NSW stud purchases record-breaking Angus bull from Victoria

The Mortlake stud sold a bull for $230,000 at its on-property bull sale on Thursday, February 29, to beat the previous record set by Te Mania Angus, Mortlake, of $130,000 set in 2022.

The national record for a bull sale of any breed was $360,000 set at Texas Angus, Warialda, last year.

The record-setting bull on Thursday, 19-month-old Banquet Tom Cruise T220 was described by the stud as being a "very-muscular, big-loined, wide-topped, rugged, extremely-thick and exceptionally-quiet bull" and was purchased via AuctionsPlus by Bannaby Angus, Taralga, through Nutrien Bathurst.

Bannaby Angus principal Keith Kerridge said he's been buying a few new bulls for the stud's sire battery, also including the $190,000 Milwillah Sergeant S791 at last September's Milwillah sale.

Mr Kerridge said the stud's program had for the past 10 years been strongly focused on structure, so was now also buying high indexing bulls to enhance its numbers, building on the gains made through the past decade.

He said the Banquet bull was purchased to use as a walking sire in the Bannaby herd, but would also offer opportunities for other herds to buy semen.

Mr Kerridge said he bought with confidence, having already had experience with the $230,000 bull's bloodlines through existing breeding programs at Bannaby.

This included having purchased Ben Nevis Jean H215 in partnership with Banquet in 2020. Tom Cruise T220's sire, Rambo, was a grandson of the $82,000 Jean H215, who is a top donor for the Bannaby and Banquet studs.

"And we've bought a number of Banquet females over the years and have also done embryo programs together," Mr Kerridge said.

"We like their cattle ... [and this was] a high indexing bull with good structure and will enhance our program."

Tom Cruise T220 was sired by Ben Navis Rambo R230 and out of Banquet Quiet R329.

The stud said its dam was a "powerful and robust, young female" and its maternal great granddam - Banquet Quiet Y091 - was "one of Banquet's most-successful cows".

"Whenever a Banquet Quiet Y091 son has been offered, they have featured as standouts of the sale," the stud said in its catalogue.

But this is the largest amount a Banquet bull has ever sold for.

The stud's previous-highest price was another Banquet Quiet Y091 son that made $65,000 in 2022.

The bull recorded 2024 TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation estimated breeding values of +2.9 birth weight, +50 200-day weight, +107 400-day weight, +144 600-day weight, +7 eye muscle area and +4.3 intramuscular fat.

Bids for Banquet Tom Cruise T220 started at $60,000, to stun buyers in the gallery, and then jumped by increments of $10,000 until it reached the sale price.

As the bull passed $100,000, the only bidding competition was from online buyers.

By the end of the day, Banquet Angus had achieved a total clearance of bulls at the sale to average $19,127, with all but two lots selling for five-figure sums.

Hamish Branson from Banquet said he was "over the moon" with the stunning result.

"[We had] a lot of support from existing clients that have been here and they've had good results through from the weaner sales and have seen the quality pay for them," he said.

"There were a lot of new clients as well that have come to try a Banquet bull, who were really strong and competing so well with our existing clients."

Mr Branson said Banquet Tom Cruise T220 had a lot going for him phenotypically, but also had a great data set, a lot of muscle, was quiet and good-footed.

"When you look at his pedigree by the Ben Nevis Rambo bull that were bought a couple of years ago in partnership and we've really liked what he offered," he said.

"The dam line that this bull is out of is just incredible as well... and the data set that he's got is pretty unique, which is why he gained so much interest all over the country.

"We had a few of those from different states that found this bull and thought that they had to get tickets down to Mortlake here for the sale."

Mr Branson said the stud was really starting to breed for a "different type" that focused on structure as well as cattle that moved well.

"We try to focus on cattle that have some head and bone, along with capacity and actual thickness and docility," he said.

"That brings a point of difference for us and it meant we had people come here from all points of Australia, and people buying online by AuctionPlus."

The second and third highest priced bulls of the day were also heading across borders, as Banquet Transfer T219 sold for $42,000 to an undisclosed AuctionsPlus buyer from Bunbury, WA.

The third top-priced bull, Banquet Transferabuill T324, sold for $40,000 to Brad Comiskey, Lunar Brangus and Ultra Blacks, Emerald, Qld.

The day began with the sale of 97 commercial pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) heifers, which also achieved a total clearance with a top of $3500 and an average of $3125.

That top price went to the first two lots of the sale which consisted of nine and 11 PTIC heifers, respectively, with an average weight 620-633kg and both bought by Ryan Pastoral, Hawkesdale, Vic.

Mr Branson said the PTIC portion of the sale was also a "mammoth result" for the stud.

Elders auctioneer Ross Milne said the result was incredible, but highlighted the wide interest from around the country for Banquet blood.

"The $230,000 is certainly the highlight of the day, but in saying that, too, I think the attendance needs credit, with over 100 registered buyers," he said.

"Commercially, the sale was very solid, from lot one right through the end of the sale.

"As good as the top end was, I think the pleasing thing from the day was a lot of bulls sold in the range of $16,000 to $20,000, paid by commercial guys who have been on this program for quite some time."