Yavenvale Swanky tops inaugural spring online sale

Studs and purchasers from four different states stepped in on the bidding, with bulls destined for Queensland, NSW, South Australia and Victoria.

The top priced bull was Yavenvale Swanky S738, bought by Barry and Fay Hicks, Gundowring, Vic, for $15,500.

The 23 month-old Standford Khobi K184 son, and also descendent of Valma Odyssey of his dam's side, had favourable birthweight and growth estimated breeding values of +1.8 for birthweight, with a 400-day weight value of +59 and 600-day weight of +82.

He also ranked in the top eight per cent of the breed for gestation length with an EBV of -3.5 and was recommended as a heifer bull in the catalogue.

Barry Hicks said Swanky S738 was a different bloodline for the families 200 cow breeding operation, with a plan to go over heifers, with more being kept then usual.

"One of his stand out features for me was he had good skin," Mr Hicks said.

"I look for the milk in the bulls, and the muscle expression.

"We've been buying Yavenvale bulls for ten years or so and we gotta keep going to different bloodlines."

The second top-priced bull was Yavenvale Sylvester S442, purchased by Morganvale Poll Hereford stud, Keith, SA, for $10,500.

Sylvester S442, a son of Tobruk Queenstown Q004, was also recommended for heifer joining, with a birthweight of +0.0 and an intramuscular fat value of +1.8, putting him in the top 5pc of the breed for both traits.

The volume buyer was Okeview Pastoral, Oura, who bought four bulls for a top of $10,500 to average $10,000.

Yavenvale Herefords stud principal, James Pearce, said buyers were chasing acceptable birth weights, curve bending figures and good carcase data.

"We were pleased to gain some new buyers from this sale and Yavenvale has now sold over 150 bulls in 2023."

The overall clearance for the sale was 21 bulls sold of the 42 offered, with an average of $6909.

The sale was conducted by Ray White GTSM, and interfaced with AuctionsPlus.