Glenlea Charolais scores bull sale record at Roma

The stud, based at Dorrigo in northern NSW, has had success at Roma in previous years as a guest vendor at Lindsay and Belinda Hindle's Fairfield Charolais sale, and at the end of last year purchased Fairfield's entire female herd.

It meant the combined Glenlea and Fairfield studs, along with 10 bulls from Byron hinterland stud, Calmview Charolais, were able to offer 71 bulls on Wednesday, selling 67 or 94 per cent of the offering.

Mudgee stud breeders Mitch and Sarah Redding, Moondoogundi Charolais paid the $32,000 top money for Glenlea Louis R305E, a double polled bull whose dam is one of Glenlea's highest-growth females.

Among his statistics are an eye muscle area of 158 square centimetres, a scrotal circumference of 43cm, and rump and rib fat measurements of 11 and 6mm respectively.

He tipped the scales at 972kg and studmaster Mitch Redding said he'd been at the top of their shopping list, for his thickness and durability.

"His figures are hard to go past," he said.

Drought set their program back but they have been busy purchasing genetics, including commercial heifers from a Glenlea sale at Scone, NSW last year.

The bull was their only purchase at Roma, but local breeder John Russell, Culbara, paid the second top price of $24,000 on the way to taking home three bulls for an average outlay of $18,000 a head.

His top buy was Maw Glenlea Neptune S31, a double polled bull who was the product of artificial insemination.

One of the 32 yearling bulls offered, the catalogue described him as "built like a Sherman tank" with a weight of 670kg, an EMA of 132sq cm, and a scrotal circumference of 39cm.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Russell, TopX principal Cyril Close said he had been a regular Fairfield client and would be using his new bulls with Droughtmaster cross cows to produce weaners for the Roma saleyard market.

The sale opened on a positive note when John McNamara, Springhill, Charleville snapped up the first bull into the ring for $20,000, setting the tone for following lots.

The overall sale averaged $11,940, with the Glenlea/Fairfield portion averaging $11,912 for 57 bulls sold under the hammer.

Calmview sold all 10 of its two-year-old bulls for an average price of $12,100 and a top of $16,000.

The sale's 35 older bulls averaged $13,685 while the 32 yearling bulls had an average of $9343.

After post-sale negotiations, Glenlea reported 25 two-year-old bulls sold for an average of $14,320 and 35 Glenlea and Fairfield brand yearling bulls, all offered by Glenlea, sold for an average of $10,031.

RELATED: Glenlea's first standalone Winton sale hailed a success

Mr Binney said the sale had exceeded his expectations by a long way.

"We worked with Lindsay (Hindle) to develop the sale at Winton, which has been going four years, and it was great to see repeat buyers here today," he said.

"There were buyers from as far north as Prairie, west to Charleville, and south to Bollon, which bodes well for our plan to set up a depot in the Longreach area."

George and Jenny Bambling, Glenavon, Aramac, are returning home with eight bulls for an average outlay of $10,750.

Ms Bambling said they'd been using Fairfield bulls for 20-plus years but had bought a mix of genetics at Wednesday's sale.

"We'll be putting them with our Brahman females at Hazelmere and will sell the progeny as weaners at Blackall," she said.

Fellow volume buyer Tom Hartley, Coopermurra, Mitchell will put his 10 bulls with a Brahman cross herd at Crystalbrook, aiming at the heavy feeder market.

He paid an average $14,100 a head for the bulls.

There were six active bidders operating on AuctionsPlus at the sale, from NSW, Mitchell, Morven and Oakey, and three successful buyers.

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