A quality line-up of well put together Angus bulls with the breeding and figures to match received solid competition at the Gandy Angus bull sale at Boyanup last week.
With the sale now the only one on the calendar for the Manjimup-based stud, buyers turned up in person and online and showed they were prepared to bid up on the catalogue of rising two-year-old bulls pushing prices to a high of $9500 twice.
Right through the sale the 42 registered bidders in the stands from across the South West land division, along with the 37 registered bidders logged in on AuctionsPlus from WA, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, were solid in their bidding, ensuring Elders auctioneer Nathan King and the selling team had no problems finding new homes for the bulls.
When the final figures were crunched 46 of the 49 bulls offered had been sold under the hammer at an average of $5495 to 29 different buyers.
The clearance was further improved post sale with the two of the passed in bulls also being sold.
In comparison in last year's sale the stud offered 62 bulls and sold 41 at an average of $5299.
Not only did the sale result improve on last year ensuring a good day for stud principals Kim and Lex Gandy, the live interface of the proceedings of the sale on AuctionsPlus also netted good returns.
The sale catalogue on AuctionsPlus received 1001 views and along with the 37 registered bidders logged on who placed 19 online bids across six lots to secure three, there was also another 28 guest viewers logged in to watch the auction.
Mr King said for a November sale and the first sale of the season it was a solid sale with a near 100 per cent clearance and an improved average on last year being achieved.
"It was a very even catalogue which allowed buyers to be able to select right through, which they did," Mr King said.
"Even though some buyers only secured one bull they still bid on others, indicating they must have had plenty of ticks in the catalogue.
"Kim and Lex have been working hard on re-establishing the herd through the introduction of new genetics so in the future they can deliver the type of Angus the family has a reputation of producing and that is bulls with thickness and depth.
"I think this direction is being recognised by the clients and it showed in their support today where they helped the stud achieve a strong clearance and a good average."
With such an even line-up of bulls on offer it wasn't a surprise to see two bulls claim the equal top price honours at $9500.
The first bull to hit the $9500 mark was Diamond One Beast Mode Q8 (AI) in lot five.
Mr King took his first bid at $6000 on the bull and it wasn't long before he found a new home for it with bids coming in thick and fast from buyers operating at the sale and online.
Return buyers of 15 years, the Milne family, DJ & MDJ & M Milne, Condingup, operating on AuctionsPlus, won out and were written in the books as the buyer of the smooth, long-bodied bull.
The February 2019-drop, 862 kilogram bull by Baldridge Beast Mode B074 was easy on the eye and had the figures to match as it is in the top 5pc of the breed for 200 and 400-day weight (+59 and +104) and top 20pc for 600-day weight (+130), eye muscle area (EMA) (+7.8) and all the selection indexes.
David Milne said they picked the bull out after seeing videos of it online.
"He has good feet and legs and a top structure," Mr Milne said.
"He also has a good deep barrel and excellent figures across the board."
The Milnes will use the bull as a back up bull in their small Parmango stud herd of 30 cows to breed bulls for their own use among their large 500 commercial breeders.
The Milnes aim to grow out their calves to 10-months-old and sell them at 400-500 kilograms.
Matching lot five in the price stakes was its next door neighbour and another Baldridge Beast Mode B074 son - Diamond One Beast Mode Q149 (AI) in lot six - when Mr King knocked it over at $9500 to another repeat Esperance buyer Wes Graham, WJ & FJ Graham, Monjingup stud, who was also operating via AuctionsPlus.
Mr Graham said he picked the bull out based on the videos and pictures he saw of it online.
"He is a good all round and moves really well," Mr Graham said.
"I really like his type and he also has a great temperament.
"He also has a balanced set of figures, including a moderate birthweight and great growth figures."
The bull's bloodline was also an attraction to Mr Graham.
"I have noticed the Beast Mode bloodline is performing well, so I decide to try a son," he said.
In the ring, the 824kg Beast Mode Q149 showed off plenty of style, softness and shape and this excellent phenotype was backed up in the catalogue with a very good spread of figures.
It ranks in the top 5pc of the breed for 200 and 400-day weight (+63 and +105), top 10pc for 600-day weight (+134) and top 15pc for carcase weight (+70), retail beef yield (RBY) (+1.3) and all selection indexes.
Mr Graham also secured an AI-bred E W A High Weigh 3123 son, Diamond One High Weigh Q10 (AI) which ranks in the top 1pc for 200-day weight (+65) and top 5pc for 400 and 600-day weight (+110 and +145) at $7250.
The bulls will join his sire battery for use in his pure Angus breeding herd which calves in winter.
Mr Graham runs a 50-head nucleus herd to breed bulls for his heifer joining and 2000-head commercial herd.
The Grahams hold their steer calves until about 14 months of age before they go to the Kylagh feedlot and are fed for the Coles Finest program.
The sale's second best price was $8500 when the Scott family, Silverlands Stud Farm, Bridgetown, secured the third bull offered, the 960kg Diamond One All In Q195.
The stylish, deep, well-muscled, Stonedale All In N129 son ranks in the top 1pc for 200-day weight (+65) and top 5pc for 400 and 600-day weights (+112 and +149) and carcase weight (+83).
Two other bulls also sold for $8000 or more.
Diamond One Moe Q100 (AI) made $8250 when it was knocked down to Summertime Farm, Karridale.
The 808kg son of Chiltern Park Moe M6 ranks in the top 15pc for 400 and 600-day weights (+97 and +131) as well as top 20pc for birthweight (+2.9).
The other bull to hit this level was an 882kg son of Baldridge Beast Mode B074, named Diamond One Beast Mode Q172, it sold for $8000 to Edwards Charles Stewart, Harvey.
The long, deep, stylish bull not only impressed on the eye but also in the figures with it ranking in the top 5pc for all growth traits and top 10pc for all indexes.
Other buyers to purchase single bulls at the top end were A & G Perrella, Albany, which bid to $7500 for a 1000kg Stonedale All In N129 son, while a Baldridge Beast Mode B074 son which ranks in the top 5pc for 200 and 400-day weight and RBY was purchased at $7000 by an S & C Livestock account.
In a repeat of last year's sale Alcoa Farmlands, Pinjarra and Wagerup, was the volume buyer after it secured nine bulls to a top of $5750 and an average of $4889.
Alcoa Farmlands manager Vaughn Byrd said they were chasing bulls with good 200 and 400-day weight and birthweights to suit both cows and heifers.
"We purchased bulls from the stud for the first time in a number of years at last year's sale and were very happy with how they performed, so we decided to come back and get some more this year," Mr Byrd said.
'We believe they are good value for money bulls."
The bulls will join the operation's sire battery which is used to join 3800 breeders (95pc are Angus) for a May/June calving.
The next biggest buyers purchasing three bulls each were repeat buyers MD & L Anning, Walpole and AT & M Ailakis, Pemberton.
The Annings paid to a high of $5500 and averaged $5250 while the Ailakis family averaged $5333 over its trio that topped at $6000.
There were another four multiple lot buyers which all purchased two bulls each and they included B & J Barrett-Lennard, Pinjarra ($5250 average), Ludlow Grazing, Busselton ($5250), Joe Bendotti, Pemberton ($4500) and Ray White Livestock ($4000).