Banquet Angus
Total clearance of 91 bulls, selling to $21,000, av $8868
IT WAS another fantastic day at the Branson family’s Banquet Angus sale at Mortlake last Thursday.
With the stands packed to near capacity and with 107 registered bidders from five Australian states and New Zealand, there was a very good indication of a strong sale result.
This year’s sale was different to previous years with were only 91 bulls offered, plus 150 PTIC commercial heifers on behalf Banquet clients, Margaret and Robbie Patterson, Drysdale Partnership, Mortlake, which started the sale.
In a total clearance, the bulls sold to a top of $21,000 and a record $8868 average for the stud.
The Patterson heifers also all sold to $2700, averaging $2411.
Senior Banquet principal Stephen Branson said the draft of bulls as the most even ever presented – and this consistent quality was reflected in the strong bidding throughout and 29 bulls sold for $10,000 or better.
It was not until lot 72 that the top price of $21,000 was achieved. Banquet Katoomba K312, sired by Anvil Fusion and from a “Time Frame” daughter in the Banquet Dream family was a stud sire in every aspect. He weighed 720kg with exceptional muscling and hindquarter conformation for a bull of 17 months. His structural correctness was exceptional and his Breedplan figures were just as impressive. With a moderate birth weight EBV of 5.1 and growth figures up to 114 for 600-day weight, an EMA of 4.1 and IMF of 1.8.
Paul Hawkins, Elm Grove Cattle Co, Llangothlin, NSW, purchased the bull and Richard and Vicki Rowe, Merchiston Cattle Co, Marton, New Zealand, took a semen share in him. Banquet is retaining semen in this impressive youngster for in herd use. Elm Grove also purchased Banquet Kurdeez K271 for $10,000. They have a small stud herd from which they breed bulls for their 240 Angus cows.
The second top price of $20,000 was paid for Banquet Keast K214 by Richard Wadeson, RCW (Vic) Pty Ltd, Shepparton. With figures of +90 for 400 day weight, 118 for 600 day weight and 5.8 for EMA this powerful 17 month-old youngster already weighed 760kg. The bull will be used primarily for semen sales. Richard explained they had purchased the bull’s sire, Banquet Graduate G464, but he had recently died so they swooped on the opportunity to secure a son.
Three single bull purchases at $16,000 went to Dungay Park Angus, Dondingalong, NSW, Webb Pastoral, Glenburn, both of whom purchased heifers, and MJ & RF Patterson, Mortlake, who sold the heifers. The latter of these was the 11 month-old and 530kg Banquet Lascelles L022, the first one offered from a select group of five young outcross that averaged $10,000.
Picking up another two of them was Chris Stanley, Chris Stanley Livestock, Woori Yallock. He purchased five bulls at an $8600 average for Gippsland Water to be the biggest volume buyer.
It was Glen White, manager for Dunkeld Pastoral, Dunkeld who set the ball rolling with a winning $14,000 bid on the first lot of the sale, then added lot 10 for $10,000.
Charles and Cass Kimpton, Toora West, Glenthompson have purchased from Banquet for at least 16 years and have paid the top price three times. This year their investment in a new sire, Banquet Knell K190 only required an $11,000 bid.
Blyth Brothers, Fernleigh Angus, Elmbank have also purchased regularly, including the $30,000 top price in 2014. This year their two purchases were both outstanding bulls that Banquet has retained semen in; Banquet Kamona K210 for the sale’s third top price of $18,000 and Banquet Kyneton K081 for just $10,000.
Barry and Damien Pitt, Sumatanga Park, Coonawarra and buying through TDC Penola led the five South Australian buyers at this sale. Getting in early, they snapped up Banquet Kirkpatrick K025 and Banquet Kevin K085 at lots 5 and 7 for just $14,000 and $10,000, the latter another of the sires Banquet has retained semen in. Overall, 10 bulls went to SA at an $8800 average.
Queenslanders Duncan Emmott, Longreach, purchased four bulls, all at $6000 to be the equal second highest volume buyer.
Two other Victorian buyers were prominent in the volume buying. MA McCormak, Caldermeade and buying through Alex Scott Korumburra didn’t purchase their first bull until 15 lots from the end. They obviously liked this Banquet Hudson H411 son, as they then purchased two more and a Banquet Granada G077 son in the next three lots, also going home with four bulls at a $5000 average.
Craig Wallis, buying though Kerr & Co, Hamilton averaged $9333 for three bulls last year and repeated that exactly this year. His top purchase, the 17 month old Banquet Knight K284 by B. Frederick F683 at $11,000 was a particularly impressive youngster.
“The greatest compliment we can have is the size of this crowd and particularly the number of repeat buyers. We are focussed on being a Banquet family business and that very much includes our clients, whether they have been with us for one or twenty plus years,” Stephen Branson said.
Commercial heifers
An impressive offering of 150 PTIC commercial Angus heifers on behalf Banquet clients, Margaret and Robbie Patterson, Drysdale Partnership, Mortlake preceded the Branson family’s Banquet bull sale.
The heifers were snapped up by eager commercial producers to a top of $2700 and averaged $2411.67, in the region of $400/head above other market prices for similar aged and status heifers.
The Pattersons run around 300 breeders themselves and trade other cattle. They purchased these heifers from long term Banquet clients at last year’s Hamilton weaner sales and in association with the Branson family, grew them out and mated them through AI to the renowned Banquet sire Dylemma Radar W42, plus a few other specific calving ease Banquet sires.
“This was in effect a bit of a test case with the intent of demonstrating just how well the Banquet bloodlines grow on and display their full genetic potential,” Robbie Patterson said.
“I think we have certainly shown that, plus received an economic reward to more than justify the time and expense involved in caring for them for the last 13 months,” he added.
The first pen of 20 heifers averaging 665kg live weight, and due to calve from mid-March topped the sale at $2700, being purchased by Chris Stanley Livestock, Woori Yallock, account Killain Angus.
Webb Pastoral, Glenburn and buying through Rodwells Yea purchased two pens at $2250 (21 head) and $2600 (20 head) respectively, while the $2650 second top price was bid via the Auctions Plus network through Aaron Malseed in the sale barn, also for 20 head.
“In breeding Angus cattle it is important to consider the quality of the replacement female component as well as young sale cattle,” Stephen Branson said.
