Waitara Angus, Clunie Range, Te Mania and Wagyu named among top priced bulls and averages of season

Based on calculations from sales held from August 1 to 31 that have been included in The Land print edition, in total 4759 bulls were sold at auction of the 4924 offered, resulting in a clearance rate of 96.6 per cent and gross of $76,745,638.

The average price paid for a bull in August was $16,126, up $1775 compared to July. Bulls sold at sales held from August 8 to 14 met a strong market, averaging $17,957 for 1286 sold.

Compared to the same period last year, 707 more bulls have sold and the average price of a bull has increased by $2281, up from $13,845 in August 2021.

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State by state this year 3756 of the bulls sold were at NSW sales and averaged $15,867, and 23 came from Victorian sales and averaged $10,575. It was more expensive to buy a bull in Queensland with 951 bulls sold averaging $17,778.

Breaking it down breed by breed, Angus once again held the majority of the market with 3399 bulls, or 71.4pc of bulls, sold for a $16,763 average.

Herefords were next with 364 sold at an average of $12,837 ahead of 202 Shorthorns sold at a $15,532 average and 186 Simmental/Simbrah/SimAngus sold for a $14,692 average.

Limousin bulls averaged $11,930 for the 130 sold, while 107 Charolais average $10,009.

Eighty-nine Belmont Red bulls averaged $18,494 and 69 Wagyu averaged $31,767, while 53 Speckle Park averaged $14,792 and two Gelbviehs sold for $8000 each.

In the Bos Indicus breeds, 101 Santa Gertrudis averaged $13,661 and 20 Brangus sold at an average of $13,449.

Taking out the top spot for the highest priced bull sold in August was Waitara GK Safekeeping S56 (pictured) sold for $110,000 to Merridale Angus, Vic, Crawford Angus, Tumut, Cascade Angus, Currabubula, and Little Meadows Angus, WA at the Chase family's annual Waitara Angus bull sale, Trangie, on August 12.

Next was Macquarie Wagyu S0181 sold for $105,000 to Peter and Shari Nudsen, Chinchilla, Qld, during the Marble High Wagyu Sale, Toowoomba, Qld, on August 17.

Also in Queensland, Talbalba Hoffman R131, sold for $91,000 to Newcomen Herefords, Ensay, Vic, at the Talbalba Herefords sale, Millmerran.

Equal fourth highest at $85,000 apiece was Clunie Range Radford R91 bought by Lane Brothers, Wilano Angus, Dunedoo, and Futurity Rapid Gain R322 bought by Tataila Shorthorns, Moama, which set a new Australian record top price for the Shorthorn breed.

A Wagyu bull, Gateway Poll S0213P sold for $77,500 to Hidden Valley Wagyu, Wollongong.

Coffin Creek Angus, Mudgee, set a new record for an Angus performance recorded (APR) bull when its sire prospect Coffin Creek S100 sold for $70,000 to Neil Bolte, Wing Vee Pastoral, Hargraves.

Close behind two bulls each sold for $65,000 including Te Mania Reno R891 bought by Mackas Angus Beef, Salt Ash, and Rennylea S160 bought by Mannus Ag, Greg Greg.

Wagyu sales led the charge this month taking out the top three sale averages.

The highest averaging sale was Marble High Wagyu Sale held in Toowoomba, Qld, that averaged $62,800 across the eight bulls followed by Gateway Farms Wagyu, Gloucester which averaged $28,382 across 25 bulls sold, and Sumo Wagyu sale, Grafton had 36 Wagyu bulls average $27,222.

Flying the flag for the Angus breed was Clunie Range Angus, Wallangra which averaged $25,212 across 170, while Te Mania's Walgett sale averaged $24,394 across 114 bulls.

Both offering over 200 Angus bulls, Rennylea Angus, Culcairn came in sixth averaging $22,530 across its 212 bulls and Booroomooka Angus, Bingara came in seventh averaging $21,987 across its 241 sire prospects sold.

Notable other highlights include Eastern Plains Angus, Guyra, which sold 51 bulls to average $20,588, and Eaglehawk Angus, Glen Innes which sold 83 bulls for a $20,549 average.

Rounding out the top 10 was JK Cattle Co, Condamine, Qld, with its 35 Angus bulls averaging 20,314.

Close behind was Moogenilla Angus, Condobolin, which sold 49 sires for a $20,204 average. Futurity Shorthorns, Baradine also set what is believed to be a Shorthorn breed record average of $20,037 across its 66 bulls sold.

The Land has not included stud or commercial females sold at sales across the country in August, however, it is necessary to mention Sugarloaf Angus, Dungog, broke the Angus record price for unjoined commercial heifers at its sale.

The Tickle family of Sugarloaf Angus, Dungog, sold a pen of eight unjoined Angus weaner heifers, 10-11 months, for $5000 a head. This surpassed the previous record of $4800/hd held by Knowla Livestock, Moppy.

An Australian record for commercial Angus cows with calves also tumbled at Sugarloaf, with three pregnancy-tested-in-calf cows with calves at foot sold for $11,000 a unit to Hannaford Cattle Company at Braidwood.

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