It wasn't only the conditions that were hot and warm at Gingin last Thursday, so too was competition on the top lots in the 36th Annual Gingin Bull Sale hosted by the Midland Cattle Breeders' Association (MCBA), with prices hitting a high of $25,000 for a Black Tara Angus sire.
The quality line-up of 83 bulls representing four breeds, drew a large crowd of 53 registered buyers in person and another two active bidders on AuctionsPlus, from as far away as Albany and Pemberton in the south, to Merredin in the east and Geraldton in the north, as well as all points in between.
When the action got underway they showed they weren't afraid to bid up on the bulls they really wanted, following a speech from MCBA president Tony Sudlow before the sale.
He encouraged buyers to bid up and have confidence in the industry.
"Agriculture has its ups and downs and at the moment we are in the down part," Mr Sudlow said.
"But we need to remember it will turn around and there are positive forecasts out their saying that by the time the calves by these bulls will be sold we will be looking at totally different markets.
"So I say keep the passion, keep the faith, keep breeding and keep investing."
Buyers seemed to listen to Mr Sudlow's comments as there was good buying support right through the catalogue, resulting in extremely solid prices from the outset, ensuring everyone left happy.
The Nutrien Livestock and Elders selling teams, led by auctioneer Tiny Holly, recorded a 96 per cent clearance (or 80 bulls sold) of the 83 bulls offered for an average of $8575.
This meant the clearance was up 2pc on last year, while the average was back $2334.
Last year there were 77 bulls sold from 82 offered at an average of $10,909.
Mr Holly said it was another quality yarding of bulls presented by the vendors.
"The bulls presented in excellent condition and had the figures to back them for all intending buyers needs," Mr Holly said.
"The top price of $25,000 was on par with expectations, the competition was very strong on this bull and also on the rest of the top end of all the line-up.
"The Angus breed continued to lead the way with the three vendors all achieving excellent averages on par with South West sales.
"Competition and buying support for the Angus sires came from regular Mid West clients, along with the South West and a Great Southern registration.
"AuctionsPlus was also successful in purchasing seven Angus bulls.
"The Murray Grey offering was of excellent quality, however lacked some support with limited action on bulls while the Limousin bulls continued to be a sought after option, however buyers were somewhat selective in their purchases.
"A Simmental bull from a first time vendor also had to be commended and sold to $6000."
Equally as happy with the result was Elders stud stock manager Tim Spicer.
Mr Spicer said it was a solid sale right through the catalogue considering seasonal conditions through the north and Mid West, as well market conditions.
"We saw bulls sell from north of Geraldton to Albany and Pemberton, which shows the bulls can go anywhere and work," Mr Spicer said.
"As seen in other bull sales this season, bulls which suited buyer's programs met with strong competition.
"The final result was certainly above our presale expectations."
Angus
A combined quality line-up of 60 Angus bulls from three of the sale's longest supporting vendors kicked off proceedings and like other Angus sales this season, competition was solid on bulls however prices were back compared to last year.
When the last Angus bull left the ring, the three studs had combined to sell all 60 bulls offered at an average of $9367, which was back $2141 on last year.
Last year the three studs offered 60 bulls and sold 59 for an average of $11,508.
Topping the Angus line-up at $25,000 was the Kupsch family's Black Tara stud, Allanooka, when its second bull offered, Black Tara Thunderstruck T44, in lot 35 created a bidding frenzy.
Mr Holly took an opening bid of $10,000 on the soft, deep, thick 914 kilogram sire and from there a number of prospective buyers threw in bids.
Eventually it was the return buyers of close to 15 years the Kanny family, Bonegilla Grazing, Walkaway, which prevailed as the new owners of the bull when they had the final bid at $25,000.
The AI-bred, mid March 2022-drop bull is by Montana Elevation 7108 and out of Black Tara M81, which is a daughter of Koojan Hills Genesis G166.
Along with impressing on the eye, Thunderstruck T44 also has Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) to match.
Its EBVs are +0.5 calving ease direct, +0.5 calving ease daughters, -4.0 gestation length (GL), +4.6 birthweight (BWT), +66, +112 and+155 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +119 mature cow weight (MCW), +27 milk, +3.6 scrotal size (SS), +31 docility (DOC), -3.7 days to calving (DTC), +82 carcase weight (CWT), +8.7 eye muscle area (EMA), +0.5 rib fat, +0.9 rump fat, -0.3 retail beef yield (RBY), +2.8 intramuscular fat (IMF), +0.1 feed efficiency (NFI-F), +0.9 claw set, +0.96 foot angle and +0.64 leg angle.
It has indexes of +$235 for $A and +$394 for $A-L.
With these figures Thunderstruck T44 ranks in the top 1pc for leg angle, top 3pc for 600-day weight and milk, top 4pc for 200-day weight, top 6pc for 400-day weight as well as top 10-20pc for SS, DOC and CWT as well as $A and $A-L indexes.
Jason Kanny said he attended the stud's on-property field day before the sale and picked out the bull then.
"He was my first pick at the field day and we believed he was clearly the standout bull in the catalogue, so we were very happy to get him," Mr Kanny said.
"He is a well-balanced bull with a good phenotype and he will be a new bloodline for our herd.
"His thickness and depth is really impressive.
"He also has good growth EBVs for 200 and 400-day weights and also a good milk figure which is important when it comes to breeding replacement females and that is what we purchased him for."
Also heading to Kanny's property was Black Tara Invested T56 from lot 48 when the Kanny's secured it at Black Tara's equal second top price of $17,000.
Invested T56 is an AI-bred son of Coonamble Investment P20 and a S A V Thunderbird 9061 granddaughter.
The 888kg bull ranks in the top 7pc for CWT and top 10-20pc for 600-day weight and SS.
Mr Kanny said Invested T56 had the good growth and milk figures they looked for.
The Kannys will use both bulls over Santa Gertrudis-Angus cows to breed replacement females.
All up the Kannys run 200 Santa Gertrudis-Angus cross breeders which are joined to calve down in March/April as two year olds.
They join 75pc of their females to Angus and Santa Gertrudis bulls to breed replacements and the rest are joined to Charolais bulls.
The other bull to make $17,000 in the Black Tara team was Black Tara Top Dollar T55 in lot 36 which was knocked down to first time buyer Darren Best, Silverback Farms, Northam, who was assisted in his bidding by Nutrien Livestock, pastoral representative Roger Leeds.
The 946kg AI-bred, Top Dollar T55, is by Coonamble Investment P20 and out of a S Chisum granddaughter.
It ranks in the top 5pc for CWT, top 7pc for 600-day weight and RBY plus top 8pc for EMA.
Along with buying Top Dollar T55, the Northam-based enterprise purchased another four bulls from the Black Tara offering to finish with a team of five at an average of $10,800.
Also in the Silverback Farms team at $14,000 was a Millah Murrah Klooney N310 son, Black Tara George T134, which ranks in the top 10pc for EMA as well as the $A and $A-L indexes and at $10,000 a Montana Elevation 7108 son, Black Tara T39 that is in the top 5pc for 200, 400 and 600-day weights and leg angle and top 10pc for MCW, RBY and foot angle.
Mr Leeds said they were looking for Angus bulls with good phenotype and structure to use over mature Angus cows.
"We have bought a number of Angus females in the past 12 months as Darren has gone into running Angus cattle as looks to diversify his enterprise which has mainly been focused on cropping," Mr Leeds said.
Other buyers to support the Black Tara offering at the top end included return buyers
KA & TB Grima, Mullewa and Gabyon Pastoral Co, Dongara.
The Grima family purchased an EF Complement 8088 son that is in the top 5pc for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, DOC, CWT and EMA at $15,000, while Gabyon Pastoral secured a HF Alkatraz 60F son that is in the top 5pc for milk, foot angle and leg angle at $13,000 and a EF Complement 8088 son which is in the top 10pc for calving ease daughters for $10,000.
There were another three bulls to sell for five figures in the Black Tara team and they went to TH & HE Levett, Walkaway, which purchased at $11,000, while CR & DH Forsyth, Dongara and FB Smith & Sons, Walkaway, both purchased at $10,000.
All up the Black Tara stud offered 18 Angus bulls and they all sold to new homes for the sale's best stud average of $10,833, which was back $1461 on last year.
The Sudlow family's Kapari Angus stud, Northampton, was the largest vendor again with a team of 30 bulls which kicked the sale off.
By the end of the Kapari offering the stud had sold all 30 bulls to 19 different buyers to a top of $19,000 and at an average of $9933, which was back $2867.
Topping the Kapari team at $19,000 was the stud's team leader Kapari Nectar T31, which was offered in lot one.
The selling team received an opening bid of $10,000 on the deep-bodied, well-balanced sire and from there the price quickly moved upwards as a number of bidders chased the bull.
In the end it was Nutrien Livestock, South West manager Mark McKay who had the final bid and then revealed he was bidding for first time buyer the Carroll family, Rayview Park, Kalgan/Albany.
Buyer Jarrod Carroll said they were chasing the Kapari sire as they were very keen on introducing its Nectar genetics into their herd.
"He will be a new line for us and he has a good set of EBVs that will suit us well," Mr Carroll said.
"He is also a very balanced, sound bull.
"Feet, leg and structure in Angus bulls is a big one for us and he has that which is great."
Mr Carroll said the EBVs matched the bull, which was positive.
The early April 2022-drop bull is by Millah Murrah Nectar N334 and out of a Kapari Thunderbird K54 daughter.
Along with impressing in the flesh to many, Nectar T31 also has the EBVs to match ranking in the top 1pc for GL and top 7pc for calving ease direct and BWT as well as top 10-20pc for SS, EMA, RBY, NFI-I and and foot angle.
The Carrolls plan to collect semen from the bull and artificially inseminate 200 heifers in their herd.
The second top price in the Kapari run was $18,000 and it was bid by Bullrush Farms, Gingin, for Kapari Crackerjack T54 in lot seven.
The 800kg Crackerjack T54 which displayed an outstanding phenotype is by Musgrave Crackerjack and out of an EF Complement 8088 daughter.
It ranks in the top 10-20pc for calving ease direct, RBY and NFI-I as well as top 20-25pc for BWT, 200, 400 and 600-day weights, milk and DOC plus the $A-L index.
An 872kg Texas Powerplay P613 son, Kapari Powerplay T39, also attracted plenty of attention selling at $17,000 to Cosgrove Farming, Mingenew.
Powerplay T39 is in the top 1pc for DOC, top 5-10pc for calving ease daughters, BWT and CWT and top 10-20pc for calving ease direct, 400 and 600-day weights and RBY.
There were a number of other buyers which had a significant influence on the Kapari offering buying more than one bull.
There were two buyers which picked up four Kapari sires and they were Silverback Farms, Northam, which averaged $8500 over its four that topped at $11,000 twice while Liberty Ag, Geraldton, purchased four at a $7500 average and to a $12,000 top.
Also supporting the Kapari team buying multiple lots was a return Mingenew buyer operating on AuctionsPlus that secured three all at $11,000 while Saltwater Beef, Wannamal, averaged $9333 over a team that topped at $15,000 and Oliver Asset (WA) Pty Ltd, Walkaway, purchased two bulls both at $9000.
The Topham family's Cookalabi stud, Coomberdale, rounded out the stud's to sell in the Angus run with an offering of 12 bulls and these all sold to a top of $8000 twice and average of $5750.
The first bull in the Cookalabi team to make $8000 was Cookalabi T29 when it was sold to a return Merredin buyer operating on AuctionsPlus.
T29 is by Blackrock P85 and ranks in the top 5-10pc for milk and rump fat and top 10-15pc for NFI-I.
Along with securing T29, the Merredin buyer also purchased two more bulls from the Cookalabi team to finish with three at a $6667 average.
This included at $7000 Cookalabi T51, which is by Cookalabi R39 and ranks in the top 5pc for DOC.
The other buyer to purchase at $8000 in the Cookalabi offering was Lara Downs Pty Ltd, Badgingarra, when it had the final bid on Cookalabi T2.
T2 is by Cookalabi R83 and ranks in the top 1pc for DOC and top 19pc for milk.
The volume buyer in the Cookalabi offering was Elders, Moora representative Clint Fletcher, who was bidding on behalf of Yadgeno, Moora.
Mr Fletcher purchased four bulls for the Moora enterprise all at $5000.
Limousin
The Limousin bulls followed the Angus sires in the catalogue and in this run two vendors presented 10 bulls which after some spirited bidding all found new homes selling to a top of $11,000 and for an average of $7000, which was back $3500 on last year.
Leading the Limousin section in style was a powerful Lim-Flex bull (Limousin-Angus composite), Tara Topdeck T79 (P B AC), from the Kupsch family's Tara stud, Allanooka, when it was knocked down for the section's $11,000 top price to the Terpstra family, Aldgate Limousins, Waroona.
The hetero black late March 2022-drop polled bull was sired by Limousin bull Tara R103 (P A AA) and out of Tara Black R86.
The impressive, versatile bull tipped the scales at 894kg with its EBVs of +0.8 for BWT and -6.2 for GL made it a suitable heifer option.
It ranks in the top 5pc for G, top 15pc for 400 and 600-day weights and top 20pc for BWT.
Buyer Pat Terpstra said it was their third Lim-Flex bull they have purchased having been impressed with their commercial performance, longevity and market suitability.
The bull will be used over the family's commercial Angus females to calve from March where calves are sold at about 10 months of age and 400kg to a range of buyers including the heifers as replacements.
"We thought he was a bit of a standout, soft and deep with a great temperament," Ms Terpstra said.
"The Lim-Flex calves are fantastic, easy doing and finishing with marketing flexibility."
A second bull in the Tara team, Tara Token T42 (PP B AA) hit the five figure when it sold for $10,000.
The 762kg, homozygous polled, black bull, which is by Raven Nemesis N163 (PP B AA), showed great softness and depth in the ring and this piqued the interest of many buyers before it was sold to Chris's Contracting, Namban.
Token T42 ranks in the top 10pc for calving ease direct and calving ease daughters and top 15pcc for 200-day weight.
Other buyers to bid up in the Tara team were NR Love & VJ Roche, Pemberton, that purchased at $9000 an 840kg apricot coloured son of Tara R62 (P A AA), Tara Thunder T106 (PP A AA), which is in the top 5pc for 600-day weight, 10pc for rump fat and top 15pc for 200 and 400-day weights and CWT, while Tebco Investments, Dongara, paid $7000 for Tara Trendsetter T125 (P A AA) which is by Tara R62 and ranks in the top 5pc for GL, 200, 400 and 600-day weights and RBY.
Also influencing the results of the Tara team was Nutrien Livestock, Gingin agent Greg Neaves, who purchased three sires from the stud to a top of $7000 and an average of $6000 for Birrawong Grazing, Badgingarra.
Mr Neaves went to $7000 for Tara Turnkey T57 (PP A AA) which is by Mandayen Jackaroo J2355 (PP A AA) and ranks in the top 10pc for 400-day weight and top 15pc for 200-day weight and EMA.
All up the Tara stud offered and sold eight Limousin bulls at an average of $7500, which was back $3643 on last year's sale.
The Stickland family's Woronyne stud, Wongan Hills, was the other vendor in the Limousin run and they offered two sires.
Both the sires from the Woronyne were knocked down at $5000 to Mr Neaves who was again buying for Birrawong Grazing.
The two bulls were by Woronyne Nemo 17 (H A U) and weighed in at 721kg and 820kg.
Murray Grey
The Murray Grey bulls were third into the ring and in this run the Stickland family, Mungatta stud, Wongan Hills, offered 12 bulls.
By the end of the offering nine had been cleared under the hammer to a top of $6000 three times and at an average of $5333, which was back $2367 on last year.
Dandaragan producers David Wilson and Rhonda Wybrow, Mikkelsen & Wilson, purchased two of the Mungatta bulls at $6000.
They purchased Mungatta Waldorf T74 from lot 75 and Mungatta Wheeler Dealer T30 from lot 79.
The 824kg Waldorf T74 is a son of Mungatta Talent Q12 and ranks in the top 15pc for GL and top 25pc for rib and rump fat, while the 868kg Wheeler Dealer T30 is by Mungatta Timbuktu Q11 and is in the top 10pc for GL and top 15pc for rib and rump fat.
Also heading to the Dandaragan property at $5000 was Mungatta Walk On T7.
Mr Wilson said they had been buying from Mungatta for 20 years and continue to buy because their bulls do the job for them.
"One of the bulls we will use over heifers and the other two will be joined to mature cows," Mr Wilson said.
The enterprise runs 150 pure Murray Grey breeders which calve in April/May.
Mr Wilson said they usually tried to sell their bull calves to live export at six months old, while they grow their heifers out to 18 months old before selecting replacements.
"We select our replacement breeders then and then heifers which are surplus to requirements are sold through the Muchea Livestock Centre," he said.
The third Mungatta sire to make $6000 was the 838kg, Mungatta Watson T48, in lot 78 when it was knocked down to Warragenny Holdings, Toodyay.
Watson T48 is by Lindsay Metallic M139 and ranks in the top 10pc for EMA and RBY as well as top 20pc for CWT.
The other five bulls in the Mungatta team to sell were all knocked down at $5000 and were split between two buyers Saltwater Beef, Wannamal, which purchased three, while Emerald Farms Pty Ltd, Toodyay, collected two.
Simmental
The Bradford Cattle Co Simmental stud, owned by Patrick O'Dea and Asher Goddard, Orange Springs, made a successful debut in the sale offering, selling one red Simmental sire for $6000.
The bull Bradford Cattle Co Red Labels Tribute T004, was purchased by Peter Fletcher, P & P Fletcher, Bindoon, who was assisted in his buying by Nutrien Livestock, Midlands representative Leno Vigolo.
The ET-bred Red Labels Tribute T004 is by USA sire Remington Red Label HR IMUPZ737 and out of Hobbs Livestock Red Party Girl P5.
Along being easy on the eye the bull has a good set of Expected Progeny Differences which sees it rank in the top 15pc for weaning weight, yearling weight and docility and top 25pc birthweight.
