BULLS reached a high of $16,000 and averaged $6829 at the annual Kilburnie Angus bull sale at “Straban”, Walcha, last Friday.
Seventy of the 73 bulls offered by stud principal, David Murray, sold in the helmsman system, with bulls going to commercial and stud clients in the New England and Hunter Valley.
In the yearlings, 42 of the 44 bulls offered sold for an average of $6761 and 28 of 29 two-year-old bulls sold, averaging $6928.
David Ross, “Daisy Hill”, Wollomombi, bought the top bull, Murray M Grando J136 M268, a 12-month-old son of Murray Grando J136 NURJ136 and Murray F253.
The 582-kilogram bull was in the top one per cent for all indices and had estimated breeding values (EBVs) of +3.9 for birthweight and +53, +97 and +129 for 200-, 400- and 600-weight.
Murray Bartel M206, by Ayrvale Bartel E7 from Murray Thunderbird K71, sold through AuctionsPlus, going to David Benson, “Top Waterloo”, Walcha.
The 13-month-old weighed 562kg was also in the top 1pc for all indices with EBVs of +1.8 for birthweight and +57, +101 and +128 for 200-, 400- and 600-day weight.
Murray Bartel M38, a 13-month-old bull by Ayrvale Bartel E7 from Murray Thunderbird K29, also made $15,500, selling to John Sylvester, Sylvester Cattle Company, Nundle.
M38 weighed 548kg and had EBVs of +3.5 for birthweight, +60, +101 and +132 for 200-, 400- and 600-day weight, and +109 for mature cow weight.
Repeat Kilburnie clients, John and Sandra Zorgdrager, "Somerset", Walcha, bought Murray Federal M252 for $13,000.
He was a 13-month-old son of Waitara Pio Federal F73 and Murray Ambush 28 G305 who weighed 614kg.
The bull had EBVs of +2.9 for birthweight and +52, +98 and +119 for 200-, 400- and 600-day weight.
Two bulls - Murray M Thunderbird M102 and Murray M Grando J136 M268 - reached $12,000, selling to John Clark, Yahna Angus, Dundee, and Ian McDonald, Walcha, respectively.
Mark and Angie Berry, “Emu Creek”, Walcha, were the volume buyers, taking home four bulls averaging $5750. The Ross family; the NSW Department of Primary Industries; Michael Campbell, “Wirribilla”, Walcha; Hugh and Steph Cook, "Gleneagles", Walcha; Ross King, “Waterloo”, Walcha, and the Taylor family, “Birrahlee”, Kentucky, each purchased three bulls, averaging $10,166; $8000; $7500; $7166; $6833 and $6833 respectively.
“Buyers were chasing bulls with low or reasonable birthweight, but with lots of growth,” manager, Andy Burwell, said.
The sale was settled by Landmark Walcha.
Ruth Schwager
Ruth Schwager is a journalist with the national agricultural features team.
Ruth Schwager is a journalist with the national agricultural features team.
