A well-presented line-up of Angus bulls, backed up with equally impressive figures and solid local buying support, ensured a good result for the Johnson family's sixth annual Bannitup and Naranda on-property bull sale at Esperance last week.
The sale kicked off the Angus bull sales at Esperance hosted by Nutrien Livestock and the Chatley Livestock team and it attracted a good crowd of prospective buyers, who showed their appreciation of the bulls presented in their bidding.
When the sale got underway the contingent of local buyers, who know the bulls from the two studs on offer, were consistent in their bidding and they pushed prices to a top of $14,500 and helped the studs achieve their third best result on record, averaging more than $7100.
Combined the two studs offered 47 bulls with 32 from Bannitup and 15 from Naranda and with the solid interest from the buying fraternity, auctioneer Neil Brindley powered through the offering.
Ultimately Mr Brindley cleared 39 of the 47 bulls under the hammer at an average of $7141, which was back $2745 on last year, while the number of bulls sold was up four head.
In comparison, last year the studs combined to sell 35 bulls from 43 offered to a top of $14,500 and an average of $9886.
Mr Brindley said it was a good sale for the Johnson family with the average being their third best on record and the number of bulls sold up on last year.
"While the average was back on last year, the final result was on par with expectations given the position of the beef market," Mr Brindley said.
"The Johnson family presented a quality offering of bulls and they again sold to good support from local buyers who know the product.
"The bulls get better and better here each year and this is a credit to the Johnson family and their commitment to the industry and their breeding program."
Bannitup
The Bannitup stud, owned by Andrew and Khumo Johnson, had the largest percentage of the bulls in the catalogue, offering 32 bulls.
When the last Bannitup bull left the ring at the end of the sale, 28 of the 32 bulls offered had been sold to nine different buyers under the hammer to a stud equal record top price of $14,500 and an average of $7411, which was back $2047 on last year.
Last year the stud offered 32 bulls and sold 24 to a top of $14,500 and an average of $9458.
Leading the Bannitup charge and selling at the stud's $14,500 top price was the 746 kilogram, May 2022-drop, Bannitup Goalkeeper T135 in lot 19, when it sold to return buyer the Whiting family, Shepwok Angus, Esperance.
Shepwok Angus cattle manager Nigel Bingham said Goalkeeper T135 was a good all round sire with balance, structure, depth and length.
"He also has a top set of growth estimated breeding values (EBVs)," Mr Bingham said.
"As we will be using him as a terminal sire we wanted that good growth so we can turn the calves off quickly."
The Baldridge Goalkeeper son has EBVs of -0.3 for calving ease direct, -1.4 for calving ease daughters, -2.2 gestation length (GL), +5.5 birthweight (BWT), +67, +127 and +159 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +138 mature cow weight (MCW), +16 milk, +3.1 scrotal size (SS), -2.6 days to calving (DTC), +94 carcase weight (CWT), +2.7 EMA, -0.4 rib fat, -1.2 P8 fat, -0.2 retail beef yield (RBY), +1.5 IMF, +40 docility (DOC), +1.1 claw set and +1.1 foot angle.
With these figures Goalkeeper T135 ranks in the top one per cent of the breed for 400-day weight, top 2pc for 600-day weight, top 3pc for 200-day weight, DOC and CWT, top 7pc MCW and top 19pc SS.
Along with buying Goalkeeper T135 from the Bannitup offering, the Whiting family also purchased a second Baldridge Goalkeeper son from the Bannitup offering, Bannitup Goalkeeper T105 for $10,500.
T105 ranks in the top 2-5pc for 400 and 600-day weights as well as foot angle and clawset plus top 5-10pc for 200-day weight, MCW, DOC and CWT, while it is in the top 20-25pc for rib fat, P8 fat and the $A-L index.
Mr Bingham said this year they were looking to join 850 Angus breeders for a late February/March calving.
"We really wanted to support the local studs this year and were keen to buy the bulls that met our requirements," Mr Bingham said.
"We like buying from this sale as there is good evenness across the catalogue of bulls from the two studs and also because the sires work well over our cow herd."
The second top price in the Bannitup offering was $11,500 bid by Wes Graham, WJ & FJ Graham, Esperance, for Bannitup Goalkeeper T104.
The 800kg Baldridge Goalkeeper son ranks in the top 15-20pc for BWT, milk and EMA and top 20-25pc for calving ease direct, 400-day weight and CWT.
Mr Graham said Goalkeeper T104 was a soft, easy doing, stylish bull with good growth for age and balance.
"I was also chasing his Goalkeeper bloodline as it is a new one to introduce into my herd," Mr Graham said.
He also purchased a second Baldridge Goalkeeper son that is in the top 5-10pc for EMA and RBY, for $8000.
There were two bulls to sell for the equal $11,000 third top price in the run.
The first was a Bannitup Recherche R63 son, Bannitup Recherche T145, when it sold to Ryan Willing, Esperance, who also purchased a second Bannitup sire at $6500.
Recherche T145 ranks in the top 2pc for GL, top 15-19pc for 200-day weight, EMA, IMF and foot angle plus top 20-25pc for 400 and 600-day weights and milk.
The other bull to sell at $11,000 was Bannitup Compass T130 and it was purchased by Terry and Kath Fleeton, Propasco, Esperance, who run 240 Angus breeders.
Compass T130 is by Baldridge Compass C041 and ranks in the top 4pc for rib and P8 fat and top 12pc for DOC.
Along with purchasing Compass T130, the Fleetons purchased another three bulls including one at $10,000 to finish with a team of four at an average of $8625.
Other volume buyers in the Bannitup offering were Adina Grazing, Esperance, which purchased seven bulls to a top of $6500 and an average of $5357 to make the run's volume buyer and Morundah Pty Ltd, Condingup, which secured six top a top of $9000 and an average of $6500.
Naranda
This year the Naranda stud principals David and Dale Johnson offered 15 bulls and sold 11 under the hammer to seven different buyers to a top of $11,500 and an average of $6455, which was back $4363.
In comparison, last year the stud offered and sold 11 bulls to a top of $14,500 and an average of $10,818.
Topping the Naranda offering at $11,500 was Naranda T9 when it was knocked down to return buyer, the Whiting family, Shepwok Angus.
Mr Bingham said T9 phenotypically presented well and had the EBVs to back it up.
"He is a thick, square type with good depth of body," Mr Bingham said.
"In terms of his figures he had exceptional calving traits, a low birthweight and rapid growth.
"We will look to use him to breed replacement females."
T9, which is by SC Abundance, has EBVs of +7.6 for calving ease direct, +9.9 for calving ease daughters, -12.0 GL, +2.0 BWT, +59, +103 and +1131 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +100 MCW, +14 milk, +1.3 SS, -6.3 DTC, +74 CWT, +11.6 EMA, -1.9 rib fat, -2.3 P8 fat, +0.9 RBY, +2.3 IMF, +27 DOC, +1.06 claw set and +0.88 foot angle.
With these figures T9 ranks in the top 1pc for GL, top 2pc calving ease daughters, top 7pc EMA, top 9pc calving ease direct and top 10-20pc for BWT, 200-day weight, 400-day weight, DTC, while it is in the top 2pc for both the $A and $A-L indexes.
Also out of the Naranda offering the Whitings purchased a Naranda R6 son, Naranda T66, that ranks in the top 2pc for milk and top 10pc for 400-day weight for $10,500, which was Naranda's second top price.
Other strong supporters of the Naranda team purchasing multiple lots were Adina Grazing and Ryan Willing.
Adina Grazing purchased three bulls to a top of $6500 and an average of $5500.
It paid $6500 for a SC Abundance son, Naranda T31, that is in the top 5-10pc for EMA and GL as well as the $A and $A-L indexes.
Mr Willing purchased two bulls both at $5000.
The remaining four bulls to sell in the Naranda team sold to four separate buyers for between $5000 and $6500.
