Murray Grey bull values reached $25,000 amid solid overall results at the 32nd annual Monterey Murray Grey and Angus bull sale at Karridale.
The Buller family and the Monterey team presented an outstanding even quality team of 72 Murray Grey and Angus bulls, which buyers have come to know and respect with the Monterey brand.
Testament to the stud's highly regarded reputation, the fixture attracted interest Australia-wide, with return buyers joining some new faces, either inspecting the extremely well-bred and presented catalogue of bulls and viewing the video sale live onfarm or joining the sale online.
Showcasing the versatility of the Monterey bulls, buyers at the Nutrien Livestock conducted sale represented a diverse range of WA locations, with strong local South West support and further afield to Jurien Bay, Dongara and the Central Wheatbelt, east to the Goldfields and Great Southern and across the border from three States with strong buying representation at the sale from the Elders network.
The sale was interfaced on AuctionsPlus and following 2294 online catalogue views, 138 users logged into the sale online (75 buyers and 64 guests) from throughout the country.
This activity resulted in 24 online bids being placed across 15 lots, with five bulls selling to four online buyers from WA, New South Wales and South Australia.
Once the 72nd and final bull had been offered, Nutrien Livestock auctioneers Tiny Holly and Austin Gerhardy had notched up an 92 per cent overall clearance with 66 Angus and Murray Grey bulls selling at auction for an overall average of $8091.
While there were plenty of bulls to make five figures, values ranged upward from $5000 giving buyers of all budgets the opportunity to fill their pre-mating requirements with quality bulls.
The Monterey team adjusted its numbers back to be in line with the current seasonal and market climate and like most bulls sales this season, values were down on last year's sale.
The overall average was back $1797 compared to last year's sale where 76 of 87 bulls (87pc) sold under the hammer to average $9888.
Encouragingly for the Monterey team, all six overlooked bulls found new homes soon after the sale, along with a further three of their mates in the paddock to cap off a successful result.
In the breed breakdown, the team of 36 Angus saw 32 bulls (89pc) sell under the hammer to take out the average stakes of $8438, which was down $1534 on last year's sale, where 36 of 43 bulls (84pc) averaged $9972.
The line-up of 36 Murray Grey bulls yielded 34 bulls (94pc) selling at auction to average $7765, back $2048 on last year's sale average where 40 of 44 bulls sold at an average of $9813.
The Murray Greys did reclaim the sale's $25,000 top-priced honours with an outstanding silver sire Monterey T Bone T55 in lot 23, the third Murray Grey bull catalogued, going to the winning bid of Nutrien Livestock, Boyup Brook agent Jamie Abbs, on behalf of Guy and Emily Burnett, Maefair Murray Grey stud, Marrar, NSW and Craig and Jacinta Grant, Lindsay Murray Grey stud, Coleraine, Victoria.
The late March 2022-drop bull was sired by Southend Narssist and out of a Monterey Mainland M120 daughter Monterey Showtime Q49.
The quiet, stylish and soft bull tipped the scales at 910kg to be the heaviest of the T-drop bulls and its shop window was complemented with equally impressive Breedplan and scan figures.
It ranked in the breed's top 5pc for all weight intervals, mature cow weight (MCW) and carcase weight (CW), top 15pc eye muscle area (EMA) and in the top value for scrotal (SC), scanning 44cm SC, 14mm fats, 132cm2 EMA and 7.1pc intramuscular fat (IMF).
The partnership perhaps also later scored the buy of the day, when a $10,000 bid secured them Monterey Sensational S270, an early November 2021-drop son of Monterey Kalahari K304 and a Monterey Juggernaut J18 daughter Monterey Showtime M107.
The classy 1100kg silver bull also recorded strong Breedplan performance with top 5-10pc gestation length (GL), top 5-10pc 200-day weight (DW) and MCW, top 15pc RBY, top 20pc CW and top 15-25 400 and 600-DW.
Mr Burnett said both parties were excited to secure their two new sires.
"Came across the two bulls looking through the catalogue and Craig inspected the bulls at the Monterey field day which made our mind up these were the bulls we were going for and luckily they were well within the budget," Mr Burnett said.
"We have bought cattle with Jamie Abbs for the past seven years through Monterey and haven't had a bad experience yet, he's a very good buyer and cattle judge and he cast his eye over them for us."
Mr Burnett said the bulls were purchased in conjunction with the Grant family's Lindsay stud where they already share a couple of bulls and the arrangement works well.
"Both bulls are very deep bodied with a lot of weight for age, good fats and EBV figures across all growth traits," he said.
"They scanned very well and were the highest for retail beef yield and eye muscle area which is very important when your seedstock producing and wanting to pass this on.
"The quickest way to influence your herd is with a good sire and in saying that we have a very good foundation of females."
Mr Burnett said they were a relatively new stud established in 2016, but have enjoyed a fair bit of success at the Sydney Royal Easter Show taking out the most successful exhibitor for the past five years.
"We do a lot of showing through the Royal Sydney Show and are also taking bulls to Rockhampton's Beef Week which are primarily Monterey blood," he said.
"Gary knows what we purchase will go on to be showcased and we currently have a very good team going this year by a sire we purchased a while back, Monterey Mighty Man, which will have a good sires progeny team again, which he has taken out the last two years.
"We annually source Monterey genetics and are very happy with Monterey bulls and will continue to buy them."
The Monterey stud thought equally as high of the two bulls selling them three quarters share and possession and half share in international semen sales for Monterey T Bone.
Angus
Kicking off proceedings was the opening run of 20 Angus bulls and the big wraps on the third bull offered Monterey Top Hat T22 were on point when it sold for the sale's $18,000 top Angus bull price and overall third top price to the Clifton family, S & A Clifton, Gingin.
The early March 2022 born son of Banquet Qudos Q483 and a Monterey General G103 daughter, Monterey Huntress L113, was the heaviest bull in the drop, tipping the scales at 948kg.
The stylish modest birthweight and calving ease bull offered versatility and still recorded strong performance in the top 20-35pc for all weight intervals, top 19pc CW, top 22pc milk and top 37pc EMA ,with scan results of 41cm SC, 10mm fats, 126cm2 EMA and 6.9pc IMF.
Shahni and Jarrod Clifton attended the sale on behalf of their parents Shane and Angela and were assisted by relative and fellow buyer Wylie Woolcock, Toodyay.
The Cliftons have been buying from Monterey for more than 20 years and Shahni said Top Hat T22 was the full package for them.
"We first saw him on Facebook, then the catalouge and watched his video on AuctionsPlus, spoke to Gary about him and called on our cousin Wylie to come and see him in person with us," Ms Clifton said.
"Very stylish bull and he was the bull we came to buy and we are stoked we got him.
"We aim for high early growth and really correct cattle for breeding replacement heifers and longevity and hopefully he holds up to the tough conditions in west Gingin."
Due to seasonal conditions, the Cliftons have trimmed their forthcoming mating numbers from 200 to 180 Angus breeders in their self-replacing herd which will calve from March to April.
"We aim for the heavy weaner market direct to lotfeeders after weaning requirements with our steers weighing up to 400kg and averaging 380kg across last year's crop," Ms Clifton said.
"We wean around December but it was a bit earlier this year because of the season and background our surplus heifers if we have the feed."
Top Hat was sold three quarters share and possession.
The next highest Angus bull price of $13,000 was paid by two buyers.
First up was Elders, Margaret River agent Alec Williams, who collected two bulls for Silver Angus stud, Jupiter Creek, South Australia, paying top value for Monterey Touch Of Class T81 in lot 10.
The impressive mid-April 2022 born bull was by a Millah Murrah Docklands J193 son, Monterey Mascot M188, and out of a Carenda Stockman D34 daughter, Monterey Stella J31, with the sleek coated long and deep bull living up to his name.
At 944kg, it ranked second in the drop for weight while its scan data saw it rank first for EMA 139cm2 and equal second for IMF 7.2pc with 14mm rib and 12mm rump fats and 43cm SC (top 13pc breed).
Mr Williams earlier paid $8000 for a Banquet Qudos Q483 son also heading across the Nullarbor.
B & E Smith, Busselton, raised their sights on Monterey Titanic T145 in lot 18 with their $13,000 bid securing the late May 2022 born son of Banquet Quirky Q209 and a Millah Murrah Tex K37 daughter, Monterey Miss Broadway R16.
The easy doing 926kg bull scanned 15mm fats (+0.4 rib and +1.3 rump, top 24-39pc), 131cm2 EMA and 7.2pc IMF, ranking equal fourth in the drop for weight, third for EMA and second for IMF.
The $12,000 price tag for Angus bulls was also paid twice with return buyer Marawa Farms, Cranbrook, collecting two bulls for $11,000 and $12,000.
Their top bid went to a high growth 938kg late March 2022 born son of Prime Beast Mode Q13, which ranked in the breeds top 15-31pc for all weight intervals, top 29pc EMA and positive fats with scans of 12mm fats, 125cm2 EMA and 7.1pc IMF (equal third for drop) and was sold three quarters share and possession.
Their winning $11,000 bid went to a 652kg young 16-month-old (mid-October 2022 born) son of Prime Dusty R41.
Another Angus bull Monterey retained a semen share in was a 768kg early July 2022 born bull by Millah Murrah Complement L238 and a Vermont Duke E193 daughter, which sold to Elders South West livestock manager Michael Carroll for $12,000.
The soft, well-bred bull ranked in the breed's top 3pc for calving ease and docility, top 23pc EMA and top 29pc SC, with scan data of 12mm rib and 11mm rump fats, 43cm SC, 123cm2 EMA and 6.8pc IMF.
Several multiple Angus bull accounts were headed by return buyers, Yondalee Farms, Boyup Brook, with three bulls costing from $8000 to $9000, Mr Abbs purchased two bulls each at good value for Jenour & Son, Capel, AN Caldwell & Co, Kojonup and JA O'Donnell, Donnybrook as did Brendan Millar, Elders, Margaret River, securing two bulls for a local account and McLarty Brothers, Pinjarra, also with two bulls.
Murray Grey
Long-time buyers of more than 20 years the Avery family, WA, BE & DC Avery, Scott River, kicked off the second leg of the Murray Grey line-up with the sale's $22,000 second top-priced bid for the powerful grey bull Monterey Super Trooper S286.
The mid-December 2021-born bull was sired by a Monterey Gibraltar G303 son Monterey Limitless L198 and a Monterey Economist E30 daughter Monterey Magnolia K59.
It weighed 974kg with scans of 43cm SC, 20mm fats, 142cm EMA and 7.3pc IMF and recorded a strong spread of Breedplan figures with all growth intervals in the top 10-20pc, top value for SC, top 5pc RBY, top 15-20pc CW, top 25pc EMA with positive fats.
Daryl Avery said Super Trooper was impressive.
"He has good figures, is a quiet, well-natured bull with good feet, well structured, has matured well and is very sound," Mr Avery said.
The Averys had earlier paid $14,000 for the second Murray Grey bull offered, a versatile 832kg silver late March 2022 born son of Southend Narssist, also with an impressive spread of figures in the top 5-15pc for all weight intervals, top 1-5pc SC, top 10pc CW and top 10-15pc IMF for a low birthweight bull (top 30-25pc) with top 1-5pc days to calving and top 5pc GL.
The bulls will join the sire battery to cover the family's Murray Grey-Gelbvieh March calving breeding herd, with calves weaned from December-January and grown out off grass and sold at about 18 months before they reach 300kg dressed weight to the supermarket trade as a grassfed yearling product.
The next highest Murray Grey price of $12,000 was paid by Gabyon Pastoral Company, Irwin, for one of two bulls, Monterey Top Shelf T117, the fifth Murray Grey bull offered.
The silver 866kg bull by a Monterey Limelight L57 son Monterey Phoenix P6 and out of a Monterey Saratoga B13 daughter Monterey Magnolia E162 was another bull Monterey retained a semen share in.
His Breedplan performance matched his name ranking in the top 1-5pc for 200 and 600-DW, top 5-10pc 400-DW, CW, EMA, top 5pc MCW, top 10pc RBY, top 15pc GL and top 20pc SC with scan data of 10mm fats, 127cm2 EMA (equal fourth highest in drop), 40cm SC and 5.8pc IMF.
A South Australia buyer from Naracoorte on AuctionsPlus also secured two Murray Grey Bulls paying a $11,000 top price for Monterey T Money T195 cataloged deep into the sale.
The early July 2022 born 772kg grey coated bull is sired by Monterey Monarch M278 and scanned 13mm fats, 127cm2 EMA, 6.4pc IMF and 40cm SC with exceptional growth EBVs in the top 1-5pc for all weight intervals along with top 5-10pc CW, EMA and MCW, top 10pc SC and top 20pc RBY.
Another South Australian buyer Woolawae Downs, Edillilie, also paid $11,000 for their selection Monterey Tex T85, a 866kg silver early April 2022 born son of Monterey Limitless L198, which scanned 11mm fats, 126cm2 EMA, 6.1pc IMF and 40cm SC, while recording an even spread of figures being well above average for growth, top 1-5pc SC, top 5pc EMA and RBY with positive fats.
With encouraging rains throughout the Goldfields, consistent buyer of Murray Grey numbers Mark Forrester, Kanandah station, Goldfields/Esperance, used the tempered market to stock up with 13 Murray Grey bulls costing $5000 to $8000, to stamp a sound floor in the Murray Grey section of the sale.
Mr Abbs remained busy throughout the Murray Greys, representing two accounts which each tallied three Murray Grey bulls at sale's end, going to return buyer RH Norman & Son, Busselton and Easel Pty Ltd, Dardanup.
