A 23-month-old son of USA 18270980 Paintrock Trapper has sold for $50,000, topping the Eaglehawk Angus sale near Glen Innes, where 83 bulls created a stud record average price of $20,549.
Eaglehawk co-principal Ian Vivers said the result was unexpected.
"We had an excellent day, we're delighted with the result, how the cattle presented, and the repeat buyers being the dominant force; it's always a big comfort to us," he said.
Today's sale result exceeded last year's average by $2824 when two bulls were sold to $30,000 twice and an average of $17,725.
David and Anna Cobcroft, Paraweena Highlands Cattle Co, Willow Tree, and Marengo Pastoral Company, Hernani bought Eaglehawk Trapper R106 for an artificial breeding program in heifers that aims to change the direction of the female herd. This 848-kilogram heifer bull has estimated breeding values (EBV) for low birth weight and calving ease in the top 10 per cent of the breed, as well as above average weight EBV.
Eaglehawk principal Ian Vivers said Trapper had the traits that would lead to profitability; easy calving and sale topping weaners. "He is long and deep and very athletic; I really like this bull," Mr Vivers said.
Paraweena Highlands and Marengo Pastoral Company's partnership also bought the second top-priced bull, Eaglehawk Blaster R047, a son of USA 17991528 Bruns Blaster. He tipped the scales at 890kg and possessed strong EBV traits in the top 20pc of the breed for 200-, 400-, and 600-day weight and in the top 10pc for rump fat enhancing doing ability.
"This bull packs a punch, a powerful athletic sire with plenty of muscle on good bone," Mr Vivers said.
Bidding for the bulls was Mick Kelsall, Marengo Pastoral Company, Hernani, who said the two sires would be used as a change of direction to supercharge the Paraweena Highlands herd with a progressive artificial breeding program.
"The two bulls are going to Highlands Angus, which is in partnership with Marengo Pastoral Company, to go over some Paraweena Highlands stud cows and then to Willow Tree," Mr Kelsall said.
"It's a change in business strategy for David and Anna to supercharge what we are doing.
Mr Kelsall said the partnership had been doing a lot of observation of their product through the butcher shop and carcase analysis.
"So we want to streamline and supercharge that, getting feedback from carcase information and making a shift to a different joining, and these two bulls are going to be part of it," he said.
Mr Kelsall said the top-priced bull is a "heifer specialist".
"His values are phenomenal, his IMF (intramuscular fat), his 200-, 400- and 600-day EBVs, he will be used over all our heifers from now on by AI (artificial insemination) and commercials as well.
"We really wanted him for the AI heifer program, and his carcase values are good too.
Mr Kelsall said the second top-priced bull stood out as a cow stud sire.
"Everything we want in our females we saw in him.
"That's why we want him over some of our stud cows that we own and our commercials.
"It's important that both of these bulls will be doing stud and commercial duties as well.
Mr Kelsall said it was the sixth or seventh year he had been here buying bulls from Eaglehawk Angus.
"I think we are up to 50 or 60 bulls between Marengo Pastoral and Paraweena Highlands Cattle Co. We buy sale bulls, and we buy paddock bulls, and we keep coming back for a reason.
"Temperament is number one, and they produce the type of cow we are after. A lot of depth, a lot of capacity, natural soft, easy-doing calves. That's why we are here.
Volume buyer demand provided the momentum for the increased average.
Wellington Livestock, Zilm Pastoral, Uunalong Road, Nerina, Victoria bought six bulls to $24,000 twice, for an average of $19,333. One of the top-priced bulls in the Zilm draft was sired by Paintrock Trapper and the other by Musgrave Apache.
McCormack Livestock, account Hakon and Sons, Julia Creek bought online three bulls averaging $24,666. At $26,000, the top-priced bull was sired by Musgrave Apache.
The Mayne Family Trust, Texas, Queensland, bought two bulls averaging $19,000, while the Cromdale Partnership, Glen Innes, bought a Bruin Torque 5261 son for $26,000 and a Sandpoint Firestorm Y400 bull for $22,000.
Camm Agricultural Group, Wonga Plains, Irvingdale, Qld, bought five bulls to $22,00 twice, averaging $17,600. Boss Partnership, Guyra bought three bulls averaging $12,000. Rockvale Farms, Armidale bought three bulls averaging $22,00, while Rockvale Kentucky Pastoral Company bought a bull for $14,000.
MCL Trading Company, Brackendale Road, Nowendoc, bought four bulls averaging $21,000, while Bradleys Flat, Black Springs near Oberon, bought three bulls to $28,000, averaging $23,333. Musgrave Apache sired their top-priced selection.
Selling agents were Ray White Rural Guyra and Armidale with Blake O'Reilly auctioneer. AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.