Values reach $5750 at Sheron Farm

A constantly improving team of 28 grassfed Angus bulls and the first offering of 25 unmated Angus heifers was presented by the Sheron Farm team.

There was a big crowd in attendance and they enjoyed the warm hospitality and stunning scenery from Sheron Farm's custom-built selling facility, unfortunately it translated into only modest buying support.

This allowed producers the opportunity to be selective during the sale and secured quality bulls of choice at excellent value for money.

With a building client base and one of the State's newest sales, Sheron Farm's clearance proved a challenge which has been a theme at numerous other sales this season on the back of seasonal conditions and trimmed forthcoming cow joinings.

At the end of selling, the Nutrien Livestock selling team, led by auctioneer Chris Waddingham, had cleared 15 bulls at auction (54 per cent) to average $4417 with values reaching $5750.

This was back of last year's improved results from the stud's inaugural sale where 20 of 27 bulls sold under the hammer to average $4875.

The three lines totalling 25 unmated commercial Angus heifers sold to stronger enquiry with all three pens selling for $1320 to Nutrien Livestock Brunswick agent Errol Gardiner, representing Stickney & Sons who are stocking a new property at Yarloop.

Stickney & Sons also collected three bulls during the sale, paying from $4000 to a $5250 top price for lot 17 containing a low birthweight son of USA sire Thomas Up River 1614.

Out of an Aryvale General G18 daughter, the mid-February 2018-drop bull ranked in the top five to 10pc of the breed for birthweight with above average growth, top 1-5pc for calving ease direct (CED), top 1pc for milk and strong positive fats.

Peter Stickney said he appreciated the help of Mr Gairdner and his new neighbour Andrew Jenkins as they go into their new enterprise at Yarloop.

Paying the sale's $5750 top bull price was well-known Angus breeder Wes Graham, WJ & FJ Graham, Esperance, bidding via phone with Ralph Mosca, Nutrien Livestock Harvey.

Penned in lot 10, Sheron Farm Paisley P8 matched impressive physic with outstanding curve bending phenotype.

The early February 2018-drop bull was another low birthweight (top 5-10pc) Thomas Up River 1614 son and out of a Pathfinder Genesis G357 daughter.

Included in its excellent Breedplan performance, Paisley was a breed trait leader for 400-day weight and milk, top 1-5pc for other growth intervals, CED, carcase weight (CW) and domestic index.

Mr Graham said they were particularly chasing the Up River bloodline and the Sheron Farm bull provided a good option.

"I saw photos and some people appraised him for me - he fitted multiple categories and I was happy to get to purchase him," Mr Graham said.

"It's a good bloodline that has only been available for a couple of years.

"It's sire Sitz Upward 307R appears in some of the world's best bulls on their dam side.

"The female side of the operation is important and the bull can provide these genetics into the breeding herd.

"It was also an opportunity to also support the smaller studs that have had a tougher time this year."

The three Thomas Up River sons catalogued in the sale recorded the three highest prices with Yaroop grazier FG & LV Venables paying the sale's $5500 second top price for the first bull into the sale ring.

The stylish early February 2018-drop bull, also out of a General G18 daughter, recorded off the charts performance figures including ranking as a trait leader for all growth intervals, CW and all indexes, top 1-5pc for gestation length, mature cow weight and retail beef yield and top 5pc for CED and milk.

Mr Mosca secured a further two bulls at the sale, one for Pleasant Valley Pastoral, Esperance and one for CP Barber, Manjimup.

As did Lyndsay Flemming, Nutrien Livestock Brunswick, representing BW & RB Ridley, Brunswick and Mahaffey Family Trust, Benger, with a bull each.

The sale's only other multiple account was two bulls costing $4000 each going to Collie graziers Doungup Park.