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Top genetics, stringent selection criteria and good herd health management are the pillars of David McCall’s breeding success with his Sussex stud and commercial herd. As a result, the good quality of his animals was evident during the Skietlaagte Sussex production auction held recently on his farm, Skietlaagte, near Viljoenskroon.
McCall says he has stood by these three guidelines for his entire Sussex herd which he developed over the course of the last five to ten years. McCall, whose family has farmed in this area since 1903, believes using the best cattle genetics, selecting the best animals and following a strict herd health management system add value to his herd. In turn, it enables him to sell animals that he is proud of and on which commercial buyers can rely.
Auction prices achieved
McCall says he is satisfied with the overall outcome of his first Sussex production auction in the past decade. Going forward he intends for it to become an annual event. He says auction prices achieved were solid. It was not exceptionally high (record prices) or too low. Almost all the stud bulls and female animals that were on offer were sold with bulls achieving an average price of R52 000.
“I think people got value for what they came to buy because quality animals were put forward.” A total of 11 bulls, 159 female animals and 53 calves, were sold. He is also thankful for the effort the 33 registered buyers made to attend the auction despite rain making access to the farm difficult.
Read more about Sussex breeding here.
Highest price
The highest price of the day, an impressive R80 000, was achieved for a fully registered (SP) Sussex poena bull (SF 200020). The buyer was JP Meintjies from Kruispan Boerdery in Viljoenskroon. He remarked that he is extremely satisfied with his purchase, which is sure to be an asset to his commercial Sussex herd. This breeding bull boasts, among other traits, good calving ease (109), calf growth (94), and maintenance (112). He is a strong bull with decent width and depth, says Mc Call.
Average female prices
Schalk Fourie from Stille Waters Boerdery at Wesselsbron paid the highest price of R29 000 (per unit) for a group offering of three-in-one commercial cows. He was also the highest bidder for a group of pregnant commercial heifers (R22 000 per unit).
Three-in-one commercial cows were sold at an average of R26 111, while commercial cows with calves achieved an average price of R24 294. Commercial pregnant cows achieved an average price of R22 000. Pregnant heifers sold at an average of R20 220 and open heifers at an average of R11 443.
The auction was held by Vleissentraal, with Gert Coetzee as the auctioneer. SwiftVEE handled the online bidding. – Christal-Lize Muller, AgriOrbit
For more information, contact David McCall at 082 263 0272 or email david@skietlaagte.co.za.
