Wallaroi Holsteins sell out

Wallaroi principal and Holstein master breeder Max Hall began the dispersal two years ago and said he was looking forward to slowing down his farming pace.

“I will still be at the farm, but I’ll just be milking about 20 cows that weren’t in the sale,” Mr Hall said.

“I will still be feeding calves and supplying a bit of milk locally, but I am nearing 60 and so I am looking to retire a bit.”

The average price at sale was $3355 with a top of $10,250 for Lot 16, Wallaroi Chief Justine, VG86 sold to Munzels in Gunbower, a cow Mr Hall said was “one to watch”.

Mr Hall said the four Justine cows were of a particularly good Canadian family.

The second-highest price was that of first-lactating Wallaroi Randall Butter GP 83 for $8500

Dairy Livestock Services auctioneer Brian Leslie said the day’s offer of cattle was ‘‘very good’’, with over 20 online bidders from across the eastern states joining 12 at the sale.

“There was a widespread range of buyers from across Victoria and the country in fact; one from Tamworth in NSW and one Queenslander,” Mr Leslie said.

“They came from all parts of Victoria too, from Gippsland, Leongatha and out in the west of the state.”

There were several volume buyers with the strongest being Jack and Matt Kenny from Cororooke, near Colac, who took home over a dozen cows.

Mr Leslie praised the “very high’’ quality of cows on offer.

“It was really good to see there were several return buyers which is really positive about the quality of Max’s breeding,” Mr Leslie said.

Mr Hall began his stud in 1980 as a teenager when he bought his first cow, and was granted master breeder status in 2009.

He said that although the sale was late in the year, he had been confident the sale would have been strong.