$11,000 paid for Narralda Samson S056 at the Mt Barker saleyards

Both new and return buyers in both the female and bull offerings completed the registered buyers list this year with local buyers among the sale attendees as well as interest from Hyden, Bridgetown, Esperance, King River and Busselton.

The Burrow family offered a total of 17 well-presented grassfed Shorthorn bulls and 19 commercial females sold in pens ranging from two to four heifers in each.

At the completion of the sale the bulls had sold to a 76 per cent clearance and top of $11,000, averaging $6615, while 68pc of the commercial females sold under the hammer at an average of $1415 and topped at $1600.

Elders, Albany livestock manager Wayne Mitchell said he was pleased the sale produced a good result given the current market conditions.

"The annual sale saw three lots of spring-drop and four lots of autumn-drop commercial heifers offered, which sold to a top of $1600, for the spring-drop and $1200 for the autumn-drops," Mr Mitchell said.

"The 13 bulls sold during the sale all sold to a reasonably strong market.

"It was really pleasing to see three bulls sell for $10,000 or more."

Mr Mitchell said all of the bulls sold went to local producers.

"There were no pastoral buyers this year due to seasonal conditions," he said.

Elders auctioneer and Gnowangerup representative James Culleton and the Elders selling team took bids from all around the yards on lot 12, Narralda Samson S056 before it was knocked down for the $11,000 top price to Shane Kelliher, Kelliher Bros, Wandering.

Samson S056 is a son of Crathes Layton L42 and out of Narralda Jennys Gift L127.

It has expected progeny differences (EPDs) of 7.8 calving ease direct (CE), 4.3 birthweight (BWT), 55.6 weaning weight (WWT), 23.8 for milk, 8.0 maternal calving ease (MCE), 51.6 maternal weaning weight (MWWT), 14.7 stayability (STAY), 11.2 docility (DOC), 18.1 carcase weight (CWT), 0.35 rib eye area (REA), -0.054 fat, 0.26 marble score (MARB), -0.21 yield grade (YG) and a 125.06 purpose index (API).

With these figures Samson S056 ranks in the top 1pc for CWT, 3pc of the breed for MARB, top 5pc for fat and API and top 15pc for MCE.

Mr Kelliher, a return buyer to the sale, said he liked the way the Narralda bulls performed.

"These bulls are not pampered at home and they continuously to hold their condition well no matter the season," Mr Kelliher said.

"I select mainly on temperament, muscle, overall frame and conformation."

Mr Kelliher will use his new bull over Hereford-Shorthorn cross females which will have their second calf to Samson S056.

He rounded out the sale with a second bull, Narralda Sorocco S047, in lot eight at $6000.

The second top price of $10,000 was achieved twice in the sale with, AF & HM Hawley, King River, buying both bulls which were catalogued in lots nine and 14.

The Hawley family paid $10,000 first for Narralda Saxon S062 which was sired by Crathes Layton L42 and out of Narralda Thelma J121.

Saxon S062 has EPDs of 12.2 CE, 1.5 BWT, 53.4 WWT, 77.9 YWT, 27.6 for milk, 10.2 MCE, 54.3 MWWT, 13.9 STAY, 12 for DOC, 22.7 CWT, 0.58 REA, -55 fat, 0.27 MARB, 0.27 YG and a purpose index of 134.23.

It ranks in the top 3pc for MCE, API, MARB, top 4pc for CWT and top 10pc for CE, REA and fat.

The second bull going to the Hawleys at $10,000 was Narralda Sion S116 which is a son of Crathes Layton L42 and out of Narralda Annie K141.

It has EPDs of 10.9 CE, 2.5 BWT, 52.4 WWT, 76.3 YWT, 24.1 for milk, 9.3 MCE, 50.3 MWWT, 13.6 STAY, 12.1 for DOC, 19.3 CWT, 0.57 REA, -0.053 fat, 0.25 MARB, -0.27 YG and an API of 128.67.

With these figures Sion S116 ranks in the top 3pc for MARB, top 5pc for MCE and fat and top 10pc for CWT and REA.

The volume buyers in the bull offering were Bridgetown buyers Mark and Bec Hardey, Empire Grazing.

The pair bought four bulls at an average of $5125 and to a top of $6000 paid for Narralda Sergie S149, in lot 21.

Sergie S49 is a son of Crathes Layton L42 and out of Narralda Juliet N061 and ranks in the top 2pc for MARB, top 5pc for API and MCE, top 10pc for fat and top 15pc REA.

Also purchasing a larger team of bulls was RJ & AM Squibb, Tambellup, paying $4000 each for three bulls, one of which was purchased after the sale.

Included in its purchases was Narralda Sihtric S011, Narralda Simian S046 and Narralda Salazar S159 (purchased post-sale).

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In the commercial female offering, the two top-priced pens making $1600 were snapped up by Bruce Moore, LB Moore, Mt Barker.

The first pen to achieve the $1600 mark was the first pen of the day made up of two purebred Shorthorn heifers, followed by lot three which contained four heifers.

Taking home a total of six heifers on the day, Mr Moore said he was a return buyer.

"I bought some females last year to ease myself back into farming and I like the Shorthorn breed," Mr Moore said.

"This year's purchases were purely just to build up some numbers on last year's heifers I bought."

A pen of three heifers sold for the second top price of $1400 to an Albany account.

Picking up two pens of heifers which contained two head at $1200 and $1100 was Elders, Albany representative David Lindberg, who was buying on behalf of Busselton buyer, I Brockman.

Vendor Graeme Burrow said they were continuing to improve their herd and breed for low birthweight, ease of calving and good growth rates.

"The bulls in the sale that had these traits sold well," Mr Burrow said.

"We are trying to maintain those traits and use new genetics."

He said new genetics would be on offer at next year's sale.

"There was a new buyer in both the bulls and heifers this year and we also had support from return buyers too which is pleasing," he said.

"Some of the comments from previous buyers are that they are after the longevity of our bulls.

"They find that they do well and last a long time as sires."