GRASSFED bulls sold to $10,750 at the 24th annual Gandy Angus bull sale at Boyanup recently.
The annual sale saw some changes this year, with the fixture moved to a new venue at the Boyanup saleyards while the sale date was brought forward from February.
Leading up to the sale, Gandy Angus principal Kim Gandy said by moving the sale forward they could supply their clients with 100 per cent grassfed bulls.
"The sale will provide great value and a chance for producers to purchase a new bull to help improve their herd," Mr Gandy said.
This proved accurate with the 42 registered buyers selecting from a top catalogue of grassfed bulls, aged from 18 to 22 months old, featuring new and proven genetics and high performance EBVs, without paying through the nose.
It turned out to be a buyer's market as producers became increasingly selective as the sale wore on and when the 62nd and final bull had walked through the sale ring, the Elders selling team had cleared 41 bulls (66pc) at auction to average $5299.
Results were only back by $167 on average but well down on numbers and clearance compared to the family's on-property sale at Manjimup in February this year which saw 67 of 80 bulls (84pc) sell under the hammer to average $5466.
Buyers attended from all parts of the South West land division with another strong contingent from the Esperance area.
And it didn't take long for Esperance producers to make an impact with the sale's $10,750 top-priced bull in lot four heading to a new home on the coast.
The bull, Diamond One Competitor P94, attracted bids from numerous prospective buyers but was finally knocked down to Elders stud stock manager Tim Spicer, bidding via the phone for Wes Graham, WJ & FJ Graham.
Despite not seeing the bull in the flesh, Mr Graham said photos and videos of the bull posted on the Gandy Angus website and its strong outcross genetics was enough to secure its services for the coming joining.
"The bull's genetics on both its sire and dam pedigrees are outcrosses to anything we have used in the past," Mr Graham said.
"He is well balanced with good growth and carcase figures, he shows nice thickness, topline and conformation.
"And with its balanced figures and fresh genetics, it gives us flexibility to what he can join.
"Kim Gandy used him as a yearling in the stud so he obviously saw a lot in him also."
Competitor was AI bred by Gaffney Competitor 361 and out of Diamond Tree Bartel E60, an ET bred dam by Ayrvale Bartel E7.
The early March 2018 born bull weighed 834kg with a 6 frame score (FS) and 41cm scrotal circumference (SC) and its strong Breedplan performance included ranking in the top five per cent for 200-day weight, eye muscle area (EMA) and retail beef yield (RBY), in the top 10pc for 400-day weight and carcase weight (CW) and top 20pc for 600-day weight and all selection index values.
Elders Margaret River agent Alec Williams secured three bulls for Gingin producers MC & CG Britza, paying to the sale's $7500 second top price for their selections.
The account's top-priced bull, Diamond One Weigh Up P160, entered the selling ring in lot 19 with raw measurements of 742kg, 6.3 FS and 42.5cm SC.
The mid-March 2018 born bull was by Stonedale Weigh Up M424 (by Plattemere Weigh Up K360) and out of an AAR Ten X 7008 daughter and displayed a strong set of EBVs including being in the top 5pc for 200 and 400-day weights and RBY and top 10pc for 600-day weight and CW.
Mr Williams also paid $6500 and $5000 for two LD Capitalist 316 sons.
The sale's $7250 third top price was paid from the outset by Boyanup grazier Kim Payne, K & AL Payne, for Diamond One Innovation P50, the first bull into the sale ring.
The 804kg mid-February 2018 born bull was among the heavier bulls in the catalogue and scanned 6.2FS and 44.5cm SC leading to a top 15pc ranking for scrotal.
The bull was AI-bred by MAR Innovation 251 and out of a VAR Reserve 1111 daughter and also ranked in the top 15pc for RBY.
Mr Payne bided his time until lot 58 before securing another Stonedale Weigh Up M424 son for $4750.
Another buyer to pay $7000 for their selections was the fixture's most influential buyer Kuloomba Farming, Esperance.
Kuloomba Farming returned this year to collect a total of six bulls at the sale, costing from $4500 to $7000 with their top bid reserved for the low birthweight bull penned in lot three with raw measurements of 782kg, 6.3 FS and 44.5cm SC.
Diamond One Bronc P20 was a mid-February 2018-drop AI-bred bull by Baldridge Bronc and out of a Diamond Tree Bushranger M472 daughter.
The curve-bending bull displayed a birthweight EBV of +2.6 and with strong growth traits ranked in the top 20pc for birth and weight intervals.
Alcoa Farmlands, Wagerup, was another prominent buyer, finishing the sale with a team of four bulls, adding to the significant sire requirements for the operation's large commercial Angus herd.
They managed to source their new bulls at good value for money spending only from $4000 to $4750.
Alcoa Farmlands manager Vaughn Byrd said it had been a number of years since the operation last purchased bulls from the Gandy family and the sale provided another option to source good quality bulls.
"We were looking for bulls with high EMA and RBY, the Gandy's bulls presented well and we were happy with our purchases," Mr Byrd said.
A number of buyers purchased three bulls at the sale including return buyers DJ & MDJ Milne, Esperance, paying from $5250 to $6250, Landmark Margaret River agent Jock Embry representing long-time clients of the Gandy family, RH Omodei & Sons, Pemberton, spending $4000 to $5500 and Kalgan producers MI & DM Twentyman, paying from $4000 to $4250.
Other multiple bull accounts with two bulls each were AG & AM Norton, Pinjarra, bidding $6750 and $4500, FR & LF Prosser, Scott River, $5000 and $5500, LM & EA Crouch, Nannup, $4500 and $5500 and Charles Hull Contracting, Waroona, $4000 and $4500.
Jock Embry, this time operating on behalf of Chapman Brook Pty Lty, Forrest Grove, secured a LD Capitalist 316 son at auction for $6750 and a bull following the sale and earlier a HA Cowboy Up 5405 son costing $6250 which is heading for the Manjimup paddocks of TJ & MB Waugh.
