The recent herd dispersal sale by Antvale Cattle Co is part of its standard practice when facing drought or dry conditions.
Vendor Anthony Coombes said he and Caitlin Coombes learned from the last drought — when they sold their entire milking herd — it was better to make decisions early and they can always buy back into the dairy industry.
The sale was organised through Dairy Livestock Services and held on November 23, interfaced online with Elite Livestock Auctions.
Anthony and Caitlin farm at Long Flat, NSW, inland from Port Macquarie.
They comfortably milk 400 cows in a 60-stand rotary dairy, twice a day, supplying Norco.
“Our sweet spot is 350 to 400 cows,” Anthony said.
“To milk more, we’d need to lease land for making silage and to raise our young stock.”
The herd calves 10 months of the year, but Anthony said that had changed recently.
“We’re currently changing to three, nine-week circuits, with breaks between,” he said.
“That should give us more flexibility around calving and weaning, and improve calf welfare.”
During the last drought, the couple sold its milking herd and bought back in when the drought broke.
They took the learnings from that into their management process and decided, going forward, to regularly disperse some of their herd through spring and autumn sales.
When the dry weather bit hard this season, they decided to bring their autumn sale forward and sell the full complement in November.
“We decided to have a spring sale of fresh cows this year and again in autumn 2024,” Anthony said.
“A lot of the cows we were selling were bought in fresh-in-milk, and that’s how we like to sell them too.
“We always sell good cattle and this time we put in some of my better cows and heifers that we used sexed semen in the months leading up to the sale.
“In the remaining herd, we’re not losing those genetics.
“We’ve had to shut down the dairy once before because of water insecurity.
“When the dry weather set in, we decided we were not going to do that again, and decided to sell everything in the one sale now.”
Even though the recent rain has boosted pasture growth, Anthony said it was too late for the rye-grass and the remaining herd was grazing native grasses.
“It’s drying off again now, and we’re by no means out of the woods,” he said.
“There’s not been enough rain to fill water courses. It’s green now, but it’s hot and drying weather.”
Anthony said he was pleased overall with the dispersal sale. Nearly 300 cows sold, to a top of $4000. The average price across the sale was $2185.
Buyers were from far north Queensland, throughout NSW and south-west Victoria.
Sale top was Araluen Park Harris Wendy, a six-year-old Jersey cow EX91, PTIC to Roulette and milking 25 litres, that sold for $4000. She was bought by Peter Latham of Moorland, NSW.
Another Araluen Park young cow, four-year-old Promo Princess P, classified 84 as a two-year-old, and PTIC to Maveric, sold after eight bids at $2500.
Antvale Chromed Sallie, a three-year-old, joined to Lottery for her second calf, sold at $3900.
Antvale Chief Star, a four-year-old, milking 32 litres and fresh-in-milk, sold after 15 bids at $3600.
Another Antvale cow, four-year-old Chief Lila, AI’d to Lottery and milking 25 litres, sold at $3200 after 12 bids.
Eurarie Daisy Design 2nd, calved 2023 with her first calf and PTIC to Roulette, milking 18 litres, sold at $3500.
Plateau Vale Megapower Connie dropped her first calf earlier in 2023 and PTIC to Roulette, milking 21 litres, sold after 11 bids at $3400.
Yandavale Winnter V Daisy 849, born 2018 and AI’d for her second calf to Roulette, milking 23 litres, sold at $3400.
Vala Moat Maxie-ET-PF, born 2018, and in calf to Wolfgang-P, also sold at $3400.
Antvale Mint Vee, VG88, born in 2017, PTIC to Roulette, and milking 23 litres, sold at $3000.
Auctioneer Brian Leslie said the sale of registered Jerseys, Holsteins and Ayrshires, along with commercial Jersey, Holstein, Illawarra, Swiss Red and crossbred cows, was well supported by return and new buyers.
“The top-priced cow was bought by Peter Latham of Moorland, NSW, and the next top cow was purchased by G. Tiedman of Johns Island, NSW,” Brian said.
“The same buyer also selected Yandavale Winnter V Daisy 849, classified VG88.
“P. Barnett of Bellingen, NSW, selected several lots, including Eurarie Daisy Design 2nd, EX90.
“The top selling Holstein was Antvale Chief Star, a three-year-old by the noted Stantons Chief, purchased by P. Latham.
“The same buyer purchased Antvale Chief Ding, by the same sire, at $3400.
“C. and D. Morris of Killawarra, NSW, purchased Vala Moet Maxie, also at $3400.”