Alumy Creek Angus at Tenterfield recorded a top priced bid during their annual bull sale on Friday with lot 16, Alumy Creek Compass N055 selling for $15,000 to volume buyers Matt and Jackie Tennyson, "Moorabinda" Taroom, Qld.
The stud recorded an average sale price of $5460 with 28 of 47 sold or 59 per cent.
The clearance rate was not so surprising, said stud principals Colin Keever and Lisa Martin, given the incredibly difficult season - made all the more tricky for Alumy Creek after grass fires decimated their paddocks in February.
The rising two year old Compass measured 795kg with 42cmm scrotal circumference the week before sale day while scanned information from two months ago revealed 104 square centimeters for eye muscle area, 12mm for rib fat and 9mm for rump fat with an intramuscular fat score of 5.7.
By the American bull Baldridge Compass C041 the quiet Alumy Creek progeny is among the oldest sons of the US sire in Australia and was the result of a trip to North America by Mr Keevers in 2016.
The record price was assisted by under bidders Justin and Kate Boshammer, JK Cattle Co, Condamine, who would have used the sire in their stud operation.
For the Tennyson family, Compass was one of nine bulls purchased on the day, including four sons of Baldridge Compass.
Lot 2, Alumy Creek Compass N085, regarded by some including Elders auctioneer Brian Kennedy as the best of the draft, sold for $7000. Lot 1, Alumy Creek Compass N053 sold for $8000.
The Tennysons, repeat buyers for the past five years, will use their new Angus bulls on their breeding herd of Brangus infused with Angus to produce calves to suit the feedlot market with some grown out as bullocks.
Second top priced bull was another Compass, lot 3, N084, the heaviest in the draft, which sold for $10,000 to W and S Pickenskill, Theodore, Qld, weighing 910kg, 40cm for scrotal, with 117sq cm EMA, 10mm/7mm for rib and rump with an IMF of 6.1.
Lot 12, Alumy Creek Sandman N014 by Connealy Sandman, sold for $8000 to first time Alumy Creek buyer and straight Angus breeder Andrew Hill, Woodenbong. The rising two year old weighed 810kg with 41cm scrotal, and an EMA of 110, 13mm/11mm rib and rump and 6.4 IMF.
Another Sandman, lot 17 N108, 830kg with 40cm scrotal, sold to repeat buyer Susan Smith, Woonooka Angus stud, Tamworth for $7000.
Alex Anderson, Willow Tree, another repeat buyer, purchased two bulls to a top of $5000 for lot 15 Alumy Creek Compass N007, 790kg with 42cm scrotal, 104sq cm EMA with 6 for IMF.
Repeat buyer Tim Dougherty, "Blackbutt" Tabulam, another February fire victim who destocked by a third as a result, purchased lot 9 Alumy Creek Unanimous N034, by Vision Unanimous, for $5000.
Several repeat customers purchased bulls including Peter Mulcahy, Urbenville, who bought lot 18 Alumy Creek Compass N104 for $4000. A minus six degree morning on sale day brought to a halt his short growing season after a bone dry summer. "You could smell the frost-affected Kikuyu," he said.
The Alumy Creek sale was conducted by George and Fuhrmann, Warwick with Elders Glen Innes and Auctions Plus. Auctioneers Darren Perkins and Brian Kennedy took the bids.