THE strong start to the 2023 WA bull selling season continued at the annual Ardcairnie Angus bull sale at Gingin last week where values peaked at $21,500.
It was the second annual sale at the Gingin selling complex for Ardcairnie's new owners the Dewar family, Guilderton, following their successful debut sale last year.
Loyal long-time buyers of Ardcairnie bulls joined some new faces in a show of support from local areas and the Central Midlands, Northern and Central Wheatbelt and the wider Albany region.
The sale was also interfaced on AuctionsPlus attracting nationwide interest with 1724 catalogue views and 65 people logged into the sale locally and from New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.
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Buyers enjoyed making their selections from an excellent team of 56 rising two-year-old bulls consistent with the Ardcairnie brand of 'fit not fat' bulls and representing a wide cross section of homebred and leading Australian and international Angus genetics.
At the completion of selling, the Nutrien Livestock selling team, led by auctioneer Tiny Holly, had found new homes for 50 bulls at auction (89 per cent clearance) at an average of $8280.
This was back just $35 on average compared to last year's sale where 54 of 62 bulls sold under the hammer for a $8315 average and topping at $17,500 at the height of booming beef market.
Ardcairnie stud co-principal Joe Dewar said the family was extremely pleased to record a result comparative to their first sale.
Values continued to make five figures through to the final few bulls, reflecting the depth of the Ardcairnie sale team's quality and highlighted by lot 26 containing Ardcairnie Sophisticated S96 which recorded the sale's $21,500 top price, knocked down to a local buyer operating on AuctionsPlus.
Sophisticated was a 614kg late April 2021-born AI-bred son of Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15 and out of a GAR Surefire daughter Ardcairnie Proudram P35.
The stylish and quiet, high indexing, average birthweight bull matched his physical attributes with equally as impressive growth and carcase Breedplan performance, ranking in the breed's top 2pc for carcase weight (CW), top 5-11pc for all weight intervals, top 4pc for both Angus selection indexes, top 5pc eye muscle area (EMA), top 6pc milk, top 8pc retail beef yield (RBY) and strong positive fats.
Long-time Ardcairnie supporter of about 25 years, Steve Neville, Old Bambun Grazing, Gingin, started the sale strongly with the $17,000 second top-priced bid for the opening lot, Ardcairnie Sergeant S3, one of two bulls purchased by Mr Neville at the sale.
The 676kg Sergeant was among the heaviest bulls in the sale team and proved popular with its low birthweight (top 23pc) and strong spread of well above average performance across most indicators.
The AI-bred bull by USA sire Exar Monumental 6056 and homebred dam Ardcairnie Abbie Q95, recorded calving ease traits in the top 18-20pc, top 15-28pc for all weight intervals, top 20pc CW and top 18pc feed efficiency (NFI-F).
Mr Neville said genuine genuine people and genuine cattle were the main reasons he continued to support the Ardcairnie stud after more than two decades.
"They're tough doing animals that aren't overfed and we have minimal issues with breakdowns," Mr Neville said.
"It's a local stud for us now although I did look forward to the annual trip to Kojonup for Jim and Pam McGregor's sale.
"They were genuine people to deal with and the Dewar family are the same."
The Neville family runs a straightbred self-replacing Angus herd which start calving in late February early March.
Calves are weaned in December for seven days with most sold onfarm to a local lotfeeder, generally averaging around 370kg.
Mr Neville said they have enjoyed a favourable season with minimal summer rain benefiting their dry feed through the summer period.
Long-time buyer at the top of the market Bullrush Farm, Gingin, went to script when they secured five new Ardcairnie bulls, paying from $12,000 to the sale's third top price of $15,000 for a healthy $13,000 average.
Bullrush Farm's $15,000 purchase, Ardcairnie Sincere S48, was their final purchase of the day in lot 32, an AI-bred bull by an Ardcairnie B59 son, Ardcairnie F96, born late April 2021.
The 622kg high indexing bull (top 16pc) was another lower birthweight (top 24pc) calving ease bull (top 10-14pc) with strong growth (top 25-33pc) and top 10pc RBY, top 14pc NFI-F, top 19pc EMA and top 3-16pc for leg and feet structure.
Walton Family Trust, Yanchep, secured two new bulls and paid to the next highest price of $12,000 late in the sale for lot 52 containing Ardcairnie Socialite S34, a 556kg mid-April 2021 born AI-bred son of Rennylea Prospect.
The lower birthweight bull (top 21pc) recorded a strong spread of figures including top 11pc GL, top 17-21pc for both indexes, top 18pc EMA and positive fats (top 2-3pc).
Coonabidgee Grazing Co, Gingin, also paid to strong values for a team of three bulls with consecutive $11,500 bids for two bulls early including a high-rated Ardcairnie N298 son which was a late inclusion after awaiting DNA verification.
The 690kg bull was the heaviest in the catalogue with growth and carcase figures to match ranking in the top 1-2pc for all weight intervals including mature cow weight, top 2pc CW, top 6pc RBY and top 19pc NFI-F.
Equal volume buyers was Thisledo Pty Ltd, Red Gully, represented by Nutrien Livestock, pastoral agent Shane Flemming, finished with six bulls to their account costing from $5000 to $10,000 at a $7917 average.
Their top bid went to an eye-catching bull in lot 20 Ardcairnie Sir Loin S28, a 626kg mid-April 2021-drop AI-bred by a Sydgen Trust 6228 son Ardcairnie J27.
Sir Loin is a lower birthweight bull (top 30pc) with calving ease traits in the top 16-29pc, top 2pc for gestation length (GL), top 1pc RBY, top 18pc EMA with strong growth traits.
Graham Mackail, who manages four properties in the Red Gully region including two for Thisledo Pty Ltd with his sons Hayden and Blair, said Thisledo Pty Ltd use Angus, Charolais and Droughtmaster in a crossbreeding operation which calves from April to June producing cattle for the domestic, lofeeding and backgrounding markets.
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He said the new Ardcairnie bulls would be joined to the Angus females to produce replacements females.
"It's our second year at Ardcairnie and we are more than happy with the bulls," Mr Mackail said.
"Although we don't have calves on the ground from last year's bulls until April, the pregnancy rates are good and the temperaments of the bulls are second to none.
"With mature cows to young first calvers, we looked for a mix of bulls with focus on birthweight, ease of calving, structural soundness and temperament."
Mr Mackail said the locality of the Ardcairnie stud was also good for them.
"They're bred locally with only a bank of banksia between us and the Dewars and not coming up from the cold areas of the State," he said.
Also finishing with six bulls was new buyer Kelliher Brothers, Wandering, operating at value from $5500 to $8000.
Other larger multiple accounts included Carter Property Trust, Toodyay, with five bulls costing from $5000 to $9000, Velyere Farms, Dandaragan, finding value for money with four bulls paying from $5000 to $5500, while The Rudd Family Trust, Coorow, took home three bulls at winning bids from $6000 to $7500.
