Wandoan Santa Gertrudis breeders Daniel and Kasey Phillips received the biggest boost to their breeding career to date at the Heartland Santa Gertrudis bull sale at Roma on Wednesday when Murgona Nightcap (P) was sold for $105,000.
The 23-month-old bull sired by Warenda Lennox (P) and dam Murgona Felicia F55 was purchased by Yugilbar Pastoral Co, Baryulgil, NSW via AuctionsPlus.
Speaking after the sale, a delighted Kasey Phillips said that price had more than doubled their expectations, which had risen as requests for photographs and videos had come in from prospective buyers.
"We exhibited him at the Wandoan Show and at Beef, and had plans to take him to the Ekka until that was called off," she said. "His dam is a standout who we think a lot of."
Yugilbar general manager Rob Sinnamon said Nightcap's wow factor first caught their eye in the catalogue, and it was reinforced by his phenotype, structural correctness and breed characteristics.
"All combined to make us want to chase him to complement the breeding program at Yugilbar," he said. "His outcross genetics were important to us too."
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Nightcap weighed 968kg, had an average daily weight gain of 1.31kg, P8 and rib fat measurements of 13 and 10mm, an eye muscle area of 141 square centimetres, and intramuscular fat of 5.4pc.
The highest price received by the Phillips family prior to Wednesday's sale was $32,000, recorded at the 2019 Heartland sale.
The sale of Nightcap helped boost their sale average to an impressive $20,466 for 15 bulls.
The sale's second top price was $42,000 for Oakdale Prince 2902 (P) offered by Heartland sale chairman, Chinchilla's Greg Kroll, and purchased by Dangarfield Santa Gertrudis.
Overall, 60 bulls from the 72 offered by nine vendors were sold, or a clearance rate of 83 per cent, for an average price of $11,600.
Breaking that down further, 48 classified 'S' bulls or 84pc were sold for a $12,541 average, and 12 commercial bulls sold for an 80pc clearance and a $7833 average.
All 14 females were sold, one after the sale, for a $5678 average.
Pinaroo 1151, an 'S Bar' heifer, one of 12 offered by Peter and Robin Cupitt, Pinaroo Plains, Bingara, NSW was sold for the top price of $11,000 to Yawarra P/L.
J and N Jukes, Armadilla, Morven were the sale's volume buyers, taking home seven bulls for a $42,000 total.
White Livestock Services purchased five heifers for $26,500.
Summarising the sale, Santa Gertrudis Association general manager Chris Todd said that while the commercial market was very strong, buyers were being very selective about their bull purchases.
"I think that's what we saw here today - the sale was hard in places," he said.
- Selling agents - TopX, PJH Livestock, simulcast by AuctionsPlus
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
