IN THE words of George Neilson, Canowindra, the Poll Hereford bull Dalkeith Quay Q064 had everything that one could be looking for in a sire.
He stole the show at the 51st Dalkeith Poll Herefords and Herefords stud sale at Tangaratta, Cassilis, on Thursday of last week, when he was sold to Mr Neilson and wife Helen for $21,000.
Mr and Mrs Neilson together run Grassy Mountain Herefords stud, Canowindra, and said the bull would join their stud operations.
"I liked his muscle fat, his muscle was really good, and that was brought out by his figures and an eye muscle area of plus five," Mr Neilson said.
"He had good intramuscular fat and his figures in general were good.
"He had a tight sheath, a good set of testicles and a beautiful head."
The 28-month-old polled son of Kerlson Pines Keystone M004 and out of Dalkeith Marinda 453, ranked in the top 15 per cent of the breed for eye muscle area and intramuscular fat.
Vendor, Ant Martin, said there had been plenty of interest in the bull on sale day.
"We had strong inquiry for heifer bulls," Mr Martin said.
"He is a good heifer bull and he can also be used over older cows."
Dalkeith Quay Q064 was just one in a draft of 22 other quality two-year-old polled bulls that helped the stud to a record-high average of $11,043, and a clearance rate of 100 per cent.
Mr Martin said 11 sires were represented in the catalogue, including bulls by Allendale Barkly H127, Injemira Anzac H006 M187, Bowen Calibre K68, Kerlson Pines Keystone M004, Mountain Valley Gambler G14 and young Dalkeith sires.
He said he was pleased to see high prices right throughout.
It was the best average we've ever received - almost twice as high as our 2020 average
- Ant Martin, Dalkeith Poll Herefords and Herefords stud, Cassilis
"It was the best average we've ever received - almost twice as high as our 2020 average."
With COVID-19 restrictions in place, Mr Martin said the sale had shifted to an online-only format.
He said some clients including Mr and Mrs Neilson had inspected the bulls at the stud's open day and then bid from home.
"We had the bulls yarded on sale day with five or six people bidding on-farm and half a dozen computers running," Mr Martin said.
Volume buyers were Nutrien Mitchell, Qld, purchasing four bulls to average $13,000; Tom Lyons, Parmedman Pastoral Co, Gulargambone, purchasing two bulls to average $14,000, and Angus MacDonald, Coolah, purchasing two bulls to average $15,000.
Paul Martin, Dalkeith Olde, Cassilis, and Brook Partners, Birdsville, Qld, also secured two bulls each.
Selling agents were Milling Stuart, Dunedoo and Paul Davis of Elders Pastoral, Mudgee, for AuctionsPlus.
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