The Paterson family of Heart Angus set a new sale benchmark for the north of the state this year when their catalogue of 46 bulls sold to average $15,913 at Tamworth on Wednesday.
The opening bid of the sale kicked at $10,000 and it failed to soften with only one bull making under $10,000 and prices reaching as high as $30,000 twice.
With people filling the grandstands right to the roof of the shed, it was no surprise the day would quickly surpass last year's sale result when 36 bulls hit $13,000 and averaged $7084.
This year's draft featured the first nine sons of $40,000 Millah Murrah Nectar N334, described as "the best bull the stud has ever bought", that went on to average $19,888 with both of the top price bulls bearing his sire line.
The first, Heart Nectar Q57, was a 23-month-old 912 kilogram son suited for heifers who was out of Wattletop Kerry G231.
The easy doing bull was top one per cent for the breed's estimated breeding values for fat and feed efficiency and was secured by Terry Hanigan and Andy Deans of Coonamble.
Mr Hanigan then combined with his brother Peter Hanigan to pay the same money for Heart Nectar R21, a 17-month-old 722 kilogram son of the Millah Murrah Abigail M32 cow who was described as "thick, deep bodied and easy doing".
It was Mr Hanigan's first time buying from the stud after trying to purchase their sire, Millah Murrah Nectar N334, many years ago.
He runs a commercial operation of around 350 breeders and sells 50 commercial bulls a year for clients as far away as Scone, Blayney and Orange.
While he was busy freeze branding on the day of the sale, Mr Hanigan inspected the bulls on Monday and paired up with his fellow buyers to ensure they had the budget to buy their selections.
"I might look at 500 or 600 bulls a year trying to find a pretty elite sort of stud sire every year," he said.
"On your own it can be difficult to front up with that sort of cash so if you share the bulls it makes it ever so much easier.
"I only join those top stud sires for eight weeks...so if I'm the second to use them they will stay here but in this case they'll go to Andy Deans for his joining in October and Peter joins before me so he will wait until next year."
Stud principal Chris Paterson was overwhelmed at the conclusion of the sale and said it was unbelievable to think so many good cattle producers wanted their genetics.
"We have only been in the game since 2011 but we are getting to know our cows so there is more consistency, you see the last bulls still making good money," he said.
"That's what we are trying to breed; good, soft, easy doing cattle that will perform in any environment and I think this year we had that across the board."
Of the 95 registered bidders on the day, 32 were successful with the bulk buyer being Lynwood Pastoral Company, Barraba who secured four averaging $16,500.
The Randall family had been buying bulls since Heart's inaugural sale with their first sire still producing calves.
Not far behind with three was NT and E Higgins of Nowendoc, and also Powerhouse Pastoral at Nundle.
Riamukka Partnership at Nowendoc bought two at $16,000 and $22,000 while Wendouree Grazing at Walcha paid $16,000 and $20,000 for their pair.
Rob Sheaffe, Kickerbell West, Quirindi paid $14,000 and $15,000 for two bulls, Plumthorpe Pastoral at Gunnedah also bought two as did MJ and TL Gooch, IR and CF Balmain of Niangala and Sam Newsome.
Buyers arrived at the sale knowing the bulls wouldn't be cheap which saw Agrismart at Goondiwindi, Queensland, use one opening bid of $16,000 to secure Heart Exclusive R28.
A Millah Murrah Laker son out of Millah Murrah Abigail J314 towards the back of the catalogue from Jye Paterson made $18,000 to Fernleigh Enterprises through McGrath Livestock.
Mr Paterson said Heart Angus would look to get bigger, but it took time.
"Next year I think we will have similar numbers, around 50 odd bulls, but we hope to build it to around 70 with more cows and a few embryo programs to try and keep it rolling," Mr Paterson said.
The sale was conducted by Davidson Cameron and Co with Paul Dooley as guest auctioneer.
Read the full report in next week's The Land.
Lucy Kinbacher
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
