SONS of Pathfinder K7 were in demand at the 13th annual Waitara Angus bull sale, Trangie, with three making the three top prices on Friday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
The auction cleared 17 of the 31 offered selling up to a top of $12,000 and averaging $5940 with another five bulls selling after the sale for stud principals Steve and Amity Chase.
Returning client, Jane Bunting, Molong, won a spirited bidding war from three others to pay the top money for the first lot, Waitara General N24 by the Pathfinder sire and from the JMB Traction sired Waitara 292 Pageant L78.
Weighing 983 kilograms tis son was within the top one per cent of the breed's estimated breeding values (EBVs) for six traits and three in 5pc.
This bull's market target values were plus $173 for heavy grain and plus $156 for Angus Breeding.
Ms Bunting also paid $5000 for the 923kg Waitara Compass N56 by Baldridge Compass.
Repeat buyers Alan and Scott Smith, Uargon and Combalonga, Tooraweenah, secured two bulls, paying second top money at $11,000 for another Pathfinder son, Waitara General N14 weighing 947kg for their crossbreeding enterprise.
Alan Smith said they liked the K7 progeny having first purchased sons some four years before and returned two years ago to buy another.
The Smiths run 300 Charolais/Angus-cross breeders and put the Waitara sires over those for steer production which they either sell through Dubbo saleyards or to feed lots.
Cassilis-based Trio Angus stud principals, Matt Cherry and Shelley Piper, were also keen on the K7 progeny and gained one son for third top-price of $10,000.
This was for the 890kg Waitara General N87, which Mr Cherry said, was fitted the distinct K7 phenotype and had a good balance of EBV numbers.
"He has that true Angus type and characteristics," Mr Cherry said. the purchase will be joined to Trio spring joining cows to begin with.
First-time Queensland buyers Chris and Mitchell Kemp, Eungy, Blackall, bought four bulls, one at auction and the others post-sale.
"I thought I'd come and have a look," Chris Kemp said. They had purchased 11 bulls at the Texas Angus sale a fortnight earlier and said they use 80 sires within their 3000 head Santa Gertrudis and Hereford, and Santa/Hereford-cross breeding herd in the state's north and south, so needed 20 replacements this year.
The sale was conducted by Landmark Wilson Russ, Warren with auctioneer being John Settree, Landmark Stud Stock Dubbo.
