Ian Stark and Jeanne Seifert could not contain their delight after they achieved a breed record breaking top price of $46,000, and a stunning average of $18,494, at their fourth Seifert Belmont Reds on-property bull sale, at Wonga, near Jandowae, Qld.
In all, a total clearance was achieved with this year's sale average up by $5600, and the top price up by $14,000, compared to 2021 sale results.
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The impressive draft of 89 powerful, polled bulls drew intense interest from 223 registered bidders on both AuctionsPlus, and in the sale ring.
Repeat buyer Samuel Slack, Agnes Vale, Childers, Qld, showed confidence early, pushing Seifert Belmont Reds 210367 to a top of $46,000.
A 21-month-old homozygous poll bull, he ranks in the top 1pc on the Belmont Red self-replacing $index, with a scrotal size of 44cm, and live carcase scan data of 6.3pc IMF and 125cm EMA.
The second-top priced bull, Seifert 210435, sold for $38,000, and was bought by repeat volume buyers WNM Macdonald Pty Ltd who finished with 36 bulls in total, all bound for Western Australia.
Long-term clients, Michael and Helen McKellar of Morven, Qld, were thrilled to secure two bulls. They paid $28,000 for Seifert 210635 and $29,000 for Seifert 210425.
The McKellars said since buying their first bulls in 2012, the improvement in their herd had been exponential, and they had complete confidence buying sight unseen, online, due to their trust in the integrity in the vendors.
They were introduced to Belmont Reds while attending a genomics conference at Rockhampton during Beef Australia that year.
Since then, the McKellar's starting buying Belmont Red bulls and began joining them with their 600 head composite breeding herd, and have nearly completed their transition from a composite breed herd, to almost pure Belmont Reds.
Stud principal Jeanne Seifert said that breeders in the northern beef industry had recognised the value of Seifert Belmont Reds in lifting productivity.
Ms Seifert said it was becoming increasingly obvious at each sale, that there was a definite shift in the cattle industry toward data-based decision making, with 27 bulls making over $25,000 having been selected mainly on fertility and growth EBVs.
Ian Stark said he was pleased to see new faces in the crowd, but especially repeat buyers expressing their confidence in Seifert Belmont Red genetics.
He said as an example, one of their valued long-standing clients had increased their herd pregnancy rate from 45pc eight years ago, to 85pc today, saying this represented an increase of 400 calves annually from 1000 breeders.
Mr Stark said this sale cemented their confidence to not only offer 100 bulls at their annual sale, but to increase the number of private treaty bulls offered annually to 500 bulls.
