STORMY rain during the sale couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of wet bidders who paid to a top of $28,000 during the Hazeldean New England Bull Sale at Tamworth Regional Livestock Exchange on Tuesday.
The demand for quality Angus genetics from both return and new buyers pushed the sale result to an average of $18,293 and a total clearance of the 58 bulls offered.
Hazeldean's Ed Bradley said the average was about $4000 higher than past years.
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"We had buyers from a wide range - from Warwick in Queensland right down to Albury on the border," he said.
"There were also people who wanted to buy a bull and didn't get one, so to those clients it's worth noting we have another sale at Cooma next month."
The top-priced bull at $28,000 was Hazeldean R403 which Mr Bradley said had been used over Hazeldean stud cows.
"We think quite a bit of this bull and that's why we used him," he said.
"His EBVs [Estimated Breeding Values] for docility [+35], and the carcase traits for rib [+3.2] and rump [+3.2] are in the top two per cent for the breed."
Hazeldean R403 was bought by Anthony Stanco, Woorarra, Barraba, who will use him over second-calver cows.
"I liked his shape, size and the growth for age," Mr Stanco said.
The two-year-old tipped the scales at 872kg and was among the heavier bulls in the offering. He was by Hazeldean M182 (known at the stud by the name of Maverick) and his dam was Hazeldean G469.
Two bulls were knocked down for the second-top price of $26,000.
Uloola Station, Ellerston, forked out the money first for 840kg Hazeldean R14 who was by Hazeldean Katzen K416 from Hazeldean M1024. He was in the top 6pc for 400-day growth at +109 and the top 9pc for 600-day at +140.
St Clair Pastoral at Walcha also paid second-top price for the 802kg Hazeldean R326.
The bull was by Hazeldean M46 from Hazeldean H301 and ranked highly for fertility traits including the top 5pc for days to calve (-8.4) and top 3pc for scrotal size (+4.2).
St Clair Pastoral were also volume buyers taking home seven bull for an average of $21,143.
The third-top priced bull Hazeldean R131 at $25,000 was also bought by Anthony Stanco, Woorarra, Barraba.
The weighty 882kg bull was by Hazeldean M182 from Hazeldean M9. His standout EBV was for temperament being in the top 2pc, while his milk EBV at +22 was in the top 13pc.
Cuan Pastoral Company, Scone, were active bidders and bought five bulls for a top of $23,000 and average of $21,000.
The sale was conducted by Nutrien with Joel Fleming from Nutrien Ag Solutions at Tamworth as auctioneer.
