Heart Angus bulls sold to $30,000, twice and averaged $16,040

This year's average was $127 ahead of last year's sale, and the 2021 clearance was bettered by an extra four bulls sold. The 2021 sale was described as a new benchmark for the north, but this year's result certainly lifted the bar. The sale barn seating was packed shoulder to shoulder, a blessing when a nasty rain squall blew through midway in the sale.

The stud's co-principal, Chris Paterson, said the draft of pasture and crop-raised bulls offered produced an "excellent sale result".

With this year's sale of top-priced bulls, it was a case of Deja-vu, as a partnership between Andrew Deans, from the Allan Deans Family Trust, Baradine and Terry Hanigan, Hollywood, Coonamble bought the equal top-priced bull, Heart Nectar R80, a son of NMMN334 Millah Murrah Nectar N334.

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The duo paid $30,000 at last year's sale for Heart Nectar Q57 (also lot 3 in the catalogue) another son of the Millah Murrah Nectar sire.

An eye-catching sire prospect, Heart Nectar R80 is 23 months old and tipped the scales at 956 kilograms on sale day with a scrotal circumference of 44.5 centimetres. With an estimated breeding value (EBV) of +5.2 for birth weight, he was rated within the top one per cent for feed efficiency. His growth figures were impressive: +60 at 200 days, $+109 at 400 and + 152 at 600 days.

Eleven Nectar sons were offered in this year's catalogue and averaged $13,636. Another high performer in the Heart Angus sire battery was Musgrave Exclusive with 11 sons averaging $16,181.

Also selling for $30,000 was Heart Powerpoint S25, a 17-month-old son of USA 18159093 S Powerpoint WS 5503, bought by Neil and Beth Higgins from Nowendoc. They also bought two more bulls at $18,000 and $16,000.

The power of the Heart sires in their herd is easily rated when the Higgins topped the February 2022 Early Bird Feature Weaner sale at Tamworth with their Heart Angus blood weaner steers making $2410. The Higgins bought three bulls at Heart Angus last year.

Agents Davidson Cameron & Co came to the sale with plenty of orders to fill. Doug and Jack Rankin, Tribella, Spring Ridge bought six bulls while Rob Sheaffe, Kickerbell West, Pine Ridge bought three sires.

Buying through Auctions Plus, Cliff Willis, Blayney bought three bulls for $18,000, $14,000 and $12,000, while Richard Caldwell, Tenterfield bought two bulls through the same online for $16,000 and $10,000.

Mick Young Real Estate, Wingham, account John and Anthony Cowan, Mitchell's Island, paid $22,000 for another son of Millah Murrah Nectar.

Mr Young said the Cowans have a commercial herd and were first-time buyers at Heart Angus, and they were impressed with the quality of the cattle on offer.

"We were taken with the quality and temperament of our bull. He had a lot of stretch and evenness right through," he said.

Greg Ellison, Putty Road, Milbrodale paid $20,000 each for two bulls. One was sired by Musgrave Exclusive and the other by Millah Murrah Nectar.

The selling agents were Davidson Cameron & Co and Chris Paterson Stock and Station Agent. The auctioneer was Paul Dooley, and providing the online interface was AuctionsPlus.