PROVEN Murray Grey and Angus female values reached $7400 at the Monterey ‘Ladies Day’ on-property female sale at Karridale recently.
The expiry of a 240 hectare lease forced the hand of Monterey stud principals Gary and Julie Buller to downsize their herd through the special female sale.
Mr Buller said he was disappointed to be selling the cows but “had to do something” with the reduced landholding.
“There was some hesitation but I’m sure the cows are going to good homes,” he said.
“They are cattle from our genuine keeper herd and take it from us, they are hardworking cows.
“These cows have been very good to us and despite one of the toughest seasons in 45 years at Karridale and Scott River, the cows present in excellent order and their condition is a tribute to the importance we place on doing ability and fertility at Monterey.”
When a door closes, another opens and a moderate but committed group of buyers relished the rare opportunity to tap directly into Monterey’s proven breeding herd, bidding up on their selected lots.
Overall, Monterey offered 95 stud and commercial Murray Grey and Angus females ranging from heifers to ‘golden oldie’ cows at varying stages of pregnancy and some with calves at foot.
Using single and multiple hammer selling systems, the Elders and Landmark teams cleared 74 females or 87 per cent of the total catalogue at an average of $3822.
The sale was also interfaced with AuctionsPlus, however limited bidding activity was seen from the nine registered online buyers.
Murray Greys represented the majority of the catalogue with 71 females offered and 50 sold at auction to average $3621.
Buyers were selective on age and the Murray Grey line up included a selection of 14 older matrons ranging from rising 10 years-old to 16yo which according to Gary, were ‘too good to go to the butcher.’
These were largely overlooked but some contributed to the clearance rate with three 2006-drop cows sold at auction and another two 2007-drop cows selling after the sale.
There was a total clearance of 24 Angus females offered at an average of $4242 while commercial cattle were particularly strong with PTIC cows and cow-calf units selling to $4100.
Elders stud stock manager Tim Spicer said the Ladies Day sale was a great opportunity for buyers to secure Monterey genetics, both Murray Grey and Angus.
“Values paid at auction reflected strong commercial values,” Mr Spicer said.
“Better and younger cattle sold to solid competition, and it was great to see some Eastern States interest and support for the sale.”
Landmark auctioneer Tiny Holly said the cattle presented well, were exceptionally quiet and generally sold to expectations.
“Albeit selective, buyers were willing to pay for quality and the return at sale’s end was very good,” Mr Holly said.
“It was evident that purchasers were chasing certain age groups within the catalogue, and it was a shame some of the older matrons failed to sell despite still going strong and having breeding still ahead of them.”
Claiming the sale’s top-priced honours was a rising five-year-old Murray Grey PTIC cow-and-calf unit that sold for $7400 to strong interstate supporters of the Monterey brand, Marilyn Hansen and Dean Rasmussen, Shell-Dee Murray Grey stud, Kingaroy, Queensland.
The silver cow Monterey Miss Kuri H182 was described as being bred in the purple by Monterey parents Escalator E204 and Miss Kuri F65 with outstanding BreedPlan figures featuring in the breed’s top five to 10 per cent for all weight intervals, mature cow weight, carcase weight and all index values.
H182 is PTIC to Mungatta Fleetwood F309 or Issachar and its outstanding nine-month-old silver heifer at foot was by Monterey Hamersley H204.
The Shell-Dee stud operation runs about 120 breeders of silver and grey Murray Greys, which receives regular injections of Monterey genetics with several Monterey sires purchased over the years.
Ms Hansen said they had been buying from Monterey for more than 15 years and it was always worth making the trip over to WA.
“The genetics perform really well for us in Queensland and we will continue to return to the Monterey sales again in the future,” Ms Hansen said.
“I thought the top-priced cow was a beautiful, feminine and moderate cow with lots of length and correctness.
“Her heifer calf also stood out and we might look at showing her in the future.”
The Queensland outfit also secured 2010-born PTIC Monterey Lolita F139 with a grey heifer calf at foot for $3800.
“The heifer calf at foot of that particular cow was a real stand out,” Ms Hansen said.
“I felt both units were outstanding packages and I’m confident they will both fit in well within our breeding program back at home.”
David Corker, Wundam Park Murray Grey stud, Bullco Genetics, Boyup Brook, paid the sale’s $6800 second top price for the cow-calf unit Monterey Miss Opal G51 and its young bull calf.
The six-year-old cow was by Monterey Whirlwind Y176 and out of Monterey Miss Opal C227 with figures in the top 5pc for eye muscle area (EMA), top 10pc for retail beef yield (RBY) and top 15pc for milk.
The young silver bull calf was sired by Monterey Hudson H296.
Mr Corker said G51 was a great cow with a pedigree and record to match.
“She is a beautifully made soft cow with a great pelvis setup and udder,” he said.
“She is a total outcross for us but it was more the type that I was chasing.
“On its female side it traces back to really good breeding stock and it has an excellent breeding record herself.
“The bull calf provides an outcross that potentially could also be used in the herd.”
Mr Corker also purchased a 2011-drop Murray Grey cow with a young heifer calf at foot for $3400.
Southend Murray Grey stud, Katanning, was among the sale’s prominent buyers in the Murray Grey section, finishing the sale with six silver PTIC cows ranging from rising 7yo to 11yo, paying from $3000 to $6000 and a rising 7yo silver PTIC cow-calf unit for $4600.
Southend’s $6000 top bid went to the rising 8yo cow Monterey Miss Madonna E328, a Blackwood Farryn daughter that ranked in the 5pc for EMA and top 10pc for RBY and is PTIC to Monterey Karate Kid K61.
Southend principal Kurt Wise said they were happy to have bought in some really good Monterey bloodlines which were new to their herd.
“We’ve had a good season at home so we can afford to take the chance on some of these older cows, but I’m confident we’ll see some solid results,” Mr Wise said.
“They look really good for their age, and at the end of the day they have proven to be good breeders at Monterey so I see no reason for them not to continue at Southend.”
Mr Wise agreed with the general sentiment of attendees on the day that the sale was a great opportunity to purchase quality genetics at good value.
Another volume buyer of Murray Greys was Phil Tomlinson, P & SA Tomlinson, Albany, assisted by Michael Lynch, Landmark Albany.
The Tomlinson account consisted of three rising 6yo and 8yo PTIC cow-calf units costing from $3600 to $4200 and five PTIC cows ranging from rising 7yo to 9yo paying an average $4680.
Mr Tomlinson said the sale was a unique opportunity.
“It’s not every day you get this sort of chance to get your hands on stud females of this calibre,” he said.
“We’ve been buying from Monterey for a long time and I’ve been happy with the performance of those purchases over the years.
“Basically I like to buy quality and I think you’d be hard pressed to find better Murray Greys in the State.”
Other higher prices paid for Murray Grey cows included Jamie Abbs, Landmark Boyup Brook, bidding via phone on behalf of Braeside Park, Goulburn Valley, New South Wales, who paid to $5400 for a rising 7yo PTIC cow with a silver bull calf at foot which was one of two calf-calf units and a PTIC cow purchased at the sale.
Manjimup operations Nangara Murray Grey stud and AR & MA Muir each collected four PTIC Murray Grey cows, paying to tops of $3500 and $3200 respectively with the Muirs also adding a PTIC cow-calf unit.
The $6200 top price in the Angus section was paid by Rob Italiano, Harvey, who was buying on behalf of AE Roesner Nominees, Harvey, for a PTIC cow-calf unit.
The rising 7yo cow Monterey Stella F181 was a daughter of Lawsons GAR Direction X3 and Monterey Stella A66 and was PTIC to Millah Murrah Docklands J193.
Its stylish bull calf at foot, Metropolis M202, was by Koojan Hills Unlimited F237.
Mr Italiano said it was an excellent cow and calf package to join the Roesner operation which is just starting out.
“The cow has the structure and class to catch the eye, but it was the very interesting bull calf at foot which was the real deciding factor,” he said.
“I think the calf has a lot of potential and he’s got a great look about him so far.
“Especially considering the current values in the cattle market, I thought it was really good value buying for top quality genetics from a stud like Monterey.”
Mr Italiano also bought an unjoined Angus cow and heifer calf in addition to nine commercial PTIC Angus cows and Angus cow-calf units.
The five cow-calf units cost $4100 each with the calves by Vermont Duke E193 and four cows PTIC to Millah Murrah Tex K37 were knocked down for $3800.
“The commercial females we bought I also thought were excellent value,” Mr Italiano said.
“Their conformation and milk looked good and those that had calves at foot had proof on the ground of their breeding value.”
The $5600 second top-priced Angus female was purchased by NHA & RL Stoney, Quanden Angus stud, Redmond.
The PTIC cow-calf package consisted of Monterey Fanfair G142, a rising 6yo cow by Monterey parents Empire Lad E98 and Fanfair with a rising 10mo heifer calf at foot by Docklands J193 which it was again back in calf to.
P & S Barbetti, Waterloo, assisted by Neil Foale, Primaries South West, also paid $4100 for a line of five commercial Angus cows PTIC to the Vermont Duke bull.
The Barbetti family also picked up six commercial Murray Grey heifers PTIC to Monterey Kalahari K80 for $3100 each and a PTIC Angus cow-calf unit for $4000.
Volume buyers in the Angus line-up included RH & LM Rose & Son, Bridgetown and Yondalee Farms, Boyup Brook, purchasing three cows each.
The Rose family paid from $4000 to $4800 for rising 3yo and 7yo unjoined cows with heifer calves at foot and a PTIC Angus cow while Yondalee secured a PTIC cow and calf unit, an unjoined cow-calf unit and a PTIC cow aged from rising 5yo to 8yo costing from $4000 to $4400.