RIDING on the back of an incredible result in the Koojan Hills Angus bull sale on Monday, the Melaleuca Murray Grey bull sale that immediately followed saw all values increase compared to last year.
Ten less bulls were offered by the Metcalfe family in this year’s Melaleuca sale compared to last year with 30 going under the hammer.
Of these 22 sold to a top of $9000 at an average of $5091 and a gross of $112,000.
Compared to last year there was one more bull sold and the average jumped by $305, while the top price was significantly up on last year’s $6000.
Once again it was a quality line-up of Murray Greys that was appreciated by the small crowd of mostly return buyers that sat through the Angus offering to compete on the greys.
The top price of $9000 came mid-catalogue when Landmark southern livestock manager Bob Pumphrey outlasted the competition to have the final call on Melaleuca Mayor M129.
Mr Pumphrey was taking phone bids on the bull from Tasmanian stud breeder Charles Wallace, Woodbourn stud, based at Cressy.
The March 24, 2016-drop bull contained mostly Woodbourn bloodlines, with it sired by Woodbourn Hot Expectations H71 and out of Melaleuca Pansy G258, a cow that in turn was sired by Woodbourn Warrior B48.
Mr Wallace said he was in WA a week ago to attend the Tullibardine bull sale, where he bought one Murray Grey bull, and at the same time inspected the Melaleuca line up.
“This bull stood out from the rest,” Mr Wallace said.
“He was too bloody good a bull not to have with his outlook, thickness, good feet and excellent figures.
“I have been very pleased with the bulls I have bought from WA in the past and I expect this one to be no different.”
Mayor was looked at by Melaleuca principal Richard Metcalfe as a potential stud sire, but was put in the sale because the Metcalfe family had kept the pick of its sons from last year’s calf drop.
In terms of EBVs, Mayor was +4.4 birthweight, +8 milk, +27 for 200-day weight, +48 for 400-day (top 15 per cent of breed) and +70 for 600-day weight, which was in the top 10pc.
In terms of indexes it was +$47 for vealer terminal and +$51 for supermarket, which were both in the top 10pc and +$72 for EU heavy steer, which was in the top 5pc.
The second top price of the sale was set at $8000 when commercial cattle producer Yandilla Grazing, Manypeaks, outbid a South Australian stud breeder to grab Melaleuca Maurice M93.
A March 18, 2016-drop bull, Maurice was sired by Melaleuca Kenny K250 and out of Melaleuca Bettina K189.
Maurice was +4.2 birthweight, +2 milk, +26, +48 and +73 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
On the indexes it was +$49 for vealer terminal, +$51 for supermarket and +$75 for EU heavy steer.
Another bull to make good money was the first bull of the sale offered with another repeat buyer, TA & TL Bradshaw, Kojaneerup South, paying $7000.
Melaleuca Marley M4 was a March 3 drop silver bull that was sired by Melaleuca Hakea H202.
Its depth and thickness were matched by EBVs of +4 milk, plus 25+, +46 and +62 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
It was +$49 for vealer terminal, +$43 for supermarket and +$59 for EU heavy steer.
The Bradshaw family was the volume buyer of the sale taking three bulls in total and paying $4000 apiece for their other two purchases.
Also taking multiple bulls was Salamar Pty Ltd, Claremont, which picked up two at a top of $4500.
Another regular Melaleuca buyer Jeff Pyle & Co, Manypeaks, also paid good money buying one bull at $6500, while GE Bell, Narrikup, took a liking to the third bull on offer paying $5000 for Melaleuca Mackie, which was a Cam Grove Charcoal J91 son.
Relevant Investments, Atwell, took one bull at $6000, while RA & RE Gerovich, Albany, also took one at $5000.
Another repeat buyer, Lake Muir Prime Beef, Lake Muir, bought one for $4000, while AR & MA Muir, Lake Muir, also went to $4000 for one.
Rumbalara Pastoral Co, Gnowellen, bought one for $4500, as did TS & KH Meir, Albany.
Landmark auctioneer Tiny Holly said while the Angus wave had impacted on demand for Murray Greys in recent years, it was pleasing for the Melaleuca stud to have an increase in average compared to last year.
“The quality of the Murray Grey line-up was exceptional and the fact that there were many repeat buyers in attendance again today shows the bulls are working in the paddock where it counts,” Mr Holly said.
