While bull sales will be watched with interest by fellow breeders, the Bardoo Charolais sale at Elgin last week held values and clearance remarkably well when 22 of the 27 bulls offered sold to top at $8000 twice and average $5909.
This is compared to the 2022 sale, when 24 of 28 sold to a top of $15,000 and averaged $7104, with the only major drop being in the top price.
If vendors only drop sale averages a little over $1200 when compared with 2022 sales, there will be a lot of happy vendors.
After the sale Bardoo stud principal Barry Bell said the result was close to expectations and he was pleased with the clearance.
Buyers mainly were repeat buyers from past years, although a couple of prominent bidders from other years were absent.
Many in attendance were high in praise for the temperament of the offering and the improvement in softness of muscling and weight for age.
Buyer of the equal top price bull MH Collins & Co, Nyabing, lifted both the number purchased and the top price it paid when compared with the 2022 sale.
Paying $8000 for lot four, a 18/9/2021-born poll son of SCR Triumph 2135 and from Bardoo Rosalie M40E was the dearest of five bulls heading for the Nyabing property.
It was the heaviest bull in the sale weighing 856 kilograms with a 121cm2 eye muscle area (EMA) and scrotal measurement of 41cm, along with the highest birthweight of 54kg.
Mr Collins said after the sale he was determined to get the bull.
Return buyer for the other equal top price bull at $8000 was OM Dunnet & Co, Nannup, buying lot 12, Bardoo T95E, a red factor poll sire that was by LT Venture 3198 and from the dam Bardoo Panache R41E.
It was a younger bull, born 12/2/2022 and weighed 734kg with an equal top EMA of 124cm2 and a lower birthweight with actual birth of 44kg.
It had BreedPlan figures of +14 milk which is double the breed average along with 600-day weight of +69 compared to breed average of +33.
Other bulls purchased by Collins & Co included lot 22, Bardoo T140E, by exciting new sire Bardoo Quadrant Q40E and out of a Palgrove Gunsmoke dam Bardoo Kendall P183E.
Weighing 734kg with 122cm2 EMA, this bull attracted several bids from other potential buyers.
Two other bulls at $6000 and one for $5500 made up the load for Collins & Co to be a higher average paid compared to the three bulls purchased last year.
The next volume buyer Hayes Farms, Cookernup and Capel, took home four bulls costing to a top of $6500 which was paid for lot one Bardoo S160E, a September 2021-born son of Charnelle Panama and out of a Panache family dam.
It weighed 800kg, with EMA of 120cm2 and birthweight of 42kg and had above breed average for most growth figures.
Sired by a proven bloodline, Ascot Goldrush G136E, Hayes Farm added lot 26 at $6000 with this sire being below breed average for birthweight and above for growth measurements.
Last year's top price buyer RA & RE Gerovich, Albany, paid $5000 each for two bulls.
Firstly for lot six Bardoo T119E, by Bardoo Braxton Q107E, a sire of many sale bulls in past years and for lot 31, Bardoo T35E, a red factor son of LT Venture 3198 with one of the higher EMA figures at 123cm2.
Another local regular supporter of Bardoo genetics H & A Norton & Sons, Boyup Brook, secured three bulls to a top of $6500, paid for lot 23, Bardoo T129E, another Bardoo Quadrant son.
The softness and balanced figures of this bull appealed to buyers on the day.
Among the higher prices paid for a single bull were lot 21 costing Bowie Beef, Bridgetown, $7000.
With balanced BreedPlan figures and bloodlines going back to Ascot Goldrush, it showed one of the lower actual birthweights of 34kg making it a suitable sire for heifer matings.
Another return buyer, ML Bleechmore, Boyup Brook, took home two bulls for $5000 each.
First for lot 31, a red factor polled bull which was sired by LT Venture 3198 and from another Panache family cow and for lot 34, a Bardoo Quadrant sired bull, born 10/2/22 and weighing 708kg with EMA of 120cm2.
Brighton Farms, Donnybrook, paid $6000 for its choice bull in lot 14 by Bardoo Quadrant and goes back to a Palgrove Frenchy dam.
The 30/1/22-born bull weighed 764kg with 121cm2 EMA.
Also buying a single sire were Glencorrie Farms, bidding to $7000 for lot 25, another soft Bardoo Quadrant son weighing 740kg.
BT Venn and Oakview Farm were also successful in purchasing a bull each, both for $5000.
