According to Elders Victoria/Riverina Stud Stock Manager Ross Milne, the outlook for the 2026 stud ram selling season is shaping up positively. Improved seasonal conditions and strong commodity prices are expected to support buyer confidence.
Ross said the season was off to an encouraging start.
"Coming into the 2026 stud stock selling season, things look pretty positive, the outlook is very good for both ram and bull sales,” he explained.
"This time last year, conditions were very dry across many parts of the country. This year we've had a very good autumn break and we're also coming off the back of a much better spring.
“Commodity prices, particularly for wool, sheep and lamb, as well as cattle prices, have been at or near record highs. Those market fundamentals should have a positive influence on ram and bull sale results and hopefully lead to stronger sale averages across the season."
The majority of stud stock sales across the Victoria and Riverina region will take place throughout August, September and October, with early-season indicators already pointing to solid demand. Ross, who has just returned from Bendigo, said the recent Australian Sheep and Wool Show had provided an encouraging start to the selling season.
"The Australian Sheep and Wool Show sale was very solid, returning a $5,500 average, which was up on last year, with about a 70 per cent clearance,” he said.
“Being a multi-vendor sale, it's always difficult to achieve a total clearance, but it was certainly a pleasing result and a good start to the 2026 selling season."
Another promising start to the season was the results achieved at the Elders AG-Grow Elite Horse and Bull Sale. Held in June, in Emerald, Queensland 141 bulls sold to a gross of $1.797 million, averaging $12,744.
Ross’s colleague, Queensland and NT Stud Stock Manager Anthony Ball said the event showed “buyers recognising the value of proven genetics that will continue to improve herd performance for years to come.”
While the outlook remains encouraging, Ross said some producers would continue to feel the effects of recent dry years.
"One factor that may influence results is the reduced number of sheep and cattle in some areas following the dry conditions experienced through 2024 and 2025,” he said.
“Those production challenges are still being felt in parts of the industry, but overall the outlook remains very positive as we move into the key selling months."