Sale summary: $7447 av, $26,000 top price, 93pc clearance
Blackwater Santa Gertrudis studmaster, Craig Atkinson, got up at 3.30am to drive west to Blackall in time for the 2018 Barcoo Breeders bull sale this morning, where he successfully bidded for just one bull, Drensmaine Frost (P).
It was the 22-month-old’s muscle pattern, sire appeal and coat type that appealed to Craig, who outlaid $26,000 for the poll bull.
”We’ve spent a fair bit of money with Drensmaine over the years and they’ve all done a good job,” he said. “With this bull we’ll be running three Drensmaine bulls in our stud herd.”
Weighing 802kg and with a daily liveweight gain, his eye muscle area was 136sq cm and his scrotal circumference was 41cm.
He was one of the first five bulls that went under the hammer for the Tambo stud selling at the new Blackall complex, commanding $10,000, $17,000, $24,000, $26,000 and $14,000 respectively, helping to build a stud average of $8666 for their 36 head sold, a clearance rate of 100pc.
The sale’s equal second top price, Drensmaine Fame (P), sired by Drensmaine Arizona, is 23 months, weighs 862kg, has a daily liveweight gain of 1.21kg, an EMA of 137sq cm, and a scrotal circumference of 41.5cm.
He was sold to TLC Pastoral, Temple Bar, Alice Springs, for $24,000.
Stud principal, Len Sargood, said the first four bulls were a complete package of good feet and correct structure, describing them as beautifully balanced.
“Under the seasonal circumstances, it’s been a really good sale,” he said. “I can understand that there weren’t so many local buyers this time but the wide support from so many areas had been really pleasing.”
Buyers came from Augathella, Thallon, Alice Springs, Blackwater, Longreach, Blackall, Tambo, Morven, Muttaburra, Arcadia Valley, Capella, Tobermory, Lake Cargelligo, Wandoan, Willows and Mt Garnet areas.
The stud will be donating $9000 to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the proceeds of lot 27, Drensmaine F63 (P), a herd bull who was bought by Bob and Kathy Crozier, Highlands, Tambo.
For the Forest Park stud, based at Alice Downs north of Blackall, their top price sale was lot 40, Forest Park Kipper (P), who sold to Carbucky Pty Ltd, Goondiwindi for $24,000.
Stud principal, Mike Wacker, said Kipper’s sire, Warenda Gallipoli, had been a very productive stud sire, also breeding last year’s top priced Forest Park bull.
Mr Wacker said Forest Park Kipper’s thickness through the rump was an outstanding feature, along with his depth down through the flank, good bone, and skin.
Weighing 800kg, he had a daily weight gain of 1.11kg, an EMA of 140sq cm and a scrotal circumference of 41cm.
Buyer, Liz Allen, said he would go straight to duties once it had rained.
“We’ll put him around a bit. I’ve got a 500-head herd and we’ve got another commercial line at Alice Downs and then stud duties too maybe, depending on what females we can put him to,” she said.
The Strathmore stud, Ravensbourne, Blackall outlaid $18,000 for lot 53A, Forest Park Kojak, a homozygous PP bull aged 23 months and weighing 832kg, with a daily weight gain of 1.14kg.
Speaking on behalf of the Forest Park stud, Liz Allen said that considering the bulls came off their mums 100kg lighter than previous years, they had grown out extremely well, with fairly minimal preparation on feed.
“It’s testament to the character of the Santa Gertrudis breed – they perform in any season and any region,” she said. “All in all, considering the season across eastern Australia, the bulls sold to a very wide area.”
Forest Park sold 35 of 40 head for an average of $5342.
Similar to Monday’s Swan Hill and Eyriewald sale, Tarlton Downs was the standout volume buyer, purchasing 11 head for an average $4272.
The nearest other volume buyer was Greenhills Pastoral, Tambo, finishing with five bulls for $31,500.
The sale overall brought an average of $7447, and 66 of 71 bulls sold for a clearance rate of 93 per cent.
It comes a day after Swan Hill and Eyriewald studs began the western Santa Gertrudis sale circuit with a top of $8500 and an average of $4220.
The Walker family at Strathmore stud was the final sale in the circuit, selling on Tuesday afternoon.