Shea steals the show at Wirruna autumn bull and female sale

The sale reached a top of $42,000, with the first seven bulls in the catalogue averaging $27,500.

The top-priced bull, Wirruna Shea S222, was purchased by long-term supporters of the program, Bendoc Park Poll Herefords, Delegate, south of Cooma on the NSW-Victoria border.

Sired by the New Zealand-bred Limehills Starter 160062, the two-and-a-half-year-old bull tipped the scales at 1048 kilograms and measured a scrotal size of 45 centimetres.

He ranked in the top one per cent of the breed for 400-day weight and 600-day weight with estimated breeding values (EBVs) of +88 and +124, respectively.

Meanwhile, he recorded one of the highest carcase weight figures in the breed with a figure of +96, along with an +7.9 eye muscle area (EMA) and +2.2 intramuscular fat (IMF), to place him in the top 5pc of the breed.

Bendoc Park stud principal, Lucy Sellars said the stud has seen Limehills Starter 160062 son's throughout the Wirruna program and other studs, which they have been impressed by.

"We were chasing that New Zealand sire, as well as he's [Wirruna Shea S222] top one pc of the breed for two of his growth traits and some self-replacing indexes," she said.

"Along with physically you can see he's carrying a heap of meat, a really good doer and having a good coat colour, which is a important to our clients.

"He has got the combination of cosmetics and performance in his data which is a hard combination to find.

The stud plan to use Shea S222 throughout their herd as well as use in as a sire in their embryo transfer program.

Wirruna has retained 50pc semen rights in the bull.

The second top-priced bull, Wirruna Smokin Joe S010, was purchased by Newcomen Herefords, Ensay, Vic, for $36,000.

The two-and-a-half-year-old bull was classified as a Herefords Australia Limited (HAL) super sire and has been used by the stud for two joinings.

He recorded a gestation length value in the top 5pc of the breed of -8, along with 200, 400 and 600-day growth figures of +55, +91 and +122, respectively, also in the top 5pc of the breed.

Sired by another HAL super sire, Wirruna Qantas Q036, Smokin Joe was the heaviest bull in the catalogue weighing 1118kg.

The stud has also retained 50pc semen rights in this bull.

The third top-priced bull was Wirruna Saul, purchased by Tarcombe Herefords, Seymour, Vic, for $35,000.

Also sired by the Wirruna Qantas Q036, Saul registered an EBV of +1.8 birth weight.

The homozygous polled bull also had EBVs of -5.8 days to calving and +29 milk, both in the top 5pc for the breed.

The top-priced stud female for the sale was Wirruna Doreen P403, purchased by Greenhills Livestock, Stawell, Vic, for $6500.

The Wirruna Leap Forward daughter, had EBVs of +2.1 IMF, top 5pc for the breed, and +5.7 EMA, top 20pc.

She was joined to Wirruna Salvation S488, who also sold in the sale for $18,000.

The top-priced pen of pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) females, sold to Myroola Partnership, Narromine, for $2200.

Wirruna Poll Herefords stud principal Ian Locke, said it was really happy how the stud bulls sold throughout the sale.

"I worked out their average for the group for the seven of them, they averaged $27,500, which is very strong in the top end," he said.

"I think that is a reflection of people really targeting the traits they want and competing hard for the top end bulls.

"The markets come off for from two years ago, but we really appreciate the support from the returning buyers that have come back for the sale, along with a few new ones as well.

"That's always encouraging for us that there's more people looking at our program, particularly in the cows, because it gives some people exposure to our genetics.

Of the 66 bulls offered, 52 sold to a top of $42,000 to average $11,711, while the pregnancy tested stud females reached $6500 to average $4100.

The pens of PTIC females made a top price of $2200 with an average of $1904.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions Holbrook, with Tim Woodham taking the bids.