Angus bulls with phenotype and figures to match met with solid demand from repeat clients at Speriby North, Bolivia via Tenterfield, where a full clearance of 58 sires averaged $12,000.
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Top-priced bull was the rising two year old AJC T1115, by the stud's leading sire for calving ease daughters, AJC Q654, with top one percent of the breed for profitability in two indexes - the Angus breeding index and the Angus breeding low feed cost index.
The new sire's own figures include +6.3 for calving ease direct, +4.9 for birth weight, positive growth including +152 at 600 days and an IMF score of +4.8
He will join a herd of Wagyu cows at John and Natasha's first-cross enterprise Tirranna at Mt Mitchell via Glencoe, with progeny grown out to feedlot weight ahead of induction at Rangers Valley feedlot.
As repeat buyers the Templetons praised Arthur and Sandra Cox for producing sires that"opened doors" to new possibilities in the feedlot market.
"We like these bulls for growth and marbling," said Natasha Templeton. "Rangers Valley like them so we like them."
Indeed, the managing director of Rangers Valley, Keith Howe, spoke immediately ahead of the sale saying the feedlot followed the genetics of Speriby North Angus "very closely".
"In our system Arthur and his team are improving the genetics within the Angus breed to meet our requirements for high IMF," he said. "The progeny from these bulls have the right temperament and ability for weight gain in our long-fed program."
The Templeton family also purchased the sale's second top-priced sire, AJC T11 by Connamara P64 for $25,000 with positive growth including +173 at 600 days, an IMF EBV of +4.6 with +6 for CEDir and +5.5 for calving ease daughters.
Breeder Arthur Cox said it was important to get the figures correct - for both calving ease and calving ease daughters - along with key carcass traits like growth and marbling.
"You've got to get the basics right," said Mr Cox. He was happy with the results, as evidenced by the number of stud-bred sires in the program.
"We like working with breed plan and becoming involved with genomics makes it more interesting," he said. "The secret is to select over a long period."
The figures speak for themselves, with 38 of the 58 sires in this year's draft recording top 5pc breed placings, with 26 in the top 10pc for IMF and 14 in the same category across all growth traits.
An Ebor grazier purchased six sires averaging $15,666 to a top of $21,000 for AJC T76, by Connamara P64, 792kg with a 42cm scrotal diameter and 92pc on the morphology result. His growth figures were all positive including +167 at 600 days with 5.4 CEDir, +4.2 CEDtrs and IMF at +3.4.
The bulls will go over Angus females with heifers retained and steers backgrounded ahead of induction in the Rangers Valley long-fed program.
Relatively new clients Peter and James Heagney, Tubbamurra via Guyra bought two bulls, paying to $17,000 for AJC T178 by Q654, noted for his calving ease daughters trait and overall profitability.
"These are cattlemen's cattle," Peter Heagney said. "They are easy doing, easy finishing with production figures to boot and their temperament is outstanding."
Volume buyers and foundation clients, the Hollingworth family, Titibar Pastoral, with country at Deepwater and Glencoe, went home with 15 bulls averaging $7933 to a top of $12,000 for AJC T381 with +11.5 for CEDtrs and +13.1 for EMA.
The purchased sires will service Titibar's herd of Angus females, with steers finished on crop ahead of induction to Rangers Valley.
Enterprise overseer Anthony Chaffey said the Speriby North genetics delivered on their promised marbling traits and suited the outcome very well.
The sale was conducted by Colin Say and Co, Glen Innes, with online bids captured by AuctionsPlus.
