Solid buying support from local buyers saw prices reach a high of $5250 in the Gandy Angus heifer sale on AuctionsPlus last week.
In the three hour sale conducted by Elders, the Gandy family, Manjimup, offered 35 herd book registered PTIC Angus heifers and sold 14 under the hammer at an average of $4143.
Fifty two registered bidders logged in from WA, South Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland of which three were active, placing 22 online bids while the online catalogue received 1227 views.
The well-grown T-drop heifers were from sire lines Millah Murrah Quixote, SAV Checkmate, Karoo Realist, Myers Fair N Square, Storth Oaks Fully Loaded and William of Stern, while their dams were from proven female lines including Ayrvale Bartel, Bennett Performer, SAV Prosperity, Jindra Double Vision and many more.
These bloodlines are a combination of some of the breeds more popular sires, as well as outcross genetics such as William of Stern and SAV Checkmate.
All the heifers offered are due to calve from mid-February after one round of natural heat AI.
They were AI'd to top sires Square B True North, Ellingson Rangeland, Sitz Resilient, Storth Oaks Fully Loaded and Diamond One Beast Mode Q8 and following AI they ran with Gandy Paratrooper T82.
Achieving the $5250 top price was Gandy Quixote T181 in lot 17 when it was purchased by Elders, Manjimup/Pemberton representative Brad McDonnell, who was buying for a Manjimup commercial operation.
The late February 2022-drop heifer is by Millah Murrarh Quixote and out of Diamond One Moe Q91, which is a daughter of Chiltern Park Moe M6.
It has estimated breeding values (EBVs) of +1.9 calving ease direct, -3.9 gestation length, +4.2 birthweight, 57, 104 and +141 for 200, 400 and 600-day weight, +31 milk, +90 carcase weight, +5.7 eye muscle area and +1.5 intramuscular fat.
The heifer was PTIC to Storth Oaks Fully Loaded.
Along with buying this heifer for the Manjimup operation, Mr McDonnell also secured another eight heifers for it, all at $4000.
These heifers included three Willam of Stern T160 daughters, two Storth Oaks Fully Loaded P23 daughters, one Karoo K12 Realist N27 daughter, one Diamond One Beast Mode R122 daughter and a Diamond One Dead Centre R139 daughter.
Mr McDonnell said his client was chasing good growthy, strong, big-framed heifers to breed good bulls for their own in herd use.
The other five heifers to sell during the auction were purchased by a Bailup producer.
This producer paid $4250 for three of their selections Gandy Stunner T97 (lot six) a Diamond One Stunner daughter, PTIC to Storth Oaks Fully loaded, Gandy Fair N Square T130 (lot 11) a Myers Fair-N-Square M39 daughter, PTIC to Square B True North and Gandy Quixote T203 (lot 21) a Quixote daughter, PTIC to Diamond One Beast Mode Q8.
The other two purchased by this producer were secured at $4000.
Elders stud stock manager Tim Spicer said overall it was a pleasing sale for the vendors given the current market.
"The catalogue received a good number of views on AuctionsPlus," Mr Spicer said.
"The heifers that sold made good value while the final clearance was no doubt a reflection of seasonal and market conditions."
Gandy Angus co-principal Kim Gandy said they received a lot of enquiry about the heifers and were pleased with the result.
"Thank you for all those who supported our inaugural Gandy Angus online female sale," Mr Gandy said.
"If any producers are interested we still have 20 well-bred PTIC heifers available for private selection."
