WESTERN Victorian buyers turned out in force for the first Poll Hereford bull sale of the South Australian selling season,buying two-thirds of the Kerlson Pines and Oakdowns studs' combined sale catalogue.
This strong support ensured a substantial $530 lift in the average for the sale held at Waterfront complex near Naracoorte, SA, last Friday.
Thirty-six of the 50 bulls offered by Andrew and Vanessa Schwarz, Oakdowns stud, Bordertown, SA, and Mark, Anita and Andrew Wilson, Kerlson Pines, Keith, SA, found homes for a $4680 av.
Each stud offered 25 bulls with Oakdowns selling 21 av $4738, including the $9000 sale topper and Kerlson Pines selling 15 to a $7000 high twice, av $4600.
The sale lacked a volume pastoral order or two to sustain a higher clearance rate but there were plenty of positives for the passionate whiteface breeders with the higher av and selling six more bulls than the previous year's sale.
The youngest bull in the sale – an October 2013 drop – was among those to remain in SA.
Oakdowns Jumbo J206 was knocked down to Nick Laucke, Laucke-Merrina stud, Bordertown for the $9000 top price.
"He is the type of bull we were looking for with volume and width and muscling," Mr Laucke said.
The sale topper was a son of Yarrandabbie Egan, which Oakdowns purchased at the Wodonga National in 2011, and had tremendous performance weighing 770 kilograms at just 16-and-half months of age.
He had a solid spread of Breedplan figures including 400 and 600-day weights of +44 and +63, and an eye muscle area of +3.1.
Two other Egan sons with great length and thickness sold to studs in a real coup for Oakdowns.
Nathan Clarke, Wongawilli stud, Keilira, SA, bought one for $7500, and BLW Steer & Sons, Warrensville stud, Bordertown secured another at $5500.
Kerlson Pines' draft reached a $7000 high twice.
The first of these, Kerlson Pines Explosion J76 was bought by long-time client Lorna Goodridge, Peterborough, SA, and was a maternal brother to KP Explosion H22, the 2014 Sydney Royal senior champion bull which the stud retained.
The other, Kerlson Pines Jetstar J88 was bought by Spence Dix & Co's Rodney Dix for DG&PE Avery, Broken Hill, NSW – one of two bulls they bought.
Bidding was spirited on the top end of the catalogue but the 35 registered bidders were selectively looking for the right combination of visual appeal and objective measurements.
There was some great value buying with 16 bulls making $4000 or less.
Avon Park Oakley, Dartmoor, were the sale's volume buyer with three bulls for a $3333 average.
Both Elders and Landmark auctioneers Tony Wetherall and Gordon Wood praised the outstanding quality offering.
Catherine Miller
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
