$27,000 record at 27th annual Bonnydale Black Simmental and SimAngus sale

A large crowd turned out for the sale to inspect a wonderful catalogue of 80 homozygous polled well-bred and grown yearling (14 months), Black Simmental and SimAngus bulls (3/8-3/4 Black Simmental), jam packed full of leading proven genetics.

Buyers enjoyed the mild autumn weather and the Introvigne family's and Bonnydale team's delicious county hospitality prior to the sale getting underway by the Elders selling team.

This saw 61 buyers register for the sale mainly with strong local and South West support and further south to the coast and as far north as Eneabba with interstate interest at the sale and online.

The sale was interfaced on AuctionsPlus with the sale attracting 2728 catalogue views and 55 bidders logged into the sale along with 51 viewers which yielded 26 online bids across nine lots.

In his second year conducting the sale, Elders auctioneer Nathan King had recorded overall results almost on par with last year's fixture.

This year 76 of 80 Black Simmental and SimAngus bulls sold at auction for a new sale record average of $11,421.

This was a slight $171 increase on last year's sale record of $11,250 from a total clearance of 76 Black Simmental and SimAngus bulls.

In the breed breakdown, the team of 21 SimAngus bulls were the big improvers with 19 bulls selling at auction for a $9974 average, up $1262 on last year's sale where all 26 bulls sold for a $8712 average.

The larger team of 59 Black Simmentals saw 57 bulls sell under the hammer for a $11,904 average, which was back $666 on last year's sale where all 50 bulls were cleared to average $12,570.

The sale got off to a flyer with the opening run of bulls making from $15,000 to the second top price of $21,000.

But it was the classy youngster Bonnydale Rock N Roll in lot eight which turned many a head and raised several hands alike, bidding for its services.

In the end the winning bid and new stud record top price of $27,000 was agreed to by John and Nicole Hopkins, Wormbete Black and traditional Simmental and SimAngus studs, Illabo, New South Wales, operating on AuctionsPlus.

The 628kg bull was a late January 2022 born son of Bonnydale Rock N Roll (by Bonnydale Augustus L84) and out of a BBS True Justice B10 daughter Bonnydale Camille P69.

Interesting, the bull's grand sire Bonnydale Augustus L84 sold for the stud's previous $25,000 record price in 2016 to Wombramurra Simmentals, New South Wales.

The bulls eye-catching shop window was matched by an equally impressive spread of American Simmental Associations expected progeny differences (EPDS).

These included top 10-15pc weaning (WW) and yearling weights (YW), top 15pc maternal weaning weight (MWW), top 10pc yield grade (YG), back fat (BF) and rib eye area (REA), top 3pc docility (DOC), top 20pc stayability (STAY) and average daily gain (ADG) and top 25pc carcase weight (CW).

The Hopkins visited several WA studs a fortnight earlier including a tour of the Bonnydale property to view the sale bulls and breeding herd.

John Hopkins said it was their first walking Bonnydale sire after previously purchasing embryos from the stud.

"We went through the whole team and he was a standout, Nicole and I both selected him," Mr Hopkins said.

"We select phenotypically first and won't be swayed by figures.

"You have to have structural integrity then you work from there because when we are using them to sell bulls, we back our product as do the Introvignes.

"The bull had all the structural integrity we were looking for and when his figures matched up, we think he will gel really well with our herd and we selected him with great confidence.

"Excellent set of feet and legs and the carriage of him, a true stud sire has to look the part.

"Slick coat which is important for us, he walks well, feet and legs are great, combine that with a cracking set of figures."

Mr Hopkins said the Introvignes do a terrific job and are enjoyable to be with.

"We saw the whole farm and enterprise including his sire and dam and both were exceptional animals," he said.

"The Introvignes have done their research, have their sires coming in with homework behind them and look at the same sort of figures as we do, so we can buy with confidence.

"The Introvignes are already using EBDs and with the Simmental Society changing to IGS (International Genetic Soutions), it helps we are aligning EBDs with them."

Bonnydale Roosevelt T98 catalogued in lot three lived up to his big pre-sale hype when it was knocked down to long-time interstate Bonnydale supporters of more than 15 years Rod and Kerry Newnham, Newblax Black Simmental and SimAngus stud, Euroa, Victoria, bidding via phone with Elders WA cattle manager Micheal Longford.

The 698kg bull was a mid-January 2022 born son of TJ Roosevelt 366E and out of a Bonnydale Ranch Hand K101 daughter Bonnydale Galaxy M47 and also recorded a strong spread of EPDS.

These included top 5pc BF, top 10pc YG, top 15pc milk, MWW and tenderness (SHR), top 20 WW and DOC and top 25pc YW and REA.

Mr Newnham believes his new bull will be very good.

"I liked everything about him and his genetics," Mr Newnham said.

"Sixty per cent of my selection is based on how the bull looks with structure, feet and legs as they're no good if they can't walk around and he had excellent shape.

"His figures are all about where I wanted them with his birthweight, milk and growth and will look to use him over some TNT Tanker and Augustus cows."

Mr Newnham said the Introvignes sent him videos of the bull.

"I usually go to the sale but I've I had that much to do with the Introgvines, if I can't get there I trust them," he said.

"Last year I bought a Bonnydale F1 SimAngus bull from Queensland while I was travelling around on holidays, so the bull went from WA to Roma and down here to Victoria."

Consistent buyers of top-end Bonnydale bulls Alf and Karen Carroll and family, Tirano Farms, Nannup, went to script sourcing two new bulls early in the catalogue costing $16,000 and the sale's $19,000 third top price.

The Carroll's top bid was directed at the second bull into the sale ring, an ET-bred late January 2022 born son of Gibbs 3009A Element and ASR Ms Desi D6238.

The stylish 734kg bull was the heaviest bull in the sale team and recorded high performing growth and carcase EPDS including top 3pc CW, top 4pc ADG, top 5pc DOC and YW, top 5-10pc terminal index ($TI), top 10pc WW and marbeling (MB) and top 15pc MWW.

Their other purchase was a 676kg Bonnydale Dividend R43 in lot four.

The Carrolls run a first cross Angus-Friesian breeding herd producing baby beef for the supermarket trade with their late January-February drop calves.

Mr Carroll said they achieve exceptional weights and carcase results from the progeny with MSA index's in the high 60s.

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"Both were good soft fleshy bulls with tremendous weaning and carcase weights docility in the top 10pc," he said.

"They are ideally suited bulls for our first cross cows and veal production."

Nutrien Livestock, Bridgetown agent Ben Cooper, paid the sale's next highest price of $18,000 for a low birthwight bull in lot 13.

Bonnydale Broad Range T122 was a late January 2022-born ET-bred bull by Gibbs 7382E Broad Range and ASR Ms Desi D6238 and ranked in the top 2pc for calving ease (CE), top 4pc maternal calving ease (MCE), top 10pc birthweight (BW) and SHR, top 15pc stayability and REA and top 10-15pc $API index.

A bid shy at $17,000 was paid by four different buyers for their selections.

First up was Semini Enterprises Pty Ltd, Cowaramup, for lot seven, a 678kg high growth (top 2-4pc) TJ Roosevelt 366E son and out of a RCR Augustus R54 daughter Bonnydale Josie N159, while Kentdale Grazing Company, Kentdale, collected two Black Simmental bulls paying to $17,000 for lot 10, a 654kg bull by Bonnydale Revenue (by CLRS Dividend 405D) and a Bonnydale Kruiser daughter Bonnydale Josie N127.

Bridgetown graziers ND & BJ Holdsworth also paid to $17,000 for one of two Black Simmental bulls, a 690kg half-brother to the top-priced bull by Rock N Roll and out of a W/C Wide Track 694Y daughter Bonnydale Josie N83.

The final $17,000 bid was placed by Winnejup grazier (via Bridgetown), RT Wheatley & Son, for a 702kg full ET-brother to Mr Cooper's $18,000 earlier purchase.

The sale's $16,000 top-priced SimAngus was knocked down to Atlas Farms Pty Ltd, Calingiri, which also paid $14,000 for a Black Simmental bull.

Catalogued in lot 21, Bonnydale SA Powerplay T425 was 3/8 Black Simmental, 5/8 Angus, by Texas Powerplay P613 and out of a Bonnydale Justice P105 daughter, Bonnydale SA Annabelle R481.

The 672kg early January 2022-born bull recorded strong SimAngus EPDS for a lower birthweight bull in the top 4pc MCE, top 10pc CE and top 20pc BW, top 10pc ADG and DOC with top 25pc YW and top 35pc CW.

Elders Nannup agent Terry Tarbotton representing Cattle Chosen Grazing Company, Busselton, took a liking to the SimAngus and finished the sale with three bulls costing from $11,000 to $12,000.

Big Valley Pastoral Pty Ltd, Eneabba, returned to be sale's volume buyer again this year with five bulls including three SimAngus costing to $13,000 on three occasions.

There were 19 individual multiple bull buyers at the sale but some other bigger accounts were Waters Avondale Grazing with four bulls (including two SimAngus) and Charles Hull Contracting, Waroona, also with four bulls (one SimAngus).

Return buyer of stronger values H Wolfe & Co, Bornholm, operated from $12,500 to $16,000 for three bulls and Minyulo Grazing Company, Dandaragan, sourced three bulls (inc. one SimAngus).

BJ, FH & MP Thomas, Cundinup, paid $16,000 each for two bulls.