There was strong demand for the commercial lots offered at the second annual Bootehill, Claremont Reds and Yonda Grange Red Angus sale yesterday.
However, there was limited competition for the stud registered bulls and unjoined and unjoined females, which Claremont Reds’ co-principal Sue Boland said reflected the uncertain seasonal conditions that were shaking people’s confidence.
It was the first time the combined Red Angus sale had a show-ring, with last year’s inaugural sale using the helmsman system, and Mrs Boland said it was an important step to build awareness of the annual combined Red Angus sale that was held at the Claremont Reds’ farm at Clyde.
Claremont Red Heartbreaker achieved the sale’s top-price of $4500. The two-year-old sire tipped the scales at 1040 kilograms, making him the heaviest bull to go under the hammer, thanks to his impressive depth, thickness and muscling.
David and Ashleigh Hobbs, Round-Em-Up Red Angus, Molong, NSW, secured the sale-topper via telephone bids.
Mr Hobbs is the immediate past president of Red Angus Society of Australia and was the manager of BST Tullatoola Red Angus and Simmentals, Molong, where Claremont Red Heartbreaker’s sire BST Tullatoola Bonnafide C61 (AI) was bred.
Red Angus Society of Australia executive officer Colin Rex, who bid on the Hobbs’ behalf, said BST Tullatoola Bonnafide sold for $14,000 and was the supreme exhibit at the Adelaide feature show in 2009, which was the largest ever showing of Red Angus in Australia.
The Hobbs family was keen to purchase the genetics that they knew had worked so well, Mr Rex said.
Claremont Red Heartbreaker’s pedigree was supported by impressive data of estimated breeding values (EBVs) of +26kg, +35kg and +55kg for 200, 400 and 600 day growth. His supermarket index (SUP) was +$26, vealer index (VLR) of +$29 and northern steer index (NTH) of +$36.
The Hobbs also purchased two registered heifers, which were also sired by Tullatoola Bonnafide. They paid $2200 for both Claremont Red Crimson Jewel and Claremont Red Jane Fonda – which was also the sale’s top-price for registered females.
Bidding heated up for the 21 commercial females offered, with all but three selling. Claremont Reds put eight unjoined heifers, 12 to 15 months old that sold to $925, average $803.
Bootehill, Drouin South, sold eight of 10 commercial heifers (four joined to easy calving sire BOOG086, six unjoined) at the sale each for $700. The two passed-in sold directly after the sale.
Yonda Grange, Wangoom, sold one of three joined heifers for $1000.
The Heggen family buying through SEJ Leongatha snapped up 13 of the 21 commercial heifers offered putting together a nice draft with animals from each represented stud.