The 16th annual Turanville Shorthorns Bull Sale at Scone was well supported by return buyers considering current seasonal conditions in the surrounding Upper Hunter.
A total of 24 bulls out of 29 offered sold to a top of $18,000 and averaged $7833.
The top-priced bull, lot 19, Turanville Encryption T9 was purchased by Weebollabolla Shorthorns, Moree - one of the returning buyers at the sale last Thursday.
Sired by The Grove Terabytes N0615, his dam was Turanville Wallflower P6.
The impressive young 17-month-old sire presented with a good physical appearance, moderate growth with a good soft skin and plenty of muscle definition.
His Performance Herds Australia Breedplan figures put him in the top one per cent for intramuscular fat, top 15pc for fats and top 25pc for calving ease, gestation length and birthweight.
Doug Robertson, Turanville Shorthorns, said it was the combination of these traits along with his physical appearance that made the bull appealing.
"He's got the right combination of muscling and carcase shape but he's still got tremendous marbling and positive fats," Mr Robertson said.
"With his gestation and his calving ease and birth weight, that makes him pretty functional on that side of his breeding as well."
The Grove Shorthorns, Condamine, Queensland, secured the next highest seller in lot two at $17,000.
Turanville Encryption S227 weighed in at 860kg with a scrotal circumference of 42cm and a 200-day weight figure in the top 10pc.
The 23-month-old bull headed the draft of three sires purchased by The Grove for an average of $11,333.
Other volume buyers operating successfully on the day included Lynoch Pty Ltd, with Warren Coventry booking his three lots through Mike Wilson Studstock for an average of $6666.
Ben McNaughton, manager of St Aubyns Station, Walcha, selected four bulls including two yearling Durham Red bulls for the commercial cross breeding programme.
St Aubyns supplies feeder steers and grass fed slaughter steers from the herd using Shorthorn and Red Angus genetics bred up from a base of Mandalong Special cows.
Other purchasers included Peter Cumming from Rouchel who purchased two sires to a top of $9000 for Turanville Oscar S182 and also the Webb families from Oberon taking two sires to a top of $9000 to add to their successful Shorthorn cross Angus commercial programme.
The helmsman sale was conducted by Turanville Partnership and interfaced on AuctionsPlus with five lots selling online. The board was marked by Stuart Sheldrake, McGrath Upper Hunter.
