BUYERS missed an opportunity at this year's Naranda Angus stud on-property bull sale at Naranda Springs during the final stop of the Landmark Esperance bull sale circuit last week.
The Johnson family penned an entirely pasture-fed line-up of 22 young sires, however only 12 sold under Neil Brindley's hammer at auction.
A further three bulls sold privately after the sale to bring the overall gross to $60,000.
But the general consensus around the ring after the proceedings was all of the bulls are sure to be sold privately as producers look to fill their requirements when high prices and high demand prevent some from buying elsewhere.
Mr Brindley, Landmark Brindley and Gale agent and auctioneer, said while the result wasn't quite what was expected, the stud was still in its growing phase.
"It will take some time to build a client base," Mr Brindley said.
"And there were return buyers present so that is an encouraging sign.
"There were definitely some quality bulls sold for very reasonable prices and I am absolutely confident the bulls passed in on the day will sell quickly."
Top price honours went to April 2015-drop Naranda L26, a son of Rennylea C574, bought by Neil Wandel, Willawayup Farms, Esperance, for $6500.
Mr Wandel said he liked the figures on the young sire which met his requirements, particularly the 600-day growth rate figure.
The bull had EBVs of +44, +86 and +116 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +1.5 for rib, +1.5 for rump and +3.1 for IMF, backed up by ranking in the top 20 per cent of the breed across all four Angus indices.
"To me this bull is the best and most balanced bull in the catalogue," Mr Wandel said.
"I think the bulls offered by Naranda are really good value in today's cattle market."
Mr Wandel also bought two more sires, both sons of Rennylea H7.
One was bought under the hammer at $3500 and the other after the sale at $4000 to finish with an overall average of $4667 across his team of three.
The rest of the catalogue was divided between other return producers from the local area.
Three Naranda bulls, including lot two, sold to Esperance local JC & SC Sharpe at an average of $3833.
Lot two, which sold for $4000, was a Rennylea H7 son with an impressive EMA of +10.8, along with carcase traits of +1.2 for rib and +1.1 for RBY, and domestic and heavy grass indices of +$111 and +$117, all of which put the sire in the top 20pc of the breed.
Esperance operations Como Holdings and Pleasant Valley Pastoral took home two apiece at averages of $4250 and $4000 respectively, with Pleasant Valley securing one more after the sale.
