*47 of 53 sold to $17,000, av $5127
LEADING Gippsland Hereford breeder Barry Newcomen said this year’s stud sale defied his concerns over the region’s dry conditions.
Of the 53 bulls offered, 47 sold, to a top of $17,000, and average price of $5217, at Barry and Topsy Newcomen’s 15th Newcomen Herefords sale, Ensay.
“I was very happy,” stud principal, Mr Newcomen said.
“I expected it would be tough, because Gippsland has had a pretty tough time.
“We had a good clearance and a good top price, so what more could I ask for?
“We felt we had a very good line up this year, probably the best we’ve ever had.”
Mr Newcomen said the stud aimed to breed animals with good weight, eye muscle area, and intramuscular fat.
“As one agent said, if you have seen one, you have seen the lot,” Mr Newcomen said.
“We have got the quality, now we need the rain.”
The sale topper, Lot 1, Newcomen Maestro MO11, was sold to Graeme Belcher and Karen Edwards, Woodside.
Newcomen Maestro M011 had Hereford BreedPlan estimated breeding values (EBVs) of an eye muscle area of 4.8 square centimetres, a rib of 0.1, rump of 0.3 and intramuscular fat (IMF) of 0.4 per cent.
The bull was in the top five per cent of the breed for 400-day growth, recording 64 kilograms.
Maestro was also in the top 10pc for 200 and 600-day growth, as well as eye muscle area.
Mr Newcomen said Maestro was the heaviest calf at weaning, and retained that title through to the last weighing, just prior to Christmas.
The March 2016-drop bull was by Yarram Unique J164, and out of Newcomen Albany Lass J31.
Auctioneer Michael Glasser said Maestro was a 974kg bull who was sure to make a stud sire.
“He’s a grand calf to start the day,” Mr Glasser said.
Bidding jumped from five thousand to the final figure of $17,000 very quickly.
Mr Belcher said Maestro had “very even, balanced figures” and a good temperament.
“We run an Angus and Hereford herd, half and half, and we’ve been here for 14 out of the 15 years,” Mr Belcher said.
“You get them home and they always do, they always improve, they never falter.”
Newcomen’s name and reputation were evident in prices achieved at weaner sales, at Leongatha, he said.
“With the dry season, we are looking for a bit more fat cover, which is what this bull has,” he said.
“We will be looking for him to produce female stock.
“You have to have good cows, before you have good steers, so that’s what we are looking for.”
The second top price was paid for Lot 2, Newcomen Macdougal, which sold for $9000 to JL and SE Gray.
The Grays were among the volume buyers, taking three bulls.
Macdougal was by Dunoon Elliott E066, and out of Newcomen Daisy F14.
The bull was described as having wonderful length and color, with an impeccable temperament.
He was in the top 10pc for 600-day growth (88kg), and 20pc for 200-day growth (35kg).
The $17,000 top price greatly exceeded last year’s top of $12,000, which was paid twice by local Hereford breeders.
In 2017, one Hereford and one Poll Hereford reached that sale high.
Last year’s average of $5340 was slightly higher than this year.
The sale was conducted by GTSM and Elders.
