ISLA Angus has made a major impression with its inaugural bull sale at the Coonabarabran saleyards on Wednesday morning.
A total of 38 bidders gathered while many more followed along online via FarmGate Auctions in the hopes of taking home one of the 28 bulls offered by the Doolan family.
In the end, all 28 bulls were snapped up at an average of $8732 with six bulls selling for more than $10,000.
However, it was Isla Private Pilot P54 that topped the live auction, selling to the Johnston family, Maderty, Coonabarabran.
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The 36-month-old son of Musgrave Aviator and out of Kenny's Creek Wilcoola J228 weighed 896 kilograms, and was in the top 20 per cent of the breed for carcase weight, foot angle and the heavy grass index, as well as in the top 10pc of the breed for scrotal size.
"I really liked his style and his figures," purchaser Phil Johnson told The Land.
"We buy a certain type of bull and he fits right into what we are after down to a tee.
"He'll be a heifer bull because my son and I, Scott, have a self-replacing herd, so he'll be working fairly soon with some retained heifers.
"Given we are neighbours with the Doolans, we know the bull will be really well suited to our country."
Isla Angus stud principal Ambrose Doolan echoed Mr Johnson's sentiments, saying the bull had always been a stand out.
"I just liked him from the moment I first saw his father," Mr Doolan said.
"When I saw Musgrave Aviator in the catalogue I thought he was a good upstanding bull and I have to have a piece of that.
"From purchasing the genetics to seeing him born and watching him grow, we've been very proud of him."
Mr Doolan said the stud bulls offered averaged $8421, while the commercial bulls offered averaged $8167.
"A lot of the support we have received this year has come from repeat buyers who have purchased our bulls out of the paddock before but this year we had increased numbers so we thought we'd dip our toe in the water and have our first sale," he said.
"We really appreciate the support from everyone, it is just a pity the COVID-19 restrictions prevented us from offering any hospitality, but will more than make up for it next year."
Helping drive the success of the Doolan's first sale were volume buyers such as Eagle Springs Pastoral Company, Ningala, four bulls at an average of $5625, Middlestump Pastoral Partnership, Tamworth, four bulls at an average of $7250 and the Meier Family, Ulamambri, four bulls at an average of $10,625.
"The support we have received today [Wednesday] certainly gives us a lot of confidence heading into next year and our second sale," Mr Doolan said.
"We were putting some embryos into some cows yesterday [Tuesday] and put on social media that we were getting some 'T' bulls which will be here in two years time.
"It's also good to see the bulls that will be here next year are coming along well and when cattle is what you do, that sort of process is a lot of fun.
"We do it as a family, Lisa is very much the stud principal as she calls all the shots and our daughter Emily put the catalogue together, so it really is a family show."
The sale was conducted by Korff and Co, Coonabarabran with Chris Korff 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.
