SHORTHORN enthusiasts from across the nation were presented with a rare opportunity over the weekend, with three studs offering high-quality genetics showcasing a lifetime of breeding at the Job Family Golden Jubilee 50th Anniversary Sale at Yeoval.
The catalogue comprised of females, embryos, semen and one bull from the stalls of Neilson, Sue and Nicholas Job of Royalla Shorthorns, Yeoval, Lester and Sonya Job's Moombi Shorthorn stud, Cumnock, and Lincoln and Lisa Job of Marellan Shorthorns, Emerald, Qld.
Reflecting on 50 years of breeding, Sue Job said it has been a fascinating experience looking at the past half century of doing the same thing, and at the same time find that none of it has been the same.
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"Like in everything, there has been high and lows, but there has been two constants; the cattle and the people we have been involved with," she said.
"Looking around there are some of you here today [Saturday] that have been with us for the whole 50 years, while others are only new... which is just like our female families.
"The one consistent intention in this sale was to offer quality, and we trust that we have done that. Represented in the pens are 50 years of blood, sweat, tears, love, commitment, and plain hard work. We wish everyone the very best in what they purchase, may those animals provide you with great productive female lines - remember cattle breeding starts with great female lines."
The Job family achieved a full clearance of the catalogue with lots sold to all states. Overall, 46 cow/calf units sold to the sale top price of $32,500 and an average of $11,422; four donor females sold to a $29,000 top and averaged $14,250, and 28 Shorthorn heifers reached a $20,000 high and averaged $7519.
The $32,500 sale top-priced female was Moombi Isobel P75 offered by Moombi Shorthorns, and purchased by Gary Neve and Christine Hornitzky, Ryfield Park stud, Camden.
Sired by Yamburgan Zeus L173 and out of Moombi Isobel J68, she sold with a seven-month-old heifer calf-at-foot.
Ms Hornitzky commented she was the complete package, with everything required to make a strong breeding female.
"The breeding is there with Zeus and Isobel in here pedigree - that is always attractive," she said. "She stood out immediately for her confirmation and size; she is a big roomy cow with a beautiful heifer calf."
Knowing the quality of the Job family cattle, the Ryfield Park stud were not going to let the opportunity go by to invest in the studs' bloodlines.
The $29,000 top-priced Royalla lot was a choice lot comprising of the buyers selection of one Isobel female and one Merrindee female. It was purchased by the Durham family of The Den, Mole Creek, Tas who also secured a further four females to average $12,500 across their selections.
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Marellan stud bought the $20,000 high-selling heifer, Royalla R159, while JWL Livestock, Vic, paid $19,000 for Marellan's top-priced lot, Marellan Ella 9043, as part of its draft of five averaging $10,900.
Lisa and Lincoln Job of Marellan stud partnered Tim Graham of Biloela, Qld to purchase Royalla Thelma P003 for $27,000, as well as the Nunyara Carnation choice lot for $14,000.
Other sale highlights include Royalla Redwing M111 purchased for $24,000 by Outback Shorthorns, Culcairn. Victorian buyers Vuiller Shorthorns, Yanakie, selected Royalla Cherie M313 for $19,000, while Ham Family Shorthorns, Moama, bought Royalla Cherie L073 also for $19,000 and three others to average $10,000 across its draft.
Nicole McKenzie and Tony Starr outlaid $19,000 for Royalla Stella P349.
Large online volume buyer Dave Krienke of Gowrie Junction, Qld, secured five stud females, including Royalla Fig J296 for $19,000, as well as the 10 commercial pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) Shorthorn heifers sold to a top of $5900 a head and average of $5550/hd.
This is believed to be a record top price paid for PTIC heifers across any breed.
Nine-month-old sire prospect, Marellan You-Beaut, sold for $7000 to long-standing Marellan and Royalla client Lance Lowe, Browns Creek.
Youth and school programs saw the value in Job family genetics, with Yanco Agricultural High School buying Royalla Susan R082 for $8500, St Gregory's College, Campbelltown, paying $6000 for Royalla Isobel S084 and St Mary's College, Gunnedah, buying Royalla Countess J078 for $8000.
The people we have met over the 50 years gives us the greatest thrill, and they mean more to us than anything else.
- Lester Job, Moombi Shorthorns, Cumnock.
Queensland siblings Cody and Rory Killalea, Springsure purchased a cow/calf unit, Royalla Ita P381 for $6000, to establish their Kurrajong stud.
Operating online, Reg and Rebecca Woodiwiss of Royston Shorthorns, Sunnyside, Tas, put together a draft of three females paying a top of $16,000 for Royalla Susan N107 and average of $9333.
Embryo packages sold to a breed record top of $4400 per embryo with the top lot of four embryos out of Royalla Isobel L019 sired by Byland Flash purchased by Ross Gange of Farquharson Pty Ltd, Shepparton, Vic.
Chris Thompson of Bayview Shorthorns, Yorke Peninsula, SA, secured semen in the breed legend bull Marellan Super Dazzler 1st paying to a top of $720 per straw for a package of four straws.
Bayview also purchased Royalla Isobel S011 for $8500.
The second package of Super Dazzler semen reached $640/straw and was bought by Kildara Shorthorns, Millah Murrah.
Ten straws of Byland Force semen sold for $700/straw to Nagol Park Shorthorns, Tamworth, and 20 straws were sold for $600/straw to Liberty Shorthorns, WA.
Semen averaged $398/straw while embryos averaged $1912/embryo.
"The road to the future is paved by the hard work of those in the past, so thank you to everyone that has been involved in the Job family program," Lincoln Job said at the end of the sale.
The sale was settled by Elders Dubbo with Kevin Miller Whitty Lennon and Co, Forbes. Auctioneers were Lincoln McKinlay, Elders, Inverell, and Luke Whitty, KMWL, Forbes.
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