Stars align for Galaxy son
THE wait was over last Friday as the first son of the
$117,500 record priced Angus bull Irelands Galaxy G43, sold at auction to a
similar fanfare to his father, when the hammer fell to the tune of $105,000, to
record yet another breath taking result at Irelands Angus.
The stars aligned as auctioneer Kevin Norris, Landmark
Albury, spruiked the 18 month old bull Irelands Jeopardy J356, out of an
Irelands Eclypta E23 female, should have been at lot three of the sale as he
was better than many had given him credit for.
It wasn't long before he was proven to be correct as he went
from $2000 bids to $5000 in the blink of an eye and the gallery watched on as a
stud and commercial breeder went head to head, as the bell was rung at $100,000
before a single $5000 bid produced the knockout blow for Victorian producer
Stewart Moroney, Holstons Pastoral, Ensay.
Mr Moroney runs 700 cows on 4500 acres and with his business
partner Peter August, Melbourne, Vic, producing steers for their newly formed
branded beef product Holstons Pastoral Platinum Angus Beef.
Mr Moroney said he bought the bull to be used in their
commercial enterprise via an artificial insemination program, with a possible
aim to start a stud in the future, to produce progeny on a consistent basis for
their range of butcher shops.
"I loved the Galaxy sire and this was just as good and we
bought him for his outstanding carcase attributes, concentrating on carcase
weight, Eye muscle area, fats, intra muscular fat percentage and 400 and 600
day growth figures," he said.
Jeopardy was +63 for cwt, +5.6 EMA, positive for rib and
rump, +0.7 IMF and growth traits from +82 for 400 to +112 for 600 day growth,
weighing 754kg.
"We really looked at 400 day growth, with our domestic
cattle getting processed at that time while the 600 day was still important
with the export product we produce also at 600 days," he said.
Mr Moroney said they will sell semen out of Jeopardy to allow
other producers to utilise his genetic strength and quality.
"Working with local producers, we will sell them semen for
commercial AI programs to get a volume of consistent calves on the ground that
we are chasing for our branded program and we will buy their calves back at a
premium price," he said.
Mr Moroney said the paddock to plate market added a fair bit
of guts to the industry, so it was a great option to get into at the moment.
In the wrap up 48 of the 50 bulls sold to the dizzy heights
of $105,000 for an outstanding $8875 that will be hard to top for the 2015
selling year, on the back of another two sires selling for $41,000 and $30,000
before the regular commercial clients filled their orders between $3000 and
$7000 on a regular basis.
The second top bull Irelands Jerico J385, by Raff
Expedition, set the middle of the sale alight selling for $41,000 to River
Street Pty Ltd, Walcha.
He was 20 months of age with +5.6 for birth, +41 to +101 for
growth and a raw scan of 113 centmetres for EMA.
Peter Drew, New Park Angus , Mountain View, Vic, paid
$30,000 for what he regarded as the lead bull of the sale Irelands Jouster
J393, by Granite Ridge Thomas out of Irelands Wargoona E5 female with +115 for
600 day growth, positive carcase data and EMA to +8.4
Mr Drew said he loved the size and depth of front on Jouster
and his potential to grow out to a very big bull, matched with his great
maternal traits and his overall balance of figures.
Then it was time for
the regular buyers to unleash and that they did with Mitchell Investments Pty
Ltd, Launceston, paying to $14,000 for another carcase bull by Te Mania
Infinity in a draft of three averaging $9000, while Phillip Henwood, Wagga
Wagga, averaged four at $6500 and Colin Scott and Company, Melbourne, loaded
four at $6000.
David Hurley and his daughter Diana, Hurley Family
Partnership, Dargo, Vic, paid $9000 and $5000 for two bulls, one of the longest
serving clients Nick Cobcroft, "Highbank", Young, landed four at $4875, while
CJ Pendergast, "Omeo Station", Omeo, followed up last years sale buying another
three at $6167 after topping the Sharpe-Fullgrabe weaner sale last week and Jamie
Walker "Mountain Maid" Omeo, purchased two bulls after topping the Omeo calf sales at
$1090 last week.
Rounding out another fantastic sale for the Ireland family repeat
clients Frank Palmer, "Alabama", Wagga Wagga, paid to $6500 for five bulls
averaging $4000 and Glengarry Pastoral Company, Sandigo, purchased three at
$5167 as 30 of the 48 bulls sold between $3000 and $5500.
Earlier that day the annual Irelands Angus and clients
commercial female sale topped at $1100 for eight, three to four year old PTIC
cows, to calve April/May sold to Col Peacock, Wodonga, who was looking for good
quality, early calving PTIC cows, while unjoined heifers also topped at $1100.
