THE All States Multi-Vendor Murray Grey Sale last month on AuctionsPlus saw WA breeders in the thick of the action as prices hit a high of $10,500 for a bull and a cow/calf unit.
Held in lieu of the Murray Grey National Show and Sale, which was cancelled due to planning issues, the auction hosted by Elders saw strong competition from 37 purchasers from six States who fuelled the buying, resulting in a sale clearance of 73 per cent.
Elders sale co-ordinator Jenni O'Sullivan said results wise, the sale went really well.
"We did sell to all States so naming it an all-States sale proved to be frugal," Ms O'Sullivan said.
In the sale 17 females sold from 25 offered at an average of $6059 and eight bulls sold from 24 offered for a $7000 average, while there were also a number of semen and embryo packages sold which peaked at $105 per straw and $450 per embryo respectively.
When it came to the commercial side of the offering females topped at $4200 a head for cow/calf units.
Claiming the $10,500 sale equal top price in the female side of the catalogue was Monterey Annabelle M213, offered by Gary and Julie Buller, Monterey Murray Grey stud, Karridale.
The five-year-old, which was sired by Monterey Hudson H296, was purchased by Bennooka Park, Bega, New South Wales.
Annabelle M213 was sold with a 10-month-old heifer calf-at-foot sired by Melaleuca Pharaoh P111 and was pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) to Monterey Monarch M278.
The deep-bodied, easy-doing female ranks in the top 5pc of the breed for 200 and 400-day weights and top 10pc for milk.
Purchased sight-unseen, Bennooka Park's Stephen Robertson said he had a lot of confidence in the Monterey cattle and that Annabelle M213 was "the pick of the bunch".
"I have had plenty of time to look at what is in that cow and I am hoping she has a bull calf because I really like the breeding of the bull she is bred to and what that grand dam has been producing," Mr Robertson said.
The Bullers also claimed the second top female price when they sold a 2017-drop female, Monterey Jeannie N126, for $10,000 to Sophie Burt, Clemens Gap, South Australia.
The silver Monterey Kirkwood K267 daughter, was sold with a heifer calf at foot by Monterey Norfolk N78 and PTIC to Monterey Jagger J217.
The moderate-framed Jeannie N216, which has been sashed the grand champion Murray Grey female twice at the Perth Royal Show, ranks in the top 1-5pc for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
Also in the offering of cow/ calf units, the Bullers also sold two more PTIC cow/calf units at $6500 and $6000, as well as an unjoined cow/calf unit at $5500.
The Bullers female offering in the sale was rounded out by two PTIC heifers which sold at $6250 and $5000.
Making $6250 for the Bullers was the April 2020-drop, AI-bred, Monterey Magnolia R75.
The silver heifer is sired by Woodbourn Warrior A69 and is PTIC to Monterey Mainland M120.
Magnolia R75 ranks in the top 1pc for 200-day weight and carcase weight as well as top 1-5pc for 400 and 600-day weights and milk.
Cameron Harris, Nangara Murray Grey stud, Manjimup, was also a vendor in the female side of the catalogue, offering two cow/calf units.
Mr Harris's first listed female, Nangara Dutchess M34, which is a 2016-drop daughter of Monterey G Force G30, sold with a silver bull calf sire by Southend Poseidon P303 at foot, for $6000 to the Wise family, Southend Murray Grey stud, Katanning.
His second female Nangara Bouquet N13, which is by Monterey Heathcliff H93 also sold at the $6000 price tag to the Muir family, Deeside.
The 2017-drop female was sold with a black heifer calf at foot by Monterey Monarch M278.
When it came to the bull offering, Mr Harris turned buyer and purchased the sale's $10,500 top-priced bull Maefair Raphael R27, offered by the Burnett family, Maefair Murray Greys, Marrar, NSW.
The 19-month-old son of Monterey Mighty Man M79 weighed 752 kilograms at the end of March and ranks in the top 10pc for 200-day weight and top 20pc for 600-day weight.
Mr Harris said he was chasing the breeding of Raphael R27, in particular its sire's line.
"His sire has been breeding really well for us in our herd," Mr Harris said.
"I had someone have a look at him for me and they liked his style and said he was the pick of the mob there.
"He is the type of bull that will suit my breeding program and will go straight into our stud operation."
Along with selling females the Monterey stud also offered and sold one bull, Monterey Road Runner R54 for the $9000 third top price in the bull side of the sale.
The April 2020-drop bull is a son of Monterey Northern Lights N85 and ranks in the top 20pc for birthweight with a figure of +2.3.
Semen packages topped at $105 per straw, twice, firstly for a package of 12 straws of Tintara Pedro, which was the second top-priced bull at the Top of The Range Murray Grey sale in 2020.
It was offered by Tintara Murray Greys, Armidale, NSW and purchased by Ashvell Murray Greys, Maitland, South Australia.
The second top-priced package was a replacement lot of 10 straws of Monterey Reflection R27 semen offered by Jomal Glen Murray Greys, Harden, NSW and purchased by K & N Weismantel, Aldavillla, South Australia.
Jomal Glen also sold a further 20 straws from Monterey Reflection R27 for $100 per straw.
Monterey Reflection R27 is a son of Monterey Limitless and was purchased by Jomal Glen for $21,000 at this year's Monterey on-property sale in March.
One embryo package was offered and included four embryos out of Monterey Cora X78 by Willalooka Pharaoh P47.
These were offered by Elburn Murray Greys, Stanley, Tasmania and purchased by the Southend Murray Grey stud for $450 per embryo.
Southend also paid $5600 for the flush package of Prairie Falls Bettina N6 which was the 2022 Sydney Royal Show grand champion Murray Grey female.
This package was offered by Prairie Falls Livestock.
Commercial cattle were also sold with a 93pc clearance rate.
Cows and calves reached $4200 a head twice, firstly for a pen of four, offered by Mr Harris, Nangara stud and purchased by Mark Pinantoni, Collie.
The $4200 price tag was also paid for a single cow and calf offered by Wattledene Murray Greys, Myers Flat, Victoria and bought by Fiona Pearse, Cambrain Hill, Victoria.
Pens of heifers reached $3060 and a pen of steers sold to $1710.
Want weekly news highlights delivered to your inbox? Sign up to the Farm Weekly newsletter.
