Illawarras hit $8000 at Colac Dairy Sale

Buyers from across Australia filled the stands at Colac this week, taking a rare opportunity to purchase renowned Illawarra bloodlines at a multivendor dispersal.

Prices hit $8000 for Rubyvale Pingerly Buttercup 2-ET, a young Illawarra due to calve in September to Glenbrook Queens Prince, as part of an offering from Ricky and Kristie Bailey of Rubyvale Illawarras, Carpendeit.

Bookar Illawarra and Jersey breeders Roger and Amanda Heath picked-up this top lot and put together a line of young cows including the a big-milk A2:A2 Illawarra sold by the Breen family, later in the sale, for $3400.

Competition was fierce on a line of Lemon Grove descendants. Heifer Rubyvale Pingerly Buttercup 3, due to calve in August, was sold to south west Victorian local Paul Rea for $5000.

Locals T&T Fleming paid $5000 for Rubyvale PB Duchess, junior champion and reserve All Breeds at the Heytesbury Show last year. The heifer is due to calve from August 10.

It’s a full circle for Eagle Park Anticipation Pamela 4221 VG86, who’s breeder Natalie Sherlaw purchased her back for $5000.  Natalie sold her as an in-calf heifer at IDW, with the cow developing and at five-years-old now has several broad show ribbons under her belt, including Camperdown intermediate champion and International Dairy Week honourable mention.

Up to 52 buyers registered, with cows going to Queensland, NSW, Tasmania and all Victorian dairy regions. The entire run of 34 Illawarras averaged $2389.

The Baileys also sold a small run of Brown Swiss to a top of $1800 for three-year-old Sharalyn Assay Viola, which was purchased by E&J Martin at Irrewarra. The six Brown Swiss averaged $1483.

The top of the Friesian portion was $2000 for a March-calved, A2, young cow, producing 30.5 litres/day and a bulk milk cell count of 23. She was purchased by F&C Vogels.

The Breen family, Hazelmont Illawarras, Beeac, completed their herd dispersal, offering 76 registered and grade Illawarras for an average of $1651.

The top price of $3400 was hit twice, firstly for Ovensdale Pixie 133, a May-calved registered Illawarra producing 37.7 litres at the last herd test on June 19 and again for another Ovensdale mature cow.

The later lot, Ovensdale Jenny 93 was purchased by Dom Dare from Noorat for $3400 with the March-calved cow producing 32.5 litres/day with a bulk milk cell count of 22. She was joined in June to Supreme.

Demand didn’t waiver as the sale progressed, with prices for grade cows comparing well with registered lots offered earlier in the sale. Hazelmont Illawarras grade cows sold from 1000 to 1700 with buyers chasing milk for the vat immediately.

The sale was conducted by Charles Stewart and Dairy Livestock Services.

Bailey's
Brown Swiss
6 at $1483

Holsteins
36 at $ 1238

Illawarras
34 at $2389

Total herd avg
$1871

Breen's
76 at $1651

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