BIDDING from five states pushed prices to a high of $42,000 and an average of $10,354 for 119 bulls at the 23rd annual Yamburgan Shorthorns bull sale at “Wallah”, Narrabri, last week.
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Of the 103 Shorthorn bulls offered by John and Liz Manchee, 102 sold for an overall average of $10,911, with the 79 two-year-old bulls averaging $11,924 and 23 yearlings topping at $16,000 and averaging $7434.
The 17 Durham Tropical bulls topped at $12,000 and averaged $7000.
The Manchees had strong support from repeat clients, who bought 91 per cent of the draft. Bulls were sold to stud and commercial clients in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and King Island.
“Commercial breeders are really looking for calving ease and softness, a soft muscle pattern … and meat quality, and you’ve got to have fat coverage to get that meat quality,” Mr Manchee said.
Repeat clients, Baradine stud producers, Jason and Kylie Catts, Futurity Shorthorns, took home the top bull, paying $42,000 for Yamburgan Anzac L278.
The 25-month-old son of Yamburgan Ossie E65 and Yamburgan Mayflower F82 weighed 880 kilograms with a scrotal circumference of 40 centimetres, 19 millimetres and 12mm for rump and rib fat. He had an eye muscle area (EMA) of 130 square centimetres and intramuscular fat (IMF) of 6.1 per cent. He was in the top 1pc of the breed for rump and rib fats, top 5pc for scrotal size, days to calving, and IMF, and top 10pc for gestation length, carcase weight and EMA, top 15pc for 600-day weight and calving ease, and top 20pc for birthweight and 400-day weight.
Yamburgan Zeus L173, by Yamburgan Zeus H140 from Yamburgan Cloudy J245, sold for $28,000 to Lester Job, Moombi Shorthorns, Cumnock. The 25-month-old bull weighed 898kg, had a scrotal circumference of 42cm, rump and rib fat of 12mm and 9mm, a 130cm2 EMA and IMF of 6.7pc. He was in the top 1pc of the breed for days to calving, top 5pc for gestation length, all growth traits, scrotal size and EMA, top 20pc for rib fat, and top 25pc for IMF.
Longtime Yamburgan clients, John and Carol and Stuart and Annabelle Brownlie, "Deepwater", Meandarra, Qld, bought 23-month-old Yamburgan Sparta L556 for $23,000. The 874kg son of Yamburgan Sparta F149 and Broughton Park First Lady C081 was one of 10 bulls purchased by the Brownlie family. He had a scrotal circumference of 41cm with 10mm and 6mm on the rump and rib, an EMA of 125cm2, and 5.4pc IMF.
Hamish and Doug Munro, “Tullatula”, Merriwa, took home Yamburgan Monkira L500, a 24-month-old son of Yamburgan Tobermorey F090 and Yamburgan Jill E79, for $22,000. The 928kg bull had a scrotal circumference of 41cm and measured 15mm and 8mm for rump and rib fat, with a 131cm2 EMA and 5.9pc IMF.
Peter and Louise Capel, Bungulla Shorthorns, Manilla, and the Brownlie family, each purchased bulls for $20,000.
The Capels bought Yamburgan Zeus, a 25-month-old son of Yamburgan Zeus H140 and Yamburgan Mimi J393 with strong growth figures, and the Brownlies took home 23-month-old Yamburgan Normandy L613, a low birthweight bull by Yamburgan Grissom G31 from Yamburgan Cloudy E128.
Five bulls – Yamburgan Monkira L446, Yamburgan Anzac L228, Yamburgan Zeus L201, Yamburgan Zeus L176 and Yamburgan Zeus L175 – made $18,000, going to Gordon Bebb, “Darling Plain”, Delungra; the Brownlie family; Barry and Yvonne Crotty, “Inglebar”, Mullawa; Peter Caskey, “Little Amity”, Allendale East, SA, and Phillip and Coral Marshall, “Tareela”, Burren Junction, respectively.
Three bulls made $17,000, with the Brownlies taking home Yamburgan Armani L437 and Yamburgan Armani L339, and Yamburgan Zeus L368 going to Mr Caskey.
The Brownlies were the volume buyers, with their draft averaging $145,000.
Essex Grazing, “Essex”, Middlemount, Qld, bought six bulls for a top of $14,000 and average of $11,000.
Patrick and Jan and Lew and Rachel Lamph, “Douglas Park”, Carinda; Peter and Wendy Hughes, “Thurloo Downs”, Wanaaring; and John and Pam Hindle, “Mullary”, Rowena, each purchased five bulls, averaging $9000, $7600 and $5400 respectively.
The sale was settled by Landmark Narrabri and Hamilton Mortimer Agencies, Narrabri, with Paul Dooley, Tamworth, taking the bids.
Ruth Schwager
Ruth Schwager is a journalist with the national agricultural features team.
Ruth Schwager is a journalist with the national agricultural features team.
