Interstate buyers helped drive the clearance and top price up to $15,000 at the Mountain Valley 25th Annual Bull Sale yesterday at Coolatai.
Overall Ian and Shelley Durkin sold 64 bulls of the 74 offered to clear 86 per cent and average $6297.
A total of 22 bulls, equating to over a third of the draft sold, were secured by interstate buyers from Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania.
Included in the run of bulls heading over the border was the $15,000 sale-topping Poll Hereford bull Mountain Valley Macquarie M1231 (P) purchased by Gary Anthony from Meeniyan, Vic.
By home-bred sire, Mountain Valley Gambler G14(P) from Logan View Shamrock G349 (ET) (P), the 23½-month-old weighed in at 844 kilograms and measured 40 centimetres in the scrotal circumference. It had fat scans of 12 millimeters and 8mm in the rump and rib, an eye muscle area (EMA) of 122 squared cm and intramuscular fat (IMF) of 4.5pc.
Semen from the top-priced bull was being retained by Mountain Valley stud for in herd use.
Mr Anthony said he admired the bull’s soft, easy doing ability and the overall confirmation of the bull. He also bought a half-share in another bull, Mountain Valley Moonshine M079 (P) with D. Fairbrother, Leongatha, Vic.
For the first time the Durkins offered Angus bulls which proved to be a worthy choice.
In the breakdown 44 Poll Hereford bulls sold of the 50 offered cleared 81 pc to average $5545, while all 20 Angus bulls offered were sold and averaged an impressive $8300.
The top-priced Angus bull, and second top-priced bull of the sale was Mountain Valley Javelin M208, who sold for $13,000.
Purchased by the Donnelly family from Glen Innes, through Colin Say and Co, the 25-month-old was by Yamba Javelin from Mountain Valley Eva J8 (AI). It weighed 940kg with measurements of 45cm in the scrotum, 18mm and 11mm in the rump and rib fat scans, 122 sq cm in the EMA and 6.5pc IMF.
Focused on grass finishing and operating on about 300 hectares, Peter Donnelly said they were looking for an all round package and this bull was that.
“We wanted one bull and we went for the overall volume and softness he offered. He was the complete package,” Mr Donnelly said.
“He will be used over second calvers that are Herefords and Hereford cross Santa Gertrudis.”
Volume buyers included; the Handley family from Andromeda Cattle Co, Mungallala, Qld, who bought six bulls for a $5500 average, and Clerkness Pastoral Co from Bundara, secured six bulls (five Poll Herefords, one Angus) to average $5500.
Matt Marriett from Leongatha, Vic, purchased five bulls (three Poll Herefords, two Angus), for a $6200 average.
To celebrate the Mountain Valley 25th Annual Bull Sale, two quality Poll Hereford heifers were offered and sold to average $4750.
The top-priced heifer was 14-month-old Mountain Valley Shamrock N009 (P), purchased by AL. and EA. Vivers from Inverell.
The sale was conducted by C.L. Squires and Co, Inverell, and Landmark, with Paul Dooley, Tamworth, as the auctioneer.