Black Market Angus sells to $44,000 top at Boyanup

A greater register of buyers countered the increased catalogue of quality rising two-year-old bulls in a strong reflection of the continued growth and breeding depth of the stud.

It was the second annual standalone sale for stud principals Paul and Lydia Torrisi and the Black Market team, with buyers demonstrating their appreciation of the even line-up of 42 well-presented genomically tested bulls by leading United States and Australian AI sires, with spirited bidding from start to finish recording a fantastic result for the Boyanup and Donnybrook-based stud.

Once the 42nd and final bull had gone through the sale ring, the Nutrien Livestock selling team, headed by auctioneer Chris Waddingham, had notched up a complete clearance at a new stud record average of $12,429 and to a top price of $44,000, smashing the stud's previous record top price of $24,000.

This showed a $1591 rise on the stud's previous highest average of $10,838 achieved at last year's sale from a total clearance of 34 bulls.

It was deserved reward for the Torrisi family which continues to invest heavily in leading Angus genetics, including the day before the sale when it was part of the buying syndicate which paid the new WA record bull sale price of $106,000 for a AAR Frontman 3132 son, Coonamble Showtime S42.

Mr Waddingham echoed these sentiments in his presale address, praising the line-up of Black Market bulls and the Torrisi family's commitment to its breeding program and service to its clients.

"They're investment in genetics shows they're serious about Angus cattle and Paul Torrisi backs his product with his service," Mr Waddingham said.

The large crowd seated in the stands yielded 56 registered buyers with strong support from the South West and further afield to the northern and eastern Wheatbelts, Esperance and Great Southern.

The sale was also interfaced on AuctionsPlus with plenty of online interest in the sale from throughout the country which attracted 1950 catalogue views and 25 bidders and 37 viewers connected to the sale from WA, New South Wales and Victoria.

Supplier of this year's Farm Weekly Win 10 Angus Heifers competition Wes Graham, WJ & FJ Graham and Monjingup Angus, west Esperance, purchased via phone from the ASHEEP tour in Tasmania, the $44,000 top-priced bull in share with the Allegria Park Angus stud, Esperance, bidding via Nutrien Livestock, Great Southern livestock manager Bob Pumphrey.

Black Market One-Fiddy S150 had big wraps leading into the sale and didn't enter the sale ring until half way through the sale in lot 21 with Mr Pumphrey facing stiff bidding competition all the way from Jacques Martinson, Elders Busselton.

The highly fancied 780kg bull was ET-bred by Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15 and a Coonamble Hector H249 daughter, Black Market Undine N69, and had performance figures to match.

It ranked at the top of the breed across a swath of traits including top 1pc eye muscle area (EMA), top 3-4pc for all weight intervals and mature cow weight (MCW), top 3pc feed efficiency (NFI-F), top 2-4pc for Angus breeding indexes, top 6pc gestation length (GL), top 8pc carcase weight (CW) and top 14pc retail beef yield (RBY), top 15pc docility and strong structure counts.

Mr Graham said Paratrooper had bred very well and it was an opportunity to bolster his nucleus herd from which he breeds his owns heifer joining bulls for his 2500 strong Angus breeding herd.

"The main thing is the strength in his female line," Mr Graham said.

"He is a slightly different style of Paratrooper, a lot of them are quite thick and muscly but this bull is a bit more of a female producer with his female genetics and type.

"It is an opportunity to get into a super performing family from the east which has produced high quality animals that we don't normally get access to, and from a WA stud.

"His versatile enough with terrific performance genetics and we can inject that quality of family to strengthen our nucleus herd.

"Structurally he is very good, well balanced style physically and very correct."

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The Grahams calve in May-June, which are weaned in February-March and backgrounded until they reach around 350kg liveweight before going to the Kylagh feedlot at Tammin on a custom 100-day feed program from June onwards for Coles Finest premium beef label, aiming to average 300kg dressed weight.

The Grahams also sell 200-300 surplus heifers annually to Ivan Rogers for his Wagyu breeding program.

Mr Pumphrey also bid $14,000 for a 712kg AI-bred Baldridge 38 Special son on behalf of an Albany client.

Consistent buyer of Black Market bulls at the top of the market S Camarri & Co, Nannup, returned to pay the sale's $29,000 second top price.

They took a liking to Black Market Krakatoa S340 catalogued deep into the sale in lot 30.

The 744kg bull was a mid-June 2021 AI-bred bull by Milwillah Krakatoa K92 and out of a Black Market Discovery N90 daughter Black Market Toque Q85.

The low birthweight (top 5pc), calving ease direct (top 6pc), bull recorded above average growth and strong carcase figures with positive fats (top 11-13pc) and huge EMA (top 12pc) along with top 12pc scrotal (SC) and strong indexes, top 19pc Angus Breeding Low Feed Cost (LFCI) and top 28pc Angus Breeding Index (ABI).

Mr Waddingham, the Camarri's livestock agent, said the bull was purchased to backup an AI program over the Camarris' heifers.

"Obviously the low birthweight EBVs and spread of growth made the bull and attractive proposition," he said.

"He is also an interesting outcross bloodline being a Krakatoa son of which the family don't have a lot of through their core herd."

Original stud clients Mark and Peta-Jane Harris, Treeton Lake, Cowaramup, finished the sale with three bulls to their account at a $14,667 average and bid to the sale's $23,000 third top price for Black Market Troopy S151.

The early July, 2021-born bull was a full ET-bred brother to the $44,000 top-priced bull and shared a strong spread of figures including top 8pc calving ease Dtrs (CEDTRS), top 6pc GL, top 12pc 200 and 400-day weight (DW), top 9pc 600-DW, top 5pc MCW, top 16pc SC, top 15pc docility, top 3pc NFI-F and top 21pc LFCI with positive fats.

The Harris's heifers are AI-join on May 23 and backed up for nine weeks with their mature females run with bulls for nine weeks from May 25 to calve from March 1.

Steer calves are weaned in late November generally averaging about 375kg and marketed through the Boyanup weaner fixtures while heifers are retained for their own replacements and with some bought in lines are a highly sought after product when sold as PTIC heifers in the Boyanup female sales.

Mr Harris said the Black Market bulls improved every year.

"They invest highly in really good genetics and the bulls have quiet temperaments," he said.

"Paul's back up service is second to none and he is always happy to help."

Brett Chatley, Nutrien Livestock, Manjimup, bid $20,000 each for three high growth and indexing Paratrooper P15 sons on behalf of a local client, two of which were ET brothers out of a Deer Valley All In daughter Black Market Princess N8 and the other was out of a VAR Generation 2100 daughter Black Market Toque N22.

Last year's top-priced buyer Craig Hutton, Prenton Park Pastoral, Capel, has shown he isn't afraid to bid up on his selections and this year was no exception, competing on the top bulls and securing two to his account costing $13,000 and the next highest price of $19,000.

His top bid went to a 794kg ET-bred Paratrooper P15 son out of Princess N8 with eye catching performance in the top 1pc for 400-DW, top 2pc 200 and 600-DW and CW, top 5pc MCW, top 11pc milk, top 3pc LFCI and top 8pc ABI with strong positive fats.

The sales volume buyer was Trevor Stoney, Stoney Pastoral Company, Yathroo, who collected five bulls costing from $5000 to $10,000 at a $8200 average.

Return buyers Capel Creek, Donnybrook, operated from $7000 to $11,000 twice at a $9500 average on their way to securing four bulls.

Capel Creek manager Dean Taaffe said they have buying Black Market bulls for three years with the new enterprise continuing to build its herd numbers.

They purchased 70 females last year and 41 this year and will retain their first 30 heifers of their own breeding from the 2022-drop.

The March to May-drop steer calves and surplus heifers are weaned in early November for four weeks and sold through the Boyanup weaner fixtures.

He said the Black Market bulls are very good and doing the job for them.