A full clearance of 36 sires at the Sumo Wagyu bull sale near Grafton on Tuesday highlighted the beef sector's buoyant mood, with bids to a $46,000 top and a $27,222 average.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
Repeat clients Peter and Shari Knudson, Coondarra Station via Chinchilla in Queensland's western downs, paid the top money online for the black fullblood Sumo Itoshigenami R155 by Coates Itoshigenami G113 from Sumo Ruki E255. The top 5 per cent ranked bull for the Wagyu breed brings excellent carcase qualities from both parents with estimated breeding values for marble score at +2.2 along with positive growth figures.
The Knudson family also paid $36,000 for Sumo Michifuku R48 from Michifuku F126, Sumo's most consistent carcase performer with high predictability for increased growth and marbling in progeny. On the dam side R48 goes back to a Sumo foundation sire Itoshigenami TF148 while his mother is a full sister to elite Sumo sire Itoshigenami C0158, made famous as the sire of Itoshigenami G113.
The family have moved away from a Santa Gertrudis cow base to Wagyu with massive gains in fertility and temperament, joining 3500 females a year.
Repeat buyers the Baker family, Gostwyck Partnership at Uralla, bought three bulls to a top of $34,000 for Sumo Michifuku R87 by Michifuku F154 with a double cross of TF Terutani 40/1. Carcase quality on the dam's side has produced a marble score 10. This bull will be put to some of the 400 black Angus cows with the first cross progeny sold to the feedlots.
"We've bought Sumo bulls the last few years and they give us good carcase. They've worked well for us," said Dan Baker.
First cross breeders Mick and Petra Johnson, MPJ Pastoral at Wallumbilla, Qld, paid $34,000 for Sumo Itoshigenami R157, free from all recessive genes and in the top 1pc for marble score at +2.6.
The Johnson's have been buying Sumo bulls for years, initially on the recommendation of a vet nurse who used to work with Wagyu genetics pioneer Simon Coates when he had a practice at Ipswich, Qld.
The Zahl family, Wycheproof Pastoral Co, Alpha Qld, paid $34,000 for a Michifuku, R359 by the elite G003 going back to right royalty in the industry. He presented with top 1pc for mature cow weight and top 5pc for carcase weight with marble score +1.3.
Foundation buyer and veteran F1 producer Tim Rogers, One Tree Partnership at Ebor paid $20,000 for Michifuku R255, a grandson of elite F154.
In the 30 years in the Wagyu industry, which included a trip to Japan with Mr Coates and involved being a part of a vertically integrated enterprise from paddock to market, he has ridden the market "rollercoaster" but believes in a bright future for Wagyu over black Angus.
"A good cow base is important," he says, "You need good marbling and growth."
Manilla F1 producer Tom Armytage has stuck with his program through the drought and now it is paying off. So he returned the favour by buying Michifuku R473, grandson of F154, with top 1pc marble finesse.
"We keep coming back to this bull sale," he said. "The genetics equal profitability."
The bulk of the bulls went to the Bathurst district with volume buying agent Todd Clements paying to $28,000 for Sumo Kitateruyasudoi R21 with marble score +2.1 and proven carcase traits with positive milk and growth.
Straws of semen sold to a top of $5000 to average $3216 travelling as far as the east coast of the US, with the highest bids going to a promising Michifuku son, P173 with top 1pc marble score and growth bought by Hancock Pastoral, Surat, Qld.
Both lots of frozen embryo made $1750 going to Far North Queenslander Danielle Rea, 24K Wagyu stud, who was keen on Mitchifuku F154 being present in both parents and will use the Sumo genetics to build on their breeders based at Bundarra, under the management of Jason Bannerman.
Elders were the selling agents with Lincoln McKinlay singing up the bids while Elite Livestock Auctions caught the extensive action online.
