When welcoming prospective buyers to his family's 21st annual on-property bull sale last Wednesday, James Pearce, YavenVale Poll Herefords, Adelong, noted for a summer day it was the coldest sale he had seen.
However the result was far hotter than the weather with the Pearce family selling 94 of 97 bulls to a top of $16,000 for an average price of $6170.
Buyers of the top priced bull, YavenVale Prediction, a 19-month-old son of Limehills Streaker, were David Meikle, Tarwin Poll Herefords, Meeniyan, Victoria and Geoff and Jan Coghill, Ke Warra Poll Herefords, Moorooduc, Vic, who were impressed by the 'very balanced set of numbers' of their new stud sire.
Homozygous poll and a heifer's first calf, YavenVale Prediction was in the top one per cent of the breed's estimated breeding values for intramuscular fat and Southern Self-Replacing (SSR) index, top five per cent for 400-day growth, 600-day growth and Southern Baldy Maternal (SBM) and top 10 per cent for 200-day growth, milk and eye muscle area.
Mr Meikle said the bull has good solid carcase traits which were complemented by his phenotype.
"He is the complete package, with great figures and overall balance," he said.
"The eye appeal is important and his physical appearance attracted us combined with his outcross genetics for our herds."
Yavenvale Premier, a 792kg son of Koanui Techno, was bought by Ross Armstrong, Yea, for $14,000.
A homozygous polled bull with an excellent birth to growth EBV spread, his breed figures put him in the top five percent for SSR and SBM and top 10 per cent for 400-day growth, milk and IMF.
Other high sellers included Yavenvale Power Surge, an 842kg son of YavenVale Juke, bought by Tewallewah Pastoral Co, Harden for $11,000.
Coorong Cattle Company, Salt Creek, South Australia secured the impressive YavenVale Professor, a 17-month-son of YavenVale Moneyball for $11,000 and a second sire with doing ability and length late in the day for $10,000.
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Grafton, paid $10,000 for their selection, an 18- month-son of Chester Shannon with breed figures in the top five per cent for gestation length, scrotal size, rump and IMF.
Ben and Luci Kentish, Mt Gambier, SA were among the volume buyers with a draft of six bulls to a top of $11,000 for an average price of $6500, while fellow large-scale SA commercial producers Andrew and Annie Bell, Millicent paid to $9500 in their draft of eight bulls which averaged $7038.
Regular supporters Nelson and Kath McIntosh, Yackandandah, Vic, secured a draft of six bulls to top at $8500 and average $7083 and Bev Reece, Alexandra, Vic found quality and value in the six bulls purchased for an average of $4583.
Speaking after the sale, James Pearce was overwhelmed by the sale result following incredible support his family had received after the devastation caused by the bushfire two months ago.
"The sale was confirmation of our breeding program and we are pleased to see so many repeat buyers along with new ones," he said.
"The generosity of so many who have donated fodder and fencing material is also greatly appreciated."
The sale was settled by Glasser Total Sales Management with Michael Glasser taking the bids as auctioneer.
