BIDDING from four states pushed bulls to a top of $16,000 and average of $7086 at the 46th annual Dalkeith Herefords and Poll Herefords sale at Cassilis on Thursday.
All 46 bulls offered by the Martin family sold, while 18 stud cows sold for a top of $3750 twice and an average of $2861.
Three-year-old commercial cows and calves sold prior to the stud sale, with 217 head topping at $3850 and averaging $2956, setting a new national breed record.
Cattle sold to NSW, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia, with interest from stud and commercial buyers.
Walcha stud producer Chris Lisle, Tummel Herefords, “Lochaber”, Walcha, took home the top-priced bull, Dalkeith Keepsake K106, for $16,000. The 29-month-old bull, by Matariki Holy-Smoke from Dalkeith Dividend 639, weighed 794 kilograms, had a scrotal circumference of 40.5 centimetres, measured 13 millimetres and 9mm on the rump and rib, had an eye muscle area (EMA) of 114 square centimetres, and intramuscular fat (IMF) of 5.5 per cent. He had estimated breeding values (EBVs) of +3.8 for birthweight and +34, +60 and +78 for 200-, 400- and 600-day weight.
Keepsake will be used in the Tummel Herefords stud herd of 350 breeders.
Dalkeith Kookaburra K033, another Holy-Smoke son, sold for $12,000 to John and Brenda Paulsen, “Wongalee”, Dirranbandi, Queensland. The 30-month-old bull, from Dalkeith TM (H004), weighed 858kg, measured 40cm in the scrotum, had rump and rib fat of 19mm and 12mm, an EMA of 122cm2 and 6.8pc IMF. He had EBVs of +40, +69 and +88 for 200-, 400- and 600-day weight.
The Paulsens also purchased Dalkeith Keno K288, a 27-month-old son of Grassmere Spark 555 and Mountain Valley Shamrock (D60), for $11,000. The 712kg bull had a scrotal circumference of 37cm, 14mm and 8mm on the rump and rib, had a 113cm2 EMA and IMF of 5.1pc.
Two bulls – Dalkeith Kevin and Dalkeith Kickass – sold for $10,000, going to Clive McEachern, Ardno Herefords, “Wingiel”, Wingell, Victoria, and the Gossage family, “Park View”, Gulgong.
The sale’s volume buyer was Michael Martin, “Turee Vale", Coolah, who bought five bulls topping at $9000 and averaging $7300.
The Martin family, “Dalkeith Olde”, Cassilis, took home four bulls for a top of $8000 and average of $7000, the Brook family, “Adria Downs”, Birdsville, bought three bulls for an average of $5333, and Mark and Gabrielle Chalker, “Yarraman”, Bigga, purchased three bulls averaging $7333.
In the stud cows, Dalkeith Favourite 1 and Dalkeith Dividend 622 reached the top price of $3750, both bought by Edinburgh Park, Wingham, who purchased seven stud cows averaging $2928. Jakean Pty Ltd, Inverell, also bought seven stud cows for an average of $3071.
There was strong competition for the commercial cows and calves, with buyers looking for good quality breeders.
Graham Thibault, “Uralla East”, Gunnedah, bought the top pen of five cows and calves for $3850, and bought another three pens of 10 cows and calves for $3150, $3050 and $3050, and John and Marcelle Marskell, “Wilton Downs”, Mudgee, bought 40 cows and calves topping at $3500.
The sale was conducted by Milling Stuart Dunedoo and Elders Mudgee, with Angus Stuart auctioning the commercial heifers and Paul Dooley, Tamworth, at the rostrum for the stud cattle.
