IN a bull selling season where clearances have been challenging at times, the Midlands Cattle Breeders' Association Gingin Bull Sale bucked the trend with a near total clearance at auction.
The association's 32nd annual sale at the purpose-built sale yards last week drew another strong crowd to view the quality line-up of British and European bulls.
This led to 46 buyers to register for the sale while it was again interfaced on AuctionsPlus.
Buyers descended from the deep south of the State, to the eastern Wheatbelt and north to Geraldton, a strong sign of the sale's growth where beef producers are prepared to travel to get their hands on the quality genetics.
Buyers bid competitively on the catalogue of 68 bulls representing three breeds and eight vendors through to the final lot and at sale's end, the Nutrien Livestock and Elders selling teams had cleared all bar two bulls (97 per cent) under the hammer.
With the absence of a couple of smaller vendors, overall numbers were back by four bulls on last year's sale.
However clearance was well up this year, albeit at the expense of a marginal dip in the overall average.
This year's sale grossed $397,000 at an average of $6015 which was back $212 compared to last year's sale where 55 of 72 bulls (76pc) had sold at auction to average $6227 and gross $342,500.
This year's $12,000 sale top-priced bull was sold by the Sudlow family's Kapari Angus stud, Northampton, for the second bull into the ring Kapari Bronc P29 which sold to the winning bid of Ralph Mosca, Landmark Harvey, representing return Kapari buyer Daryl Robinson, Murray River Farms, Waroona.
The late March 2018-drop AI-bred bull was by USA sire Baldridge Bronc and out of an Ardrossan Direction D191 daughter Kapari Direction J1.
The impressive sire matched a top phenotype with strong performing Breedplan figures.
For a below-average birthweight bull, it recorded growth intervals in the top five to 15pc and all indexes ranging from the top 1-20pc including top 1-5pc for heavy grass index (HGI) with top 15pc EMA and to 15-20pc for calving ease traits.
Murray River Farms then paid the sale's $10,000 equal second top price for the next Kapari bull into the ring Genesis P28.
The late March 2018-drop bull by Pathfinder Genesis L49 and out of a Te Mania Youngman Y743 daughter was a low birthweight bull (top 5-10pc), but with a spread of above-average performance figures including top 15pc milk.
Mr Robinson said it was the third Gingin sale they had purchased bulls at and he was impressed with the Kapari line-up.
"The two bulls are exceptional - some of the best we've bought," he said.
"We were after quality bulls with a bit of muscle and good growth rates and the two bulls matched up to our requirements well."
The bulls will be joined to the operation's self-replacing Angus herd where the February-March-drop calves are weaned around November.
The surplus heifer calves are sold at the Boyanup weaner sales in early January, while the steers are carried through and sold as grassfed yearlings from September to November.
The Kapari stud enjoyed improved results from last year's sale and along the way topped the sale's average stakes.
The stud cleared all 27 bulls at auction to average $6889, up by $589 on last year's sale average of $6300 from 25 of 27 bulls (93pc) to sell under the hammer.
The run of five-figured bulls continued for the Kapari stud with the next bull into the sale ring knocked down to return buyers RHG & BS ALP, Gingin, for the equal second top price of $10,000.
Kapari Chisum P45 in lot 17 was an extremely high ranking early-April 2018 born son of USA sire S Chisum 6175 and out of a Ayrvale Bartel E7 daughter.
Its impressive list of EBVs includes trait-leading figures for 200-day and carcase weight (CW), top 1-5pc for calving ease Dtrs, 400 and 600-day weights with all indexes ranging from top 5-25pc and top 15-20pc for EMA.
Other stronger values paid in the Kapari line-up was $9500 paid by consistent buyers at the sale Mount Samuel, Mingenew, who was operating on AuctionsPlus.
The bull was a low birthweight (top 15pc) Bronc son with excellent calving ease and gestation length (top 1-15pc), fats (top 1-5pc) and feed efficiency (top 1-5pc).
Mount Samuel also paid $7500 later in the sale for a Genesis son out of the Kapari team.
Return volume buyers TI & AM Vlahov, Geraldton, collected five Kapari bulls at the sale costing from $5000 to $6500.
Other multiple Kapari bull accounts included Gripthorpe Farm, Bolgart, two bulls costing to $8000, Mt Gerizim Farms Pty Ltd, Dandaragan, two bulls to $7000, Bush & Co, Gingin, two bulls to $7500 and Ross Tyndale Powell, Elders Mingenew, two bulls to $8000.
Angus
Angus bulls again dominated the sale's bull numbers, making up 76pc of the total catalogue.
At sale's end, five breeders sold 50 of the increased line-up of 52 Angus bulls at auction to average $6300, up $126 on last year's Angus average where 43 of 48 (90pc) bulls sold under the hammer to average $6300.
The Kupsch family's Black Tara Angus stud, Allanooka, kicked off the sale with their team of 13 bulls and enjoyed a total clearance of their bulls at auction to average $6077.
This was back $968 on last year's sale average where all 11 bulls sold for the top Angus average of $7045.
Paying Black Tara's $9500 top price from the sale's outset was R & R Cobley & Son, Geraldton, for Black Tara P29 penned in lot one.
The mid-March 2018-drop AI-bred son of USA sire EF Complement 8088 and out of a Connealy Final Product daughter, balanced an awesome phenotype with moderate birthweight and easy calving with off the charts growth and carcase figures.
It ranked in the top 1pc for all growth intervals, CW and HGI index, top 1-5pc for calving ease Dtrs, MCW, milk and domestic index (DI) and top 5-10pc for EMA and Angus Breeding Index (ABI).
An Auctionsplus account paid the stud's $7500 second top price for another average birthweight high growth EF Complement son ranking in the breed's top 1pc for calving ease Dtrs, top 1-5pc for EMA, DI and HGI indexes and top 5-15pc for all growth and ABI.
Standout buyer of the Black Tara team was Kayanaba Grazing Co, Dandaragan, finishing the sale with an account totalling four bulls, costing from $6000 to a top price of $7000 for another Complement son.
Securing two Black Tara bulls each was Craig Walker, Nutrien Livestock, representing Apache Investments, Merredin and FB Smith & Sons, Walkaway.
The Topham family, Cookalabi Angus stud, Coomberdale, was another vendor to notch up a 100pc clearance and improved values of their team of eight bulls for an average of $5063.
This was up $563 on last year's average of $4500 for six of eight bulls sold at auction.
Michael Longford, Elders Waroona, agreed to the Cookalabi stud's top bid of $7000 for Cookalabi P23 on behalf of Bangadang Pty Ltd.
The mid-April 2018-drop bull was sired by Koojan Hills Docklands K90 and out of a Blackrock F27 daughter and displayed a solid spread of figures, ranking in the top 1-5pc for rump fat, top 10-15pc for rib fat and feed efficiency, top 15-20pc days to calving and top 20pc for milk.
Mr Longford said the bull was the complete package.
"It is a really nice bull, it had style and good growth and it's very quiet," Mr Longford said.
He also bought a Blackrock L50 son at $5500 for the same buyer.
Mt Gerizim added two Cookalabi bulls to their account costing $4500 and $5000 as did Bush & Co with a single bull at $5500, another Blackrock L50 son.
The Collard family, Warringah stud, Badgingarra, sold one of their two bulls for $5000 to GA & PA Martin & Son, Badgingarra.
The early-April 2018-born AI-bred bull by USA sire Baldridge Command C36 and out of a Little Meadows Banjo B17 daughter combined moderate birthweight and ease of calving (top 15-20pc) with strong growth and indexes.
The Hattingh family's Redhat stud, Wannamal, also sold one of their two bulls at auction to the $4500 bid of Mr Walker's for the Apache Investments account.
The bull was sired by Command C36 and out of an AAR Ten x 7008 bred daughter and displayed some impressive figures, including ranking in the top 1-5pc for DI and HGI indexes and retail beef yield, top 5pc EMA, top 5-10pc for all growth and ABI.
Limousin
The run of Limousin bulls were next to be offered with nine bulls presented from two vendors.
All nine bulls found new homes under the hammer to average $5278, but took a $2305 hit from last year's sale where six of 10 bulls sold at auction to average $7583.
The Kupsch family's Tara stud, Allanooka, was first up with their team of seven bulls and sold them all at auction to average $5643.
This was back $1940 on average compared to last year where their six bulls all sold to the sale-topping average of $7583.
Return buyer Nigel Love, NR Love & VJ Roche, Pemberton, assisted by Cameron Harris, Elders Manjimup, paid the stud's $8000 top price for the first bull into the ring Tara P43.
The polled darker apricot coated bull was born mid-April 2018 to Ivy's Bubba Watson HTZ24B and out of Tara bred cow M24.
It carried two copies of the double muscle gene F49L and ranked in the top 1-5pc for 200-day weight, top 5-10pc for 400 and 600-day weights, top 10pc CW and top 10-15pc for EMA, rib fat and scrotal.
Mr Love said the calves from their first Tara Limousin bull purchased last year were born from January 20 onwards are looking good so far with no calving trouble.
On April 15 the bull will be joined to first cross cows for baby beef and to first cross heifers to be offered at the Elders Springing Heifer Sale in December where they are long-time vendors.
Vealers are turned off to the supermarket trade from the start of November at 240 to 250kg dressed weight.
"Really happy with how the Limousins are going," Mr Love said.
"This bull had a bit of spunk about him with exceptional figures and phenotype profile."
Long-time Tara buyers KA & TB Grima, Mullewa, returned this year for two Limousin bulls at $6000 each, first for a black Limousin bull by Mandayen Eveready E1385 and then an apricot bull also by Bubba Watson.
Tara stud's next highest price of $5500 was paid by Mr Longford, representing the Aldgate Limousin stud, Waroona, for a black coated Eveready son.
The Stickland family's Woronyne stud, Wongan Hills, rounded out the Limousin run with two bulls both selling at auction for $4000 each.
The two bulls were both late March 2018 born sons of Woronyne Lukus 15 and were purchased by Mohd Khan, Gingin and J & I Wilmot, Australind.
Murray Grey
The Stickland family's Mungatta Murray Grey stud, Wongan Hills, rounded out the sale with a team of seven Murray Grey bulls.
The Sticklands also enjoyed a complete clearance of their sale team for an average of $4929.
This was back $571 on last year' sale where five of 11 bulls sold at auction to average $5500 and to the sale's $11,500 top price.
Mungatta's $5500 top price was paid on three occasions.
Oliver Asset (WA) Pty Ltd, Geraldton, purchased the first bull offered for $5500, an extremely strong growth, carcase and indexing bull by Bundaleer Zulu Warrior.
Long-time Mungatta stud supporters of 18 years Mikkelsen & Wilson, Dandaragan, next paid $5500 for an early March 2018-drop son of Melaleuca Hakea H202.
David Wilson was impressed by the physical features of the bull.
"It had low birthweight, great figures and I liked the look of him, he has good figures but he also has to look the part," Mr Wilson said.
Mr Walker representing Wheller Plains Pastoral, Nolba, purchased the final lot of the sale for $5500, a mid-March 2018-born bull also by Zulu Warrior.
