CELEBRATING its 50th year of breeding Shorthorn cattle, the Narralda stud put up an impressive line-up of bulls and heifers that sold to good demand at its annual bull and female sale last week.
The sale was a chance to mark a unique milestone for the stud and prior to the sale commencing stud principal Alex Burrow thanked the many long-term clients who had supported the stud over the years.
He also acknowledged his sons Graeme and Darren and their families and said that he would be stepping back from running the stud with Graeme and his wife Bronwyn to take it on, with Alex helping out in the background.
After the formalities, Elders auctioneer Nathan King kicked the sale off and while there were only 20 buyers registered, the presence of a few volume buyers ensured that there was a total clearance of all 36 heifers on offer and 20 bulls sold out of 26 offered to a top of $9250.
The 12 stud heifers offered and sold averaged $1033 and sold to a top of $1175 twice, while the 24 commercial heifers offered and sold averaged $1081 and sold to a top of $1325.
The 20 bulls that were sold under the hammer averaged $4500.
Values were back on last year when 20 bulls averaged $7100 and the stud and commercial heifers averaged $1797 and $1529 respectively, but Alex Burrow was pleased with the result saying it was where they expected things to be this year.
Bulls:
As always it was regular, loyal clients that turned up to partake in the sale proceedings and these included the top price bull buyers, Chris and Cheryl James, trading as Stockdale Partners, Hyden.
As one of the oldest clients of the Narralda stud, they were presented with a gift by the Burrow family prior to the sale and they repaid this kindness by buying the top-priced bull.
The bull, Narralda Mustang M068 was a roan bull that was by Crathes Gascon and out of Narralda Robin G123.
It recorded a +3.3 birthweight, was +23, +31 and +38 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights and +1.9 retail beef yield.
Chris James said with Crathes Gascon as the sire, the bull represented a new bloodline to use over their 250 pure Shorthorn breeders.
“This bull has tremendous softness and good eye muscle and retail beef yield figures,” Mr James said.
“He will be used over second calvers to breed replacement females and calves to put through our feedlot.”
Mr James said all calves they produced, except heifers that were kept as replacements, were put onto their feedlot to produce calves for Woolworths.
He congratulated the Narralda stud on its 50th birthday and said his family was very happy with the service they had received over the years from Alex Burrow.
Stockdale rounded out its bull purchases by buying the third bull offered for $7250.
This bull was sired by Crathes Hudson and was out of Narralda Melody H051.
It had good growth figures of +26, +33 and +44 for its 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
Another long-term client, also singled out for mention by Mr Burrow prior to the sale, was Allen and Helen Hawley, King River, and they were back again at the sale to take both heifers and bulls.
Their bull purchase included buying the $7500 second top-priced bull of the sale, which was also the first bull offered.
This bull, Narralda Magnate M167, was a Narralda El Dorado son and was out of Narralda Juliet H057.
It recorded a +3 birthweight and +21, +33 and +44 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
It was +2.4 EMA, +2.2 rump fat and +0.7 IMF.
Next best in the price stakes was $5250 paid by D & W Elphick, Torbay, for a Crathes Hudson son.
This March 2016 drop bull was +21, +30 and +38 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
The volume buyer of the sale, Don Hammerquist, Mt Augustus station, Meekatharra, was another that long-term client that was spoken about by Alex Burrow prior to the sale.
Mr Hammerquist also went to a top of $5250 for his haul of five bulls.
Looking for red bulls only, the bull in lot 37, Narralda Mohican M046, suited Mr Hammerquist’s requirements.
A Narralda Juggernaut son, the bull was dropped on March 13, 2016 and was +29, +39 and +53 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
Mr Hammerquist also paid $4750 for a Crathes Gascon son.
Another repeat Narralda client, Matt Della Gola, Tonebridge Grazing, Tonebridge, was back again to take two bulls paying to a top of $4500.
LJ Nicholson, Torbay, bid on a few bulls before taking one at $5000, while Glenwood Estate, Busselton, also bought one at $4250.
Another James from Hyden, Lindsay James, trading as James Pastoral Company, went to $4000 for his only purchase, while RJ & AM Squibb, Tambellup, took home three at $3000 each.
Heifers:
All up there were 36 heifers on offer, comprising 12 studs and 24 commercial purebreds, and these sold to good demand and a 100 per cent clearance.
The top price of $1175 in the stud heifer section was paid on two occasions, firstly by Alan and Helen Hawley for a Crathes Hudson daughter that went back to the Narralda Robin family on the dam side.
EBVs on this late March 2017-drop calf included +22, +29 and +36 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
The heifer was +4 for milk and had a retail beef yield figure of +1.7.
Glenwood Estate, Busselton, was also a successful buyer at $1175 of a stud heifer.
This heifer was a Narralda Juggernaut daughter and out of Narralda Thelma J092.
It had EBVs of +28, +37 and +50 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
Other good prices in the stud heifer section included $1150 paid by Elgin Park, Boyanup and $1125 paid by Tonebridge Grazing.
In the purebred commercial heifer offering, the Hawleys were again active taking home 10 in total at a top of $1325.
Their top price was paid for a pen of heifers that averaged 395kg and they then went on to buy another three that averaged 347kg for $1175.
Glenwood Estate, Busselton, went to $1150 to take four heifers that averaged 317kg and $925 to take four that weighed 295kg on average.
Following the sale, Elders auctioneer Nathan King said the sale had been well supported by repeat buyers.
“It was similar to most sales this year in that it was back in average values and buyers were more selective,” he said.
“But overall the clearance was good and the fact that all the heifers were sold was pleasing.”