DAIRY farmers from the South West corner of WA converged on Boyanup last week for the 58th Annual Holstein-Friesian bull and female sale.
With a quality line-up of 25 bulls and three females on offer buyers and nearly as many buyer registrations competition was strong throughout the catalogue, resulting in prices hitting a high of $7750 for bulls and $3400 twice in the females.
Under the control of Landmark auctioneer Tiny Holly the selling team saw all 25 bulls offered sell for an average of $4990 while the three females sold averaged $3133.
Landmark South West manager Michael Rose said it was a solid sale which achieved excellent results including a 100 per cent clearance and a good average.
“It was very pleasing result for the vendors and showed there is confidence in the dairy industry at present,” Mr Rose said.
“It was a quality presentation of bulls and females throughout which were a credit to the vendors and they received the support from buyers they deserved.”
The tone for the sale was set early when the third bull on offer attracted plenty of support before being knocked down for the sale’s $7750 top price.
The February 2016-drop bull Carenda Nardoo 525 (g) was offered in the sale by Kitchen Farms, Carenda stud, Boyanup and after some quick bidding was headed to Northcliffe with BA & JA Armstrong named as the buyers.
The bull had plenty of breeding and performance behind it.
It was out of Carenda Reginald Verra ET (g) (1692590), which produced 13,188 litres at four years, a protein level of 3.32 per cent and butter fat of 3.56pc on 305 days lactation and a protein and fat index of 117.
But Nardoo 525 wasn’t the only bull headed to the Armstrong family’s herd.
The family also paid $4000 for another Carenda sire, Carenda Galactico 540 (g) and $2600 for a 2014-drop Carenda female, Carenda Buddha Varina GP 82 (1807098).
Along with selling the sale’s top-priced bull, the Carenda stud also sold the sale’s $7500 second top price bull to the sale’s volume buyer FV Hortin & Sons, Kronkup.
The Kronkup operation paid $7500 for Carenda Josuper 555 (g), which was born in May 2016.
Josuper 555 is out of Carenda Lauthority Brisbane (1689706), which produced 10,616 litres at four years, a protein level of 3.32 per cent and butter fat of 4.33pc on 305 days lactation and a protein and fat index of 103.
The south coast operation purchased a second bull from Carenda at $4500.
Carenda also sold two bulls at $7000 to HD Harrison & Co, Rosa Glen and A & E Epiro, Harvey and two at $6750 to R & N May, Cowaramup and Kimlie Pty Ltd, Harvey.
Multiple bull buyers in the Carenda run also included SB & SL Hamilton, Hithergreen, who picked up two at $5750 and $4500, while M & L Furfaro, Keysbrook, went home with three to a top of $4500.
Carenda was the largest vendor in the sale offering and selling 16 bulls not only to the sale’s top price but also the sale’s highest average of $5484.
Along with its offering of bulls Carenda offered and sold three females to a top of $3400 twice and an average of $3133.
The two females which sold for $3400 were purchased by Kingsley McSwain, Busselton.
The Cowaramup-based Treeton stud offered and sold six bulls in the sale at an average of $4125 and to a top of $6000.
The top-priced Treeton bull, Treeton Powerball Superman (g), was purchased by VR & EJ Pitter, Waroona.
Powerball is out of Treeton Medallion Sylvia (1755966), which produced 11,596 litres at three years, a protein level of 3.13 per cent and butter fat of 4.17pc on 305 days lactation and a protein and fat index of 122.
The Hortins picked up two Treeton bulls both at $3500, while A & J Commisso, Burekup, paid $4250 for a Treeton sire and C & C Minson, Roelands, secured a Treeton sire at $4000.
Rounding out the vendors in the sale was first-time vendor the Katandra Park stud, Brunswick, with a team of three bulls which all sold to an average of $4083.
The top price in the Katandra Park team was $5250 paid by FV Hortin & Sons for Kantandra Park Archrival Butler.
Archrival Butler is out of Katandra Park Samuelo Blythe (1619612) which produced 9502 litres at four years, a protein level of 3.06 per cent and butter fat of 4.0pc on 305 days lactation and a protein and fat index of 101.
The Hortins also secured a second bull from Katandra Park at $3500 to bring their tally of bulls bought in the sale to six.
The other Katandra Park bull to sell sold at $3500 to Kingsley McSwain, who had earlier paid $3500 for a Treeton bull.
