The Silverstone Charolais stud's sale catalogue was one to remember this year, boasting a tremendous line-up of top-quality, well-bred Charolais bulls offered by the Imberti family at their Narrikup-based property last week.
A total of 34 very even sires were presented with impressive estimated breeding values (EBVs) and visual traits to suit all buyers' requirements.
This year, the stud offered its 2022-drop bulls and some younger 2023-drop bulls.
Eager prospective bidders and onlookers, as well as online through AuctionsPlus which attracted multiple interstate bidders, assisted the sale and saw prices skyrocket to a high of $40,000.
On AuctionsPlus, the sale attracted 1018 catalogue views, 40 buyers logged in, 20 online bids were placed from two active online bidders, which between them bought three lots successfully.
Of the 34 bulls offered, 22 were sold under the hammer to an $8591 average.
Last year, 23 of 27 bulls sold under the hammer to a high of $30,000 and an average of $9522.
While the sale average was back on last year, the stud gave clients a greater selection of bulls this year, which saw prices reflect the current market and seasonal conditions the WA beef industry is experiencing, not the quality of the bulls.
Nutrien Livestock auctioneer Tiny Holly said there had been plenty of improvement in terms of genetics and cattle presented by studs so far.
"This is definitely the case for the Imberti family," Mr Holly said.
"I thought Jon and Chloe presented all their bulls excellently and they were done just the way they should be with excellent figures to go with it."
Mr Holly said the top price bull was definitely worthy of its $40,000 title.
"This is a credit to the family and the way they market their cattle," he said.
"Between the good marketing and breeding, that's why there was good interest from the Eastern States.
"There were quite a few AuctionsPlus registrations and good activity through that, which was very positive - as is seeing three bulls go across the border."
Mr Holly said he thought buyers were selective this year.
"I think the lack of a couple of buyers due to seasonal conditions did play a role to put a base into the market, hence a few passed in lots," he said.
"All in all the genetics, breeding and presentation was next level and is a credit to the Silverstone team."
Achieving the top-price honours at $40,000 was Silverstone Tex, from lot three, which was snapped up by Ben Scott, B & C Scott, Maryvale, Wee Waa, New South Wales, via AuctionsPlus.
Tex is an April 2022-drop son of Ascot Kilo Packer JAJQ38E and out of Copplestone Qcumber CPMP47E.
The 984 kilogram beauty has estimated breeding values (EBVs) of -1.6 calving ease direct (CED), -2.2 gestation length (GL), +2.2 birthweight (BWT), +20, +37 and +51 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +59 mature cow weight (MCW), +5 for milk, +1.6 scrotal size (SS), +26 carcase weight (CWT), +1.7 eye muscle area (EMA), +0.1 and +0.2 for rib and rump fats, +0.3 retail beef yield (RBY) and +0.3 intramuscular fat (IMF).
With these figures, it ranks in the top 10 per cent for 400 and 600-day weights and top 15pc CWT.
Mr Scott said they had been looking for a top end Red Factor Charolais sire to join with some of their cows, with the aim of breeding some Red Factor bulls to put over their commercial Hereford herd.
"We have been following the Silverstone Charolais bulls for a few years now and really liked the style of bulls they are breeding," Mr Scott said.
"Lot three in this year's sale caught our eye, he is exactly what we have been looking for."
Selling for the second highest sum was lot five bull, Silverstone Titan, which was secured by the BJ Panizza Family Trust, Albany.
Titan is an April 2022-drop son of Silverstone Quietly Spoken Q164E and out of Elgin Park Keely EP7K65E, with EBVs of +2.6 CED, -3.7 GL, 0.0 BWT, +14, +32 and +46 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +38 MCW, +7 for milk, +1.4 SS, +24 CWT, +0.4 EMA, +0.8 and +1.0 for rib and rump fats, -0.8 RBY and +0.5 IMF.
With these figures, Titan ranks in the top 15pc for 400-day weight and CWT and top 20pc IMF.
The Panizza family rounded out its sales with a $6000 sire, Silverstone Tequila.
The May 2022-drop sire is a son of Quicksilver Rockstar 1QSR43E and out of Brookside Stardust B1DK1E.
The second bull to take out the second top price of $12,000 was a younger May 2023-drop sire, Silverstone Goldrush, which was also knocked down to return buyers Alan and Natalie Goodland, Clare Charolais stud, Theodore, Queensland.
Goldrush is sired by Ascot Recharge JAJE125E and out of Copplestone Penelope CPMK48E.
It has EBVs of -2.2 CED, -4.8 GL, +0.4 BWT, +21, +44 and +60 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +60 MCW, +12 for milk, +2.4 SS, +33 CWT, +1.6 EMA, +1.6 and +2.3 for rib and rump fats, -0.8 RBY and +0.4 IMF.
It ranks in the top 5pc for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, MCW, SS and CWT, top 10pc for milk and rib and rump fats and top 15pc BWT.
The Queensland buyers rounded out their purchases with lot four, Silverstone Titanic, an April 2022-drop, sired by Silverstone Quietly Spoken Q164E and out of Copplestone Qumulus CPMK37E, bought for $6000.
Mr Goodland said they selected bulls heavily on visual appraisal.
"The whiter bull, from lot four, is going to be a commercial bull for us," Mr Goodland said.
"He was great visually, and had really good muscle, softness and length of body.
"He is a good all round bull that is long and very soft still, with a heap of muscle behind him."
Mr Goodland said for the younger bull, his redder colour made a difference for them.
"His breeding and his sire, which is a very good bull, played a part in his selection," he said.
"He had a lot of phenotype, he is super thick and very sound.
"In theory, we hope to use him with some Charolais cows.
"He has a good outlook, he's only young but very well-balanced and has very good visual appeal."
Mr Goodland said although the bull was young, he had multiple traits Clare Charolais was after.
"Over here, we don't join until October-November, so he will be 18-months-old by the time we use him, so he's young enough for us to get a lot of use out of him," he said.
The volume buyer in the sale, Bill and Betty Jackson, WJ & EG Jackson, Frankland River, secured three bulls to an average of $6333 and a high of $7000.
Their highest priced sire, Silverstone Tik Tok is an April 2022-drop son of Ascot Kilo Packer JAJQ38E and out of Downunder Daisy 1LPK53E.
The 927kg well-rounded sire has EBVs +3.5 CED, -3.6 GL, -0.4 BWT, +14, +29 and +37 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +33 MCW, +7 for milk, +1.6 SS, +23 CWT, +1.8 EMA, +1.0 and +1.5 for rib and rump fats, -0.1 RBY and 0.0 IMF.
With these figures, it ranks in the top 20pc for rump fat.
Other notable buyers purchasing teams of two bulls each was PR & SM Marshall, Albany, to average $8000, SN Dunnet, Pemberton, to an average of $8000 and Frost & Cave Farms, Mt Barker, to average $6500.
Silverstone Charolais stud principal Jon Imberti and the Silverstone team were very happy with the sale's result considering the current season.
"We are looking forward to a better season this year," Mr Imberti said.
