Merit Farm top at $36,000 and Hobbs Livestock to $14,000

Overall, 15 of 25 Angus bulls sold to a top of $36,000 to average $10,400 and 12 of 17 Simmental bulls sold to a top of $14,000 to average $7,363 at auction.

Topping the sale was Angus bull Merit Farm Quarterback H66 T41, which was purchased by Phil Redding, Corumbeme, Dunedoo for $36,000.

The 11-month-old Murdeduke Quarterback Q011 son and out of Premier Jestress H66 weighed 610 kilograms with a raw scan of 35cm for scrotal circumference, 104 square centimetres for eye muscle area, 8mm for rib fat, 10mm for P8 fat, and 7.1 per cent for intramuscular fat.

The bull also had an Estimated Breeding Value (EBV) of +58 for 200-day growth, +112 for 400-day growth, +138 for 600-day growth.

First time buyer Phil Redding said he wanted the bull's breeding lines, especially his cow phenotype.

"I came to look at him in person and he just had everything, muscle, type, growth and fats all in one," he said.

"I have 1000 cows and a small stud so he'll go over some heifers."

Merit Farm manager Stuart Hobbs said he has been working on the bulls for a while now and was really proud of the line up.

"The Merit Farm cow herd is based around the Ben Nevis cow family and the top priced bull has everything I like to breed," he said.

"He has a functional thick carcass and is structurally sound with a really good blend of strong data and good phenotype.

Merit Farm Quarterback L1 T61, by Murdeduke Quarterback Q011 and out of Ben Nevis Jean L1 also sold for $20,000 to a private buyer through Elders Tumut.

The 11-month-old bull weighed 610kg with a raw IMF scan of 7.1pc, EMA of 97sq/cm, a P8 fat score of 11mm, rib fat score of 8mm and scrotal circumference of 37cm.

The bull also had an EBV of +47 for 200-day growth, +91 for 400-day growth, +117 for 600-day growth.

The Simmental bulls topped at $14,000 for Hobbs Livestock Take A Walk WI, purchased by James Litt, Bee-bar, Cumnock.

Sired by Mader Walk This Way 224B and out of VC Lady Luck R018, the 16-month-old black bull weighed 714kg and had a raw IMF scan of 6.2pc, EMA of 117sq/cm, a P8 fat score of 14mm, rib fat score of 9mm and scrotal circumference of 40cm.

The bull also recorded an Estimated Progeny Difference of 139.5 for weaning weight and 71.9 for maternal weaning weight, placing him in the top 10pc of the breed.

Mr Litt said Hobbs Livestock Take A Walk WI will be used as a sire to start a stud.

"He is a nice fleshy bull that packs a bit of punch with a good temperament, depth, low birth weight and great figures across the board," he said.

"He'll be the start of our stud, which we're really excited for."

Hobbs Livestock stud co-principal Stuart Hobbs said he was very proud of the offering of bulls for their first sale.

"The first sale is always the hardest, especially during a trying season, but we are really pleased to see our top bull stay local," he said.

"We think very highly of him and he certainly has tremendous sire appeal, which is why we'll continue to use his semen in our herd.

"He has great doing ability with low birth weight and strong carcass data."

In the females, 2 of 8 Simmental lots sold to $6,000 each.

Mt David Agriculture, Briar Park purchased three Angus bulls to a top of $12,000 to average $10,666.

Funny Hill Pastoral Co, Funny Hill, purchased four Angus bulls to a top of $8,000 to average $6,500.

An AuctionsPlus buyer from Chapel Hill, Queensland, purchased five Simmental bulls to a top of $9,000.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien with Marcus Schembri, Bathurst, as auctioneer. The online interface was provided by AuctionsPlus.