SALE SUMMARY
2016 2015
Offered 39 48
Sold 39 30
Top $13,000 $10,500
Av $6013 $4633
THERE was a flurry of bids from across Australia at the Belmore Shorthorns third annual bull sale at Naracoorte on Thursday last week.
In a total clearance, Belmore’s Andy and Sally Withers and Anton and Ali Volker, and guest vendors Bayview stud, Yorketown, and Carlton stud, Hahndorf, sold 39 top quality, easy-doing bulls at an average $6013 at the Naringa Park sale complex.
NSW stud breeders were particularly strong, buying the four highest-priced bulls, but there was also strong commercial support.
An outstanding soft roan Shorthorn – Belmore Northern Legend K232 – described by Elders auctioneer Tom Dennis as a “breed changer”, made the $13,000 top price.
The only catalogued son of pre-potent Canadian AI sire Northern Legend 3N weighed 828 kilograms and was in top one per cent of the breed for eye muscle area at +8.1 and gestation length. He had a raw scan of 134 square centimetres, with 10 millimetre rump and 9mm rib fat.
Successful buyers were Amanda and Steve Barlow, Toogimbie stud, Mathoura, NSW, who were impressed by his “great outlook, mid maturity, breeding and excellent figures”.
“We have used grand sons of Northern Legend we have been happy with, so we thought we would get a son,” Mrs Barlow said.
The $12,000 second highest price bull Belmore Quantum K263 sold to Barry and Yvonne Crotty, Barvon stud, Mulwala, NSW.
Bayview Randal K39 offered by guest vendors Chris, Anissa, Kevin and Pam Thompson, Yorketown, made $10,000.
The outstanding bull was the highest EMA scanning of the drop and sold to Lee & Co, Claremont stud, Larras Lee, NSW.
Repeat buyer Terra stud, Dubbo, NSW, secured Belmore Chancellor K80 at $9500 on the phone. It was Terry Williams’ third Belmore bull in the past five years.
Mr Withers said it was “wonderful” to achieve a total clearance and was rapt with the quality of the offering. “They were good commercial bulls with plenty of muscle, finishing ability and structural soundness,” he said.
“Some of the weights were amazing for bulls so young.”
Mr Withers said the recent launch of JBS Australia’s Thousand Guineas grainfed beef brand was giving Shorthorn breeders confidence, especially with a 15-cents a kilogram premium for the breed above Angus.
“Shorthorns are being recognised for what they are – they are equal to the best in the industry for their quality and kill out with the best of Angus,” he said.
“Those that breed Shorthorns love them for their ease of management and temperament – they do it all.”
A huge geographical spread of buyers from WA’s Pilbara to Gippsland, Vic, and central NSW converged on the Belmore sale, but it was three volume buyers who took home nearly half the bulls.
Long-time client Keith Greenfield, Billa Kalina Station via Woomera, with Landmark Port Augusta branch manager Cameron Paul led the charge with eight bulls averaging $5875, including an eye-appealing son of Belmore Quantur G193 at $9000.
Landmark stud stock manager Gordon Wood bought six bulls at $4000 each for Goad Livestock, Carnarvon, WA.
Another loyal Shorthorn supporter GM Butler & Sons, Lochaber, bought five bulls to $8000, averaging $6000, through Elders Naracoorte’s Alan Thomson.
Elders Naracoorte branch manager and auctioneer Tom Dennis said the Shorthorn breed had gained some real momentum with JBS getting behind them.
“With bulls like these the breed is certainly heading in the right direction,” he said. “Four or five bidders on every bull spoke to the consistency of the offering.”
Landmark stud stock’s Richard Miller said the sale result was reward for the even line-up of bulls with plenty of natural thickness and meat with good fat cover.
“The good bulls deserved the money and buyers got very high quality and the younger bulls were not overlooked, as has happened in the past,” he said.
In the breakdown, Belmore stud sold 30 bulls averaging $6150; Bayview sold five bulls averaging $6000 and Carlton sold four bulls averaging $5000.