New record $24,000 av at Hazeldean Angus

In a remarkable sale that many didn't see coming to these levels, the team at Hazeldean lifted their average from $11,510 from the same time last year to $24,000 and positioned themselves as one of the leading Angus seedstock studs in the country, backed with 150 plus years of breeding.

In doing so. the team at Hazeldean have set a new stud record average at the stud and attracted buyers from across three States..

The impressive feature of this sale, was the fact that all bulls were purchased by commercial beef operators, with no bulls going to stud duties.

Sitting beside buyers in the grandstand that came with a budget of $18,000 to $20,000 and they went away empty handed and in awe of what they had just witnessed.

The top bull was the 874 kilogram, Hazeldean R428, by Baldridge Beast Mode B074, and was snapped up by Ray Miller, Bega, through representatives Rob Boone and Scott Warrington.

Mr Boone said, they loved the top sire for his calving ease and impressive growth and as a heifer bull, offered a lot of options into any operation.

Mr Boone said they run 400 cows and have bought six bulls in the last few years and everyone of them have been under +4 for birth weight.

"He had a birth weight of +0.9 but still had growth through to +153 for his 600 day figure and was a bull that allowed you to go both ways with heifers and cows," he said.

The comments from many buyers, present on the day, revolved around the fact that the large percentage of the draft could be used in either a cow or heifer operation without any qualms and relative to what calves were making, that's what you had to pay.

One buyer remarked that you work on eight to ten good calves for your new bull and in todays market that equates to $24,000 to $28,000.

Three bulls sold to $38,000, including two bought on Auctionsplus and a third bought by P and N Investments, Holbrook.

Volume buyer Kim Dyson, Masterton pastoral Company, Goulburn, set the sale alight early, paying to $28,000 for 11 bulls, averaging $21,450 to gross $236,000.

Mr Dyson will join 800 Angus breeders to produce weaners for the local markets.

"I love the Hazeldean bulls softness and that was the main attraction, but you also get growth and calving ease to go with them," he said.

Paul Dresser, JJ Dresser and Company, Woodstock, set sail mid stream to buy 10 bulls to a top of $30,000 on two occasions to average $25,800 on behalf of client Corrievale Pastoral Company, Woodstock..

Mr Dresser said he was chasing heifer bulls for his client, but believed he met a market that he thought was $6000 to $7000 than he expected.

"I haven't been back to buy at Hazeldean for eight years, but the reliability is what saw me get in the car and head back, combined with the fact the bulls re ," he said.

Mr client will join 300 heifers and 200 cows this year with an aim to produce weaners at young ages, but have the flexibility to grow the steers out to feeders if required and an aim to retain the heifer portion.

In the breakdown, Connen Hill Pty Pty Ltd, bought four bulls to a top of $22,000 and averaged $21,000, while Wumbulgal Ag Pty Ltd, Binya, averaged $18,500 for their four, Yackerboon Pty Ltd, Forbes, loaded three at $23,333 average and Scrumlo Partnership, Aberdeen, secured four at $17,000.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien with Peter Godbolt and Hamish McGoech, as the auctioneers.