Sheron Farm bull sale peaks at $12,000 at Benger

The emerging Angus stud which continues to invest heavily in new genetics presented an ever-improving team of 30 well-grown grass-fed rising two-year-old Angus bulls and 24 unjoined 2022-drop commercial Angus heifers and introduced the video sale concept for the first time this year.

A good crowd turned out for the sale and enjoyed Sheron Farm's generous hospitality and inspected the line-up of bulls and heifers with spectacular views from the selling facility's elevated position on the Darling Scarp.

The buyer's register was dominated by local support from Harvey and surrounding areas, with some attending from as far as Dongara and the deep south.

Unfortunately competition didn't reflect the interest both at the sale and online and the quality of the catalogue, with bidding largely conservative in the buyer friendly market.

The sale was interfaced on AuctionsPlus and after 1359 catalogue views, 18 registered bidders and 15 viewers logged into the sale from WA, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, with two active bidders operating in the sale.

Bulls and heifers remained content in their spacious pens, while the Nutrien Livestock selling team led by auctioneer Chris Waddingham sold them, with buyers watching videos on an extra big screen.

At the completion of selling, 25 bulls had found new homes at an average of $6660, with the 24 heifers averaging $2067.

Selective buying saw values back on last year's sale with bulls down $1266 on last year's average of $7926 from 27 of 30 bulls selling at auction, while the heifers dipped $850 on average from last year where 30 heifers sold for a $2917 average.

Highlighting the sale and reflecting the depth of the sale team was the sale's $12,000 top price not coming to fruition until lot 22 with the classy Sheron Farm Salem S86 well admired.

In the end, return buyers the Andony family of John and Lisa and their daughter Jessica, JP & LJ Andony, Harvey, edged out Colin Thexton, Independent Rural Agents, Pemberton, representing his long-time clients John and Christine Bendotti, G & B Bendotti, Pemberton, with the winning $12,000 bid.

The 842kg late March 2021-born bull was sired by Landfall New Ground N90 and out of a Booroomooka Inspired G662 daughter Sheron Farm Mittie M41.

The breed average birthweight bull (+4.0) still packed plenty of punch in its growth and carcase figures in the top 1-5pc for eye muscle area (EMA), top 15pc retail beef yield (RBY), top 15-20pc for 600-day weight (DW) and mature cow weight (MCW), top 25pc for 200 and 400DW, top 20-25pc carcase weight (CW), top 5-10pc scrotal circumference (SC) and positive fats in the top 20-25pc for both rib and rump.

The Andony's run a self-replacing Angus herd which calves in the autumn from the beginning of March.

Calves are generally weaned at the end of December and marketed through weaner sales however on the back of a favourable feed season in 2022, calves were weaned earlier and heavier last year.

Jessica Andony said they purchased a Landfall Keystone K132 son from Sheron Farm last year also at $12,000 for heifer joining, with their latest acquisition set to go over mature breeders.

Ms Andony said they first saw the bull at the Sheron Farm open day and while they had a couple of bulls in mind, Salem S86 was their pick.

"Quite liked his type," Ms Andony said.

"A well-balanced bull and liked his growth and docility.

"We are a grassfed beef operation and it's good to support a local grassfed stud and invest in better genetics for our herd and we are excited to see their Coonamble genetics in coming seasons."

The sale's $10,500 second top price was recorded from the outset with sale team leader Sheron Farm Solomon S31 knocked down to previous top-priced bull buyers at Sheron Farm, Bernard and Di Hockings, Brunswick.

The long and deep mid-March 2021 born bull was by Landfall Keystone K132 and out of a Sheron Farm Leam L55 daughter, Sheron Farm Philomena P104.

The breed average birthweight bull (+4.1) tipped the scales at 840kg and recorded a strong spread of performance figures including in the top 5-10pc for gestation length (GL), 600DW and CW, top 10pc MCW, top 20pc 400DW, top 25pc 200DW with good calving ease (CEDT) and feed efficiency (NFI-F) well above breed average.

Nutrien Livestock, Brunswick/Harvey agent Errol Gardiner was a busy buyer throughout the sale representing multiple client accounts including consistent buyer of numbers Stickney & Sons, Harvey.

They collected three bulls to be the sale's volume buyer, spending from $6500 to the next highest price of $9000, reserved for a mid-April 2021 AI-bred son of United States sire GB Fireball 672 and a LD Capitalist 316 daughter Sheron Farm Phil P52.

The younger bull matched its physical presence with equally impressive performance for a calving ease bull (top 10-15pc CEDT), with both Angus selection indexes in the top 10-15pc, top 10-20pc for all weight intervals, top 5-10pc NFI-F, top 10-15pc RBY and EMA, top 15-20pc IMF, top 25pc CW and top 5-10pc SC.

Plunkett Properties, Pinjarra, also paid $9000 for their selection in lot six containing an early February 2021 born son of Murdeduke Kicking K428 and another Capitalist 316 daughter Sheron Farm Quare Q103.

While it tipped the scales at 854kg, it was a heifer joining option with its top 30-35pc birthweight and top 1-5pc for both calving ease traits, along with top 1-5pc GL and quiet docility top 10-15pc.

An online buyer operating on AuctionsPlus secured a 880kg son of Keystone K132 and a Thomas Up River 1614 daughter for the next highest value of $8500.

The late March 2021 born bull recorded exceptional figures including being a trait leader for all weight intervals and CW, top 1pc MCW and top 1-5pc $A-L index, to name a few.

While they missed out on the top-priced bull, the Bendottis stocked up with a couple of bulls at value later in the catalogue for sons of New Ground N90 and Keystone 132.

A first-time buyer at the sale, John Bendotti said they were trying something new with the Landfall bloodline being an outcross for his commercial Angus herd.

He said they would use the bulls over younger second calvers in the coming joining and depending on how it went, could potentially use the lower birthweight Keystone 132 son in an AI program over heifers in the 2024 joining.

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"We were impressed with the bulls when we saw them a fortnight ago and decided it worth making the trip for the sale," Mr Bendotti said.

"The figures are there and the genetics are good, we liked the temperament and the feet and legs are good."

Other new buyers Simon and Cassie De Beaux, Chittering Valley Beef, Lower Chittering, were excited with their latest sire acquisition at value for $7000 which was a mid-March 2021 born son of New Ground N90 and another Inspired G662 daughter.

The De Beaux family run an Angus and Speckle Park breeding herd which calves March to April.

Calves are weaned December to January with a selection sold into the weaner market and some retained to grow out on irrigated strong millet content pasture and sold as grassfed yearlings to a butcher at 18-20 months of age, weighing about 550-600kg.

"Neatly well-put together and balanced bull suited to our hill country," Mr De Beaux said.

"Good performance and growth figures for 200 and 400-day weight which is important for our enterprise.

"And being grassfed, what you see is what you get."

The line-up of 24 unjoined 2022-drop commercial yearling Angus heifers suited to future breeding duties were all snapped up by Mr Gardiner on behalf of clients in the Brunswick area.