US herd dispersal hits $A330k high for Hereford cow, eye-watering gross
A United States Hereford stud, in Montana, has recorded an astonishing average for its sale of 425 lots, which has also delivered an eye-watering gross.
Dale and Nancy Venhuizen's Churchill Cattle Company held its dispersal on September 19, grossing US$10,414,200 - or $15,897,359 in Australian currency - with full clearance of 425 lots averaging A$37,405.55 (US$24,504), after achieving a sale top of A$335,831 (US$220,000).
Held across two days on the Manhattan ranch, just north-west of Bozeman, the sale attracted registrations from 763 buyers from 47 US states. Cattle were bought by 259 buyers.
Tamworth beef producer Geoff Birchnell, 3R Angus, Loomberah, markets Churchill Cattle Company genetics in Australia and is in the US.
When he was contacted by The Land, he was sitting next to Mr Venhuizen at dinner in Bozeman.
Mr Venhuizen said the dispersal was in part due to he and his wife, Nancy, reaching retirement age, as well as changes in their ranching operation, with land leasing arrangements also a catalyst.
"So we just decided that this was probably the year to do it, and in the meantime, the US cattle market prices increased quite a bit since we have decided to disperse our herd and retire," Mr Venhuizen said.
"The results were very good, more than we had expected, both in terms of how many people attended the sale, and the prices paid.
"I think the Hereford breed in the United States is on an upswing.
"I think this sale kind of shows that the Hereford breeders have some good policies in place, and I think that they have a market that fits the US industry and the US consumer quite well.
"The Hereford breed has grown in popularity here in the last few years, and I think it will continue to grow, as this sale probably shows."
Churchill Cattle Company genetics are already making a mark in Australia with the sale topper at Walcha's Yalgoo Poll Herefords' sale in early August sired by a Churchill bull.
Herefords Australia's newly-appointed chief executive officer, Hamish Chandler, said the result confirmed the rise in popularity of the Hereford genetics worldwide
He said Australian Hereford breeders would be encouraged by this powerful signal.
"It was an exceptional result, irrespective of what breed of cattle it was," he said.
He said the result spoke to the rising performance of Hereford cattle in the US and the breed's performance in crossbreeding circles.
"It will be interesting to watch what it means for Herefords in Australia.
"The world is paying top dollars for Herefords and global demand is growing," Mr Chandler said.
The top-priced lot was a January 2023-drop female, Churchill Lady 3121L ET, bought by GKB Cattle, Desdemona, Texas, and Colyer Herefords, Bruneau, Idaho.
In the catalogue notes for the 3121L, it claimed she had "bred six of the best calves on the ranch, and flushes very well".
The cow was sired by RST Final Print 0016, out of dam, BR Validated B413 605 7098, and had been joined to Churchill W4 Sherman 2157. She is carrying a heifer calf.
GKB Cattle Company, Desdemona, Texas, also bought the US$210,000 (A$320,566) top-priced bull, Churchill Stampede 486M ET, a January 2024-drop calf sired by Churchill W4 Sherman 2157K ET, for full possession and 20 per cent of US semen sales.
