Great response to Shorthorns at Sprys' auction

The top priced Shorthorn bull at $70,000, Sprys Down Under S77 by Muridale Thermal Energy 15A, was bought by John Bell, Silwood Shorthorns, Carrick, Tasmania, in partnership with the Blackwood family, Hinewaka, Masterton, New Zealand and UK interests.

Mr Bell had inspected the bull prior to the sale, and thought his new sire was 'very well fleshed with an even fat cover.'

"He is well muscled and moves freely with a good temperament," Mr Bell said.

"The figures are important in Tasmania so we can get good linkage with other Australian sire lines."

Mr Bell had previously bought a Sprys Shorthorn bull which has bred well in his herd and by coincidence was a son of the record breaking cow.

The Spry family have retained the right to collect semen from the sire prospect they consider to be the 'most complete Shorthorn sire bred in 59 years of breeding and could be the most complete son of Thermal Energy so far'.

The bull's EPD figures highlight he is in the top one percent for docility, top one pc for carcass weight, top three pc for rib eye area, top four pc for fat, top 15 pc for yearling weight, top ten percent for milk and top 15 pc for all purpose index, and is homozygous poll.

Mr Spry said he was the best bull he has ever bred regardless of breed.

"His outstanding phenotype coupled with his balanced set of EPDs, point to the animal I have always been looking for," he said.

The second top priced Shorthorn bull Outback Sprys Special S267 by Sprys Extra Special N61 at $60,000 was purchased by Yamburgan stud, Narrabri and Bungulla stud, Manilla, in partnership.

Their new sire was in the top five percent for his All Purpose Index.

The equal top priced Angus bull at $22,000, Sprys-W Alternative S599 by Baldridge Alternative E12 was purchased by Adrian Goode, Wangolina, Kingston SE, SA.

Mr Goode is a return client and he selected the top priced bull for his 'thickness, mobility and general overall appeal.'

His new sire has the EBV measurements of +2.7 birth+8.2 eye muscle area and he is in the top 15pc for net feed efficiency.

The second equal top priced Angus bull, Sprys-W Overdrive S592 by Sprys-W Overdrive Q573, was purchased by Rowley Bennett, Fernhill Angus, Corowa.

The breed EBVs puts his young sire in the top 4pc ema, top five pc retail beef yield and top 14pc for scrotal size.

A feature of the sale was Lot 1, the offering of the Shorthorn donor cow Sprys Miss Buddy M36 with her bull calf Sprys Gold Rush U1, sired by Eloora Gunner R10.

She was purchased by Tony Rutter, Cottage Creek Shorthorns, Tarcutta, for $95,000 setting a new Australian breed record.

"We believe she is the best Shorthorn cow in the business," Mr Rutter said.

"She has a good data set and an amazing phenotype.

"She is a proven breeder having bred so many good calves, it is amazing with sons selling to $30,000."

Volume buyers included Appleton Cattle Co, Alpha, QLD, who bought five bulls for $6432 average, Wangolina Props Pty Ltd. Kingston SE, SA, who selected four new sires for $26,000 average price and Mespine Pty Ltd, Blackwater, QLD, who put a draft of four bulls together for $12,000 average price.

Gerald and Lynden Spry were overwhelmed by the response to their bulls and the Shorthorn cow.

"I think the response to our breeding program today means people have showed a lot of interest in the past few years and we aim to continue to breed cattle with phenotype and data set," Mr Spry said.

"I think there is a very big future for the breed especially in cross breeding programs and grass fed markets.

"One thing that stood out was a lot more interest in our bulls from commercial producers in QLD who will use our genetics in their crossbreeding programs.

"It was gratifying to see the interest in our top end bulls from commercial producers, with 34pc of the catalogue selling for $8000 and less and we have paddock bulls available for private sale."

The auction was settled by Elders, Yass, in conjunction with H Francis and Co, Wagga Wagga.

It was listed on AuctionsPlus and Paul Dooley, Tamworth, was the guest auctioneer.