VIBRANT fields of canola and warm sunshine greeted buyers to the annual Warragundi Pastoral Poll Hereford sale near Currabubula on Friday.
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Buyers from across the state and from as far away as Victoria and Queensland followed the sale online via AuctionsPlus, while the 13 registered bidders in attendance also vied for their share of the 30 bulls on offer.
Throughout the live auction, 18 of the 30 bulls were knocked down at an average of $8555, while four more bulls were sold after the sale's conclusion to bring the final average to $8047 and the overall clearance rate to 73.3 per cent.
Auctioneer Tom Tanner did not have to wait long to knock down the sale's top-priced bull, as lot two Warragundi Anzac Q078 was snapped up by Ernie and Debbie Constance, Burrunga Pty Ltd, Peak View via Cooma, for $14,000.
The 23-month-old son of Injemira Anzac L027 and out of Markowen Rhonda K5 weighed 890 kilograms, was rated in the top 10pc of the breed for 200,400 and 600-day growth weight, as well as mature cow weight, carcase weight and eye muscle area.
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Nutrien Livestock stock agent Gary Evans, Cooma, said the Constance family was thrilled to take home the bull.
"I know Ernie saw a picture of the bull in The Land and simply fell in love with him," Mr Evans said.
"At the moment, Ernie is getting his knee operated on in Canberra, so he rang me yesterday [Thursday] and told me 'we'd better have a go at that bull'.
"Ernie will join in time for calving in late winter and to sell his calves in the weaner sales in autumn, so a bull like this with beautiful soft skin produces calves that will bring a few more dollars because they present so well."
Warragundi Pastoral stud principal Matt Kelley echoed Mr Evans' sentiments, saying the bull was a standout.
"There were a few bulls at the front of the catalogue that were deadset stud sires," Mr Kelley said.
"They had phenotype, genotype and pretty much everything, which is what everyone wants."
This year's average of $8047 and top of $14,000 were both markedly higher than last year's average of $5291 and top of $10,000 on two occasions.
Helping spur on the sale's success were bulk buyers such as Donabar Pastoral Company, Wallumbilla Queensland, five bulls at an average of $7000, Garry Clarke, Leeluke, East Ridgley Tasmania, two bulls at an average of $8500 and an Omeo, Victoria, producer who bought four bulls at an average of $6250 via Elders, Omeo.
"We're really happy with how the bulls presented and the average we achieved," Mr Kelley said.
"I don't think we really expected too much more in terms of the average, so from that perspective we are really pleased.
"It is really satisfying to know there are people pretty much across the country that are after our bulls.
"I know the buyers from Omeo have supported us for a long while now and it is always nice to send the bulls down and get the feedback."
The sale was conducted by Elders, Tamworth and Davidson Cameron and Co, Tamworth with Tom Tanner auctioneering.
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Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
