Strong support was a testament to the Tullibardine Angus stud and its genetics when the Murray family offered an exceptionally even bull team at its annual on-property sale at Redmond last week.
Thirty eight well-presented bulls paraded the ring with Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) to back them up, ensuring there was a broad range of genetics for all 50 registered buyers, both new and returning.
Cooler weather, the Murray family's hospitality and the renowned quality and temperament of its bulls were all factors of the sale's success, which saw producers bid up on their catalogue favourites, resulting in an 87 per cent clearance.
Nutrien Livestock auctioneer Tiny Holly took spirited bids from left, right and centre, which saw prices climb to a $16,000 top and a $9242 average.
In comparison, last year the stud sold 40 bulls to an average of $12,679.
Sale summary
(Under the hammer results)
- Offered: 38
- Sold: 33
- Top: $16,000
- Gross: $305,000
- Average: $9242
While the average was back on last year, the stud offered an impressive team, which saw prices reflect the current market and seasonal conditions that the WA beef industry is experiencing, not the quality of the bulls.
Mr Holly said the old saying of 'if you put quality in the ring it will sell' was the case at this year's Tullibardine sale.
"As always, a quality yarding was put up by Alastair and Jenny Murray and the Tullibardine team," Mr Holly said.
"It's a credit to the Murrays who are continually improving their herd in terms of both genetics and overall appearance.
"The bulls showed great growth and added to this was a great shop window with figures to back it up."
Mr Holly said it was a great result and the average was higher than expected.
"It was great to see, it only takes two bidders on a bull to boost the average," he said.
"Good registration numbers were also positive and resulted in excellent competition and multiple bidders on each bull.
"All in all we walked away very happy and pleased for the vendors."
The tone of the sale was set early on when a well-rounded sire was knocked down to return buyer Barry Panizza, BJ Panizza Family Trust, Albany, for $16,000.
The 852 kilogram bull from lot 10, Tullibardine Thumbs Up T71, is a son of Tullibardine Remington R25 and out of Tullibardine Caitlin R45.
It has EBVs of +5.8 calving ease direct (CEDir), -7.4 gestation length (GL), +1.5 birthweight (BWT), +40, +86, +120 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +113 mature cow weight (MCW), +23 for milk, +2.4 scrotal size (SS), -4.6 days to calving (DTC), +64 carcase weight (CWT), +2.7 eye muscle area (EMA), +4.6 for rib fat, +5.0 P8 fat, -1.0 retail beef yield (RBY), +3.9 intramuscular fat (IMF), +0.94 net feed intake (NFI-F) and +31 for docility (DOC).
With these figures it ranks in the top 1pc for rib fat, top 2pc P8 fat, top 8pc BWT, top 11pc for GL and milk, top 14pc for DOC and top 15pc for IMF.
Mr Panizza said he selected predominantly on visual appraisal.
"I came to buy a good bull and that's exactly what I got, it had a big hindquarter and plenty of depth," he said.
"I aim to breed him with my herd of 120 first-cross Angus-Friesian cows."
Mr Panizza plans to keep the heifer progeny for a long-term breeding herd.
The other crowd favourite trailing closely behind was lot five bull, Tullibardine Tried & True T56, which was bought for $15,000 by the Blyth family, MJ Blyth & Co, Manypeaks.
His sire is by Sterling Pacific 904 and out of Tullibardine Evening P33 and weighed a whopping 994 kilograms.
It has EBVs of -3.3 CEDir, -1.7 GL, +7.1 BWT, +70, +116, +169 for 200, 400 and 600-day weight, +177 MCW, +17 for milk, +1.4 SS, -4.2 DTC, +106 CWT, +2.7 EMA, -0.4 for rib fat, -1.5 P8 fat, -0.1 RBY, +2.7 IMF, -0.30 NFI-F and +21 for DOC.
It ranks in the top 1pc for 600-day weight, CWT and MCW, top 2pc for 200-day weight, top 4pc for 400-day weight.
Rebecca Blyth said the family has been buying from the stud for the past few years.
"The bull we bought had really good depth of body," Ms Blyth said.
"Our main focus today was to select a bull with good growth figures."
The Skinner family, Capecup Grazing, Woogenellup, was one of two volume buyers, purchasing three bulls at an average of $10,333 and a top of 11,000.
Their highest priced bull, Tullibardine Taxman T96, is a Prime Up River N40 son and out of Tullibardine Kathrine P25.
The 780kg sire ranks in the top 23pc for NFI-F.
The Woogenellup buyers rounded out their purchases with two $10,000 bulls, a Prime Maximus P36 son, Tullibardine Thumbs Up T15 and Jindra Double Vision Tullibardine son, Tullibardine Tycoon T44.
Also a volume buyer and purchasing three bulls, this time to an average of $8000 and a high of $10,000 was Pardelup Prison Farm, Mt Barker.
Its highest priced purchase was a Prime Up River N40 son, Tullibardine Told You So T111, which is out of Tullibardine Julitha Q62.
This 778kg bull ranks in the top 1pc for NFI-F, top 6pc for rib fat, top 9pc for P8 fat, top 12pc for DTC and top 13pc for CEDir.
Lot six bull, Tullibardine Trendsetter T54 was also a crowd favourite, and was eventually knocked down to Millstream Pastoral, Albany, for $13,000.
The 860kg sire is a son of Sitz Stellar 726D and out of Tullibardine Ida P38.
It has EBVs of +4.0 CEDir, -3.7 GL, +4.7 BWT, +56, +106, +169 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +131 MCW, +16 for milk, +2.2 SS, -5.7 DTC, +71 CWT, +10.6 EMA, +0.0 for rib fat, -0.3 P8 fat, +1.6 RBY, +0.4 IMF, +0.09 NFI-F and +6 for DOC.
With these figures it ranks in the top 4pc for RBY, top 12pc for 600-day weight, MCW and EMA, and top 13pc for 400-day weight.
Also selling to a $13,000 high was a bull from the back end of the catalogue, which was snapped up by DJ & BE Bell, Redmond.
The Prime Juggernaut N77 son, Tullibardine Theo T120 is out of Tullibardine Eva P27 and weighed 800kg.
It has EBVs of +4.6 CEDir, -5.8 GL, +4.7 BWT, +53, +100, +126 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +118 MCW, +20 for milk, +2.2 SS, -6.8 DTC, +86 CWT, +7.7 EMA, -0.3 for rib fat, +0.0 P8 fat, +1.4 RBY, -0.5 IMF, -0.63 NFI-F and +22 for DOC.
These figures rank the bull in the top 1pc for NFI-F, top 7pc for RBY, top 8pc for CWT and top 10pc for DTC.
The Bell family also purchased a second sire at $12,000, which is a son of Banquet Notter N297 and ranked in the top 3pc for CEDir, top 8pc for rib fat, top 10pc for BWT and top 13pc for P8 fat.
Two other bulls sold for $12,000, with lot three bull, Tullibardine TNT T6, selling to Rayview Park Pty Ltd, Albany, and the other bull, Tullibardine Tarzan T51, selling to SA & SH Smith, Narrikup.
TNT T6 is a Texas Earnan L612 son and ranks in the top 10pc for MCW, while Tarzan T51 is by LD Capitalist 316 and ranks in the top 4pc for NFI-F, top 6pc for CEDir, top 12pc for milk, top 16pc for P8 fat and top 17pc for BWT.
Waymu Farms, Lower King, bid to an $11,000 high for lot one bull, Tullibardine True Blue T41 which is a son of Prime Up River N40 and ranks in the top 5pc for CEDir and top 13pc for DTC.
Also purchasing from the higher end was PR & SM Marshall, Albany, which paid $10,000 for a Prime Juggernaut N77 son, Tullibardine Trendsetter T23.
