Inglebrae Farms Angus stud, Braeburn via Tenterfield recorded a top price of $30,000 and an average of $19,442 for a total clearance of 34 two year old bulls sold during its annual sale on Friday.
It was the first sunny sale at Sunnyside since the five year-old selling shed was built on the farm owned by Joe and Pat Richardson and families. Certainly prices reflected the weather, up more than $7000 on the average bid compared to last year.
Lead buyers Matt and Kylie Young, White Swamp on the Queensland border near Woodenbong, were well pleased with their purchase of Inglebrae Farms 38 Special R36, bred to handle bigger-framed cows and presenting with average birth weight figures while rising to a top four per cent of the breed at 600 days old. Weighing 41 kilograms at birth, the 902kg bull with 44cm scrotal circumference scanned with a 127sq cm EMA and 6.9pc IMF.
The Young family will put the son of Baldridge 38 Special to their separate Angus and Devon commercial herds, with progeny sold direct to the feedlots.
Inglebrae Farms manager Darren Battistuzzi said he was happy with this year's crop of bulls, all prepared on paddock oats for 85 to 90 days, as the cohort is every year. Despite the very wet weather over summer these sires stood up to the test.
"Selecting for structure is a big thing for us," he said. "We weren't surprised by the outcome."
Another son of Baldridge 38 Special was the second-best priced bull at $28,000, Inglebrae Farms 38 Special R33 from a bigger Inglebrae Farms dam going back to Millah Murrah Hallmark L58.
Last year's top-priced buyers Ian and Sue Cuthbert bought the sire for their son Tim at Yarrabilla, Goondiwindi, who will use him in the commercial Angus herd with steers going to Wyallah feedlot. R33 presented figures with positive calving ease at +2.9 and above average growth, +129 at 600 days, milk at +18. He showed equal greatest scrotal circumference of the draft at 43cm, +3 in the figures, and +70 for carcase weight. The 806kg bull, 43kg at birth, scanned with a 118sqcm EMA and 7pc IMF.
Landenberger Pastoral at Ben Lomand came away with three bulls, all by Baldridge 38 Special, paying to a top of $26,000 for Inglebrae Farms 38 Special R13. The 782kg bull, 32kg at birth, showed a good data set in the top 2pc for calving ease and top 6pc for low birth weight. Andy Landenberger said the type suited their production system which has lately swung away from trading to breeding.
Volume buyer was the Richards Family, Rappville via Casino, who purchased four bulls to a top of $23,000 for Inglebrae Farms Paramount R97 by Inglebrae Farms Paramount P18 going back to Millah Murrah Lakeside L69. The family will put the bulls to a Brangus cow base suited to the coastal country.
"We first bought Inglebrae Farms Angus bulls before the drought and fires and we impressed with how they stood up in our country," said Josh Richards. "We normally don't tend to buy bulls from the Tablelands for that reason but the last lot handled it real well."
Knockdon Park at Tenterfield came away with Inglebrae Farms Kruse R35 by Millah Murrah Kruse Time N177, this 798kg bull came with a bit more frame and the highest scanned IMF in the draft at 7.9pc. Manager Paul McFarlane waved him down for $26,000.
Mark and Helen Clothier, Dingo Hill Partnership on the eastern side off Tenterfield, bought three bulls paying to $22,000 for another Kruse Time son, Kruse R32, with exceptional phenotype. Breeder Darren Battistuzzi penned in the sale catalogue that he could walk around him all day.
Steve Bedser with property at Iron Pot Creek via Kyogle came away with Inglebrae Farms Kruse R29 by Millah Murrah Kruse Time N177 with his manager Mark O'Reilly waving down the purchase for $22,000. A thickset two year old bull weighing762kg and scanned with 7.7 per cent intra-muscular fat and an eye muscle area of 113 square centimetres, Kruse's full brother started last year's sale and sold for $14,000 to to repeat buyers the Cuthbert family.
The Smith family, Tenterfield, returned to Inglebrae Farms Angus stud to purchase two sires to put to their Brangus and Ultrablack cow base, paying to $24,000 for Inglebrae Farms Remedy R16, 824kg with 120 sq cm EMA and 7.8pc IMF; below average birth weight at 36kg and 600 day growth of +128.
The sale was conducted by Ray White Tenterfield with Elite Livestock Auctions. Auctioneer was Blake O'Reilly, Ray White Guyra.
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