IT was a milestone year with record-breaking results at the Introvigne family's Bonnydale Black Simmental and SimAngus annual on-property bull sale at Bridgetown on Monday.
This year marked the stud's 25th on-property sale and the day was a celebration of achievements and the strong support received by their loyal and expanding customer base.
To mark the special occasion, cattle producers spread as far north as Eneabba and as south as Denmark bid strongly for sires with proven, powerful and predictable genetics to lift the sale average up a huge $3547 on last year and attain a stud average record price of $9526 across the 79 bulls catalogued.
Visitors were treated to the family's warm hospitality and a loyal band of sale sponsors set up stalls to offer their sound advice on agricultural products.
In applauding the stud's two and half decades of selling seedstock, the 11 sale sponsors brought it upon themselves to create a generous travel voucher prize worth $3500 for a lucky buyer of the past 25 years which was drawn and secured by Reece Waters, Waters Avondale Grazing, Sunnyside, at the begin of the sale.
Likewise, Elders and the Introvigne family provided a $5000 cash prize to a lucky buyer on the day which was drawn and announced to a client of 10 years, Laurie Freedman, Temasek Holdings, Aruma Estate, Cowaramup, at the completion of the sale.
In the sale break down, 50 out of the 51 Black Simmental bulls sold at auction to a notable average of $9940, up an impressive $3495 on last year's average when there was an 87 per cent clearance of the 47 bulls offered, while there was solid interest once again on the SimAngus sires with all 28 head selling to an average of $8786, up $3812 on last year's figure when 19 out of the 22 bulls were cleared under the hammer.
The sale attracted a vast registration list of 77 potential Statewide and interstate buyers, while it also interfaced and for the first time live streamed on AuctionsPlus.
With the outstanding offering of bulls penned like peas in a pod, buyers could bid confidently and competitively throughout the entire catalogue, resulting in a sale top of $19,500 for a Black Simmental sire and 13 lots selling for a $12,000 price tag or above.
Elders auctioneer Gary Preston, who is set to retire soon after more than 40 years of service with the company, said it was always a pleasure to sell at Introvigne's bull sale because they put a lot of work into their cattle, presented them extremely well and continued to source outside genetics.
"This year's sale average is unbelievable and is a credit to the family," Mr Preston said.
"The young yearling bulls were of exceptional quality, extremely even and were backed by great figures, which have been proven to perform.
"The strong buying support across the State, the Elders support network as well as the addition of AuctionsPlus certainly assisted with the outstanding sale result."
Securing the day's $19,500 top-priced sire in lot six was Jason and Jacqueline Impey, Mala-Daki Simmental stud, Tamworth, New South Wales, together with twin daughters Jessica and Jennifer Impey, Lucky Clover Simmental stud.
Pearce Watling, Elders, Donnybrook, assisted the Impey family and fought a hard battle to secure the magnificent stud sire, Bonnydale Augustus R084, which at 13-months-of-age weighed in at 678 kilograms.
Sired by RCR Augustus R54 and out of Bonnydale Lil Dessi L37, its February 25, 2021, raw data scan showed 7mm for P8 fat, 6mm for rib fat, 119cm2 eye muscle area (EMA), 6.0 IMF and it performed well in the American Simmental Association Expected Progeny Differences (EPDS) including ranking in the top 5pc for birthweight, top 3pc for docility and recorded a yearling weight of 121.7 and API $ index of 148.
The Impey family said they also had support from Eastern States auctioneer Lincoln McKinlay, Elders stud stock, who had recently travelled over to inspect the bull before purchase.
Mr Impey said the Introvigne's customer service was brilliant and the family couldn't have helped more with sending bull videos and photos of dams through to view prior to auction.
"It's the first time we have bought from Bonnydale but we are very familiar with their genetics," Mr Impey said.
"We acquired a son of a Bonnydale bred embryo that did extremely well for us and have used semen sires from a local steedstock producer which have proven their worth in our herd.
"We were looking at a few of the Black Simmentals on offer but recognised the overall completeness of this bull met the criteria we were looking for in a stud sire.
"We select hard on birthweight and calving ease which this bull excels in.
"He also has a very good API index and is structurally correct with a lovely, soft coat on him."
The Impey family run 100 mainly Black Simmental breeders and look forward to breeding top stud females and bulls from Augustus R084, with the intention to sell its progeny in the near future at their annual on-property bull sale held in August.
Prepared to invest heavily in today's buoyant beef market was long-term Bonnydale clients the Carroll family, Tirano Farms, Nannup, securing two quality sires of their choice.
At the fall of the hammer the Carrolls secured lot four, a Bonnydale Augusta L84 son at the day's second top price of $16,000 and lot one, a Bonnydale Nashville N70 son for $10,000.
Their top priced bull, Bonnydale Lincoln R072 weighed 724kg, expressed an EMA of 123cm2, an IMF of 6.1 and EPD weaning and yearling weights in the top 10pc of the breed.
The Carrolls run 250 first-cross Angus-Friesian breeders and have been on Bonnydale bloodlines for 20 years.
Alf Carroll said they had chosen multiple bulls from the catalogue and on visual selection, the two they purchased were their top picks.
"Lot one is a well put together bull and we were keen to try a Nashville sired son," Mr Carroll said.
"Lot four was the heaviest bull in the catalogue, he had very good weaning weight figures and is by the stud's proven sire Bonnydale Augustus L84.
"He is a standout bull that has excellent shape and depth of body and carries and presents himself very well."
Last year the Carroll's calves averaged 250kg dressed weight with no hormone growth promotants used.
They are born from January 26 onwards and are sold by the end of November.
Snapping up a powerful SimAngus calf, Bonnydale SA Patriot R529, at the breeds $13,000 top price was return clients Wayne and Sandra Meade, DW & SM Meade, Narrikup.
This particular sire caught Mr Mead's eye as soon as it walked into the sale pen for its overall muscle and good figures on paper.
Sired by Bonnydale Patriot P219 and out of Bonnydale SA Kay M349, the 670kg late February 2020 drop bull had a 129cm2 EMA, a carcase EPD of 56.6 in the top 3pc and a weighing weight of 93.9 in the top 4pc.
The Meads run 250 Angus and Murray Grey breeders and have been using Bonnydale SimAngus genetics for the past four years.
Mr Meade said they would be keeping a selection of R529's female progeny as replacements breeders, with the rest of the weaners being sold directly to a local lotfeeder.
"We really appreciate the muscle of the Black Simmental cattle," Mr Meade said.
"They breed small calves that grow out quickly and meet market requirements."
The Meades only purchased this single sire during the auction, however their daughter Natalie bid to $7000 for a handy SimAngus youngster to use in her own herd of 30 Simmental, Angus and Chargrey breeders.
Ms Meade had bid on a few bulls before securing the high milk figured youngster in lot 46 to produce replacement females.
Paying a $15,000 price tag for a Bonnydale Kruger son which weighed 668kg, had a 126cm2 EMA and a carcase weight EPD in the top 10pc was LE & EF Brookes, Bridgetown.
The Brookes had a heated battle with their neighbours to secure the January 2020-drop Black Simmental bull and also purchased a quality WS Proclamation E202 son for $12,000.
Semini Enterprises Pty Ltd knew what it was looking for and bid strongly for two Black Simmental bulls that best suited its needs.
The Cowaramup-based enterprise paid a top of $13,000 for a 624kg sire at the back of the catalogue which had EPDs in the top 1pc for weaning weight, yearling weight and average daily gain.
It also paid $10,500 for lot 10, Bonndale Dividend R23, while Collie producers G & RE Yates, Yates Family Trust, got its hands on two at $12,500 and $12,000.
Bidding strongly for a top-quality pair of Black Simmental bulls was KM & BJ Gudici, Donnybrook, when they snapped up lots five and 37 at $12,500 and $9000.
Securing a deep volumed, thick Black Simmental youngster was Park Farm Grazing, Bridgetown, at $12,500, while catching the eye of H Wolfe & Co, was a SimAngus bull specially selected for the use over heifer which made $12,500.
Manjimup operation Tellarup Brook wasn't afraid to pay good money for the right type of SimAngus sires and trucked home two at $12,000 and $10,500, while Mosterts Dairy Pty Ltd, Keysbrook, was a late comer to the bidding frenzy but managed to secure two Black Simmental and one SimAngus sire at a top of $12,000 to average $8833.
BJFH & MP Tomas, Cundinup, snapped up two lengthy bulls that will breed claves which yield well for $11,500 each, while Waters Avondale Grazing paid $11,500 for a single SimAngus sire.
One bull was sold through AuctionsPlus to an undisclosed buyer for $11,000, while loyal clients Temaska Holdings bought in volume and picked up three bulls at an average of $9333.
Securing another three bulls was Cattle Chosen Grazing, Busselton, which paid to a top of $10,000 twice and $9500 for another, while securing two sires each were Tempra Brothers Pty Ltd, Manjimup, Atlas Exports Pty Ltd, Calingri, and Alcoa of Australia Limited, Waroona, averaging $8750, $8500 and $8250 respectively.
