The Swanbrook Angus sale on Saturday set a new stud record selling to a top of $16,000 and an average for all bulls sold, a 100 per cent clearance, of $10,471.
Located east of Inverell loyal buyers set the selling pace and of greater importance, 80pc of winning bids came from repeat clients with most sires staying in the district.
Long-time repeat buyers Max and Elaine Fomiatti, Moorlands at Ashford, bought the top priced bull Swanbrook Genesis Q51 by Pathfinder Genesis G357 through embryo transfer.
At 23 months old and weighing 720 kilograms with a 38 centimetre scrotal circumference, Genesis presented with figures in the top one per cent Trans-Tasman Angus Cattle Evaluation figures for calving ease, being in the lightest 5pc for birthweight while maintaining good growth with top 33pc for 600 day growth, top 30pc for eye muscle area and top 21pc for intra muscular fat.
The Fomiatti family run a pure black Angus operation and sell progeny at the annual Inverell weaner sales.
Volume buyer was near neighbour Clint Nugent, Balaclava, who came away with three sires paying to a top of $13,000 for Swanbrook Makahu Q66 by Glenoch-JK Makahu M602 going back to Matauri Reality.
The artificially inseminated bull, 735kg at 23 months, presented with growth EBVs in the top 10pc and top 5pc for milk, scrotal size (40cm) and retail beef yield.
Mr Nugent, a repeat buyer, picked the sire on figures and type, saying Swanbrook genetics worked well in his program in the past, with 1000 Angus breeders on 5260 hectares at Balaclava producing progeny grown out for the Coles program and the domestic market.
Neville and Karen Brunt, Ashford, weathered a brittle drought on their trap and granite country and sold down accordingly but have returned with better conditions to reap the benefits now. They came away with two sires paying to a top of $11,000 for the heifer bull Swanbrook Makahu Q125 with top 20pc figures for lightest birthweight, top 30pc for calving ease.
The Brunts sell their Angus calves at the Inverell Autumn weaner sales.
Scott and Laura Simpson, Oakwood via Inverell are fortunate to run their herd on volcanic country but were still stung by drought. Now their country is in full swing and they came away from the sale with two bulls paying to a top of $11,000 for Swanbrook Right Answer Q175.
At 23 months he weighed 785kg and presented with a scrotal circumference of 40cm and top 10pc growth figures and top 15pc carcase weight and retail beef yield.`
"We have been buying at Swanbrook for five years and are looking for growth and intra muscular fat in our bulls," said Mr Simpson. "We have run Ultrablack in the past but are swinging towards towards straight Angus because they are easier to market and when prices fall away in the future we will have a better product to sell."
Andrew and Simone Sloman, Slo & Co at Deepwater, have Swanbrook genetics as their core and added to the program on Saturday with the purchase of Swanbrook Aberdeen Q135 for $7000.
Proof of their success with Swanbrook was emphasised a fortnight before when weaner heifer calves made an astounding 898 cents a kilogram for 155kg on AuctionsPlus through Ray White Tenterfield. Their weaner brothers, 156kg brought 831c/kg.
Mr Sloman said the story was made more remarkable by the fact that their heifer mothers had been sent away for agistment to Longreach, Qld to weather the drought andwere joined on their return. The enterprise usually supplies feeder steers but took advantage of amazing prices and the fact that the draft had been born out of season.
"For us temperament is important as we muster on horseback with the children, Philippa and Walter giving us a hand," Mr Sloman said. "And Swanbrook bulls are known for their docility."
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