in Dubbo for $17,000.
The young cow was currently producing 44 litres, 3.08 kg M/S with a PI of 130 and recently classified VG 85 and champion in the North West On-Farm Challenge.
Red and white heifer Gorbro Asias Unstoppable ET from the renowned international Advent Asia family sold to repeat buyers BRM syndicate for $16,500.
Other strong buyers were Blighty breeders Eloora Pastoral Company which took home two heifers due in March to Arrow for $22,500 – one of those Gorbro Unixtoo Shimmer for $14,000.
Local breeder Ben Govett bought two cows, Gorbro Kingsobrad Tiffany (joined to Lambda) for $9250 and Gorbro Robins Tatoo for $11,000 (daughter of 94 point Gorbro Goldwyn Robin).
Cattle were sold to multiple areas in Victoria, the NSW South Coast and Hunter Valley, and two head even went to Queensland.
The sale was conducted by Flanagan Marketing Services and Elite Livestock Auctions operated.
