Difficult dispersal tops at $20,000

Notable Hereford breeders from Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and NSW supported the 30 year-old stud's last hurrah.

The three year-old top-price bull, son of Otapawa Spark 3060 and out of Mount Difficult Henrietta, was knocked down to dominant buyer Ravensdale Poll Herefords, Little Billabong, NSW after strong interest by phone bidders.

Hansen boasted a modest birth weight of 5.3, positive calving ease, exceptional weight gains of +76 400-day weight and +111 600-day weight.

The bull, who tested 97 per cent positive for the poll gene, recorded estimated breeding values of +5.2 for birth weight, +46 for 200-day weight, +76 for 400-day weight, +111 for 600-day weight and +0.8 for intramuscular fat.

Mr Cole said Hansen attracted stud interest because of his looks matched with strong figures: +4.5 for eye muscle area (EMA), +1.1 rib, +1.7 rump and $67 supermarket and +$75 EU $Index.

Nine of 44 herd sires sold averaged $5438, with the second highest price at $4000 paid for Mount Difficult Hayes H80, son of Mount Difficult Cathcart and Mount Difficult Tigress D21.

He also boasted solid estimated breeding values.

Joined females were sought after selling 106 of 181 offered to $8500, av $2246.

The top-priced female, Mount Difficult Mary F003, was Western Australia bound after a bidding battle finished at $8500 to JM and DW House, College Grove.

The five year-old cow was pregnancy-tested in-calf (PTIC) to Allendale Anzac E114, and is due to calve in March.

Volume buyer was Ian Frost, Condah, who purchased 22 PTIC cows and heifers to average $1636 and one unjoined heifer to $1400.

Of 45 bull calves offered, 15 sold to $1600, av $1067 and 19 of 51 unjoined heifers sold to $2800, av $1284.

Several semen packages were on offer. The highest price paid was $120 per straw for 18 doses of South Bukalong Wallace 2.

"It has been an interesting and enjoyable 30 years … I am now reluctantly dispersing because I am 84 years-old and sooner or later I am going to drop off the perch and there is no one left to carry on," Mr Cole said.

"This was an opportunity for all like-minded breeders to reap the benefits of what I and my staff have achieved across the years … I would like to think the name Mount Difficult will live on in the herd books."