Bar H Wagyu online sale captures interest from interstate buyers

For vendors, Percy, Sandra, and Que Hornery, and the team at Bar H Grazing, Comet, their helmsman sale attracted 1957 catalogue viewers, 124 registered bidders, and 177 bids.

Studs and commercial buyers from Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria pushed the sale to a top of $2540 for a semen package and $1000 for an embryo package.

In total, 23 of 36 lots sold online for a clearance rate of 64 per cent and and average price of $284.

Que Hornery said they were humbled by the "overwhelming online support" their sale attracted.

"Just by looking at the online figures, it really gave us confidence in the product we're offering," he said.

"We don't advertise semen or embryos or we don't go out of our way as a business.

"We offered some older traditional genetics, as well as some unproven and proven animals where we just wanted to give our opportunity of Wagyu genetics in the tank that I've got genetics that some people don't have.

"You probably wouldn't be able to get your finger on some of these genetics.

"Looking at who purchased our genetics they were all experienced Wagyu studs and they knew they wanted the semen to do what they wanted to do with their cows."

All but six of the 27 lots of semen sold for a clearance rate of 77 pc and average of $229.40/straw.

A top price of $2540/straw was paid by Queensland buyer Jennifer Harris, Sunland Cattle Co Pty Ltd Valkyrie, for 10 semen straws from US imported horned sire, TWAFR0007 TWA Shikikan.

He measured in the top five per cent for retail beef yield and top 20pc for marble score.

Shikikan was sired by WKSFN2892 World K's Takazakura and out WKSFL0976 World K's Suzutani.

Mr Hornery said they used a lot of Shikikan in their own herd, but was surprised at the interest the sire had accumulated considering there wasn't a picture of him available for the public.

"(Shikikan) is an animal that definitely wasn't recognised when he was getting collected and it wasn't until the later years interest began to build," he said.

"I've never seen a photo of him and it's kind of interesting how that sort of works when no one's seen a picture of him.

"I know what he may look like because of his offspring and what they've put in front of me, but outside of that, it's really interesting how people could pay that much money for his genetics.

"It just shows that it's not a visual thing and it's got nothing to do with what the animal looks like, it's completely about the historical data that's been proven over the years."

A top price of $1000/embryo was paid by Mitchell Willett, SpringShure Pastoral Co, Guyra, NSW, for four embryos sired by KT4FK1888 and from BARFS3862 female.

A young daughter of a performing Blackmore bred Itozurudoi x J003/ Kinu son, the female was described as having "depth to breed anything to".

Two out of the nine embryos sold for an average price of $750/embryo for a package of four embryos.

The online helmsman sale was conducted by Elders, and facilitated online by AuctionsPlus.