SALE SUMMARY
2017 2016
Offered 122 119
Sold 122 119
Top $32,000 $41,000
Av $9336 $8284
PATHFINDER stud cemented itself as a powerhouse of the Angus breed with a total clearance of 122 bulls for a ripping $9336 average at its Naracoorte sale complex on Thursday last week.
Stud principals Nick and Sara Moyle enjoyed a $1.37 million pay day at their 20th annual SA bull sale, and also sold 100 pregnancy-tested females, which topped at $3040 and averaged $2280.
More than one third of the bulls made $10,000 or more in the 2.5-hour selling marathon, ensuring the average lifted $1052 on 2016.
Buyers bid with confidence on the proven genetics in the state’s largest offering.
They were spoilt for choice with pen after pen of bulls with growth and carcase backed with multiple traits in the top 1 per cent to 5pc of the breed.
The 13 sons of Pathfinder Genesis G357 – the number one bull in the Angus breed on three breed indexes – provided many of the highlights, including the $32,000 top-price, and averaged $14,500.
Two spring 2015-drop Genesis sons catalogued late in the sale were elevated to lot 1 and 2 after strong interest.
It kicked the sale off in spectacular style with lot 123 – Pathfinder Genesis L1119 – selling for $24,000 to long-time buyer David Harvey, King Island, Tas.
L1152 – a late September-drop – rose higher, selling for $32,000 to Doug and Barbara Tozer, Onslow stud, Wallendbeen.
The Tozers, who have bought several high price bulls from SA, were phone bidding through Elders Strathalbyn’s Danny Reynolds.
Mr Tozer said Genesis G357 was a “proven practical sire” and L1152 was a “good package of commercial and genetic traits”.
“It (L1152) was selected for its structure, length, quality and balance and the figures were acceptable with five traits in the top 1pc and three in the top 5pc,” he said.
The 748-kilogram sale-topper was among the breed’s elite, in the top one per cent for 200-, 400- and 600-day growth, scrotal and carcase weight.
The highest price autumn-drop bull was another Genesis son that ticked plenty of boxes. It sold for $18,000 to Gary and Sally Bowyer, Robe, SA.
Two more Genesis sons made $17,000, with lot 12 knocked down to Patrick Ross, Lucindale, and I.D and B Cobiac, Kingston SE, buying lot 35 – a good heifer bull – for the same money.
St Vincents, Sellicks Hill, SA, also bid in the top-end, securing a Te Mania Emperor E343 son for $16,000 and a Sitz Upward son for $13,000.
Despite some lofty heights, 12 bulls made $5000.
Mr Moyle said it was fantastic to see 90pc of the buyers were repeat clients.
Many had enjoyed outstanding weaner sales with progeny topping at Naracoorte and Hamilton, Vic.
Wrights Swamp, Heywood, Vic, received $4.46/kg or $1605 for Pathfinder-blood heifers in January and another client Biggin Hill Trust, Lochaber, sold its complete drop of yearling heifers for $1400 a head.
“Our philosophy is simple – to have the most profitable clients in the livestock industry,” Mr Moyle said.
“To do that the cattle must be fertile, have calving ease and wean the maximum weight calf.”
Landmark was the sale agent.
Pathfinder offered another 125 bulls at its Gazette property in Vic yesterday.
