Red Angus bull tops Kurra-Wirra's 2023 northern sale

Running through the catalogue in a little over an hour, 89 of the 100 bulls on offer were sold, or 89 per cent.

The previous year, Victoria's Western District Close family sold 78pc of the bulls they'd brought north, averaging $6923 and topping at $18,000.

This year, the sale averaged $4511 but vendor Rob Close said that in the current market climate, selling the bulls they'd bred was a major achievement.

While Western Grazing, based at Eurella, Mitchell claimed the title of volume buyer last year, it was Kidman and Co, buying online, that took the honour this year.

Kidman and Co successfully bidded for 36 bulls for an average price of $4513, while Western Grazing this year bought 22 bulls for the base price of $4000.

Australian Topstock's James Lilburne, who was doing the buying, said they'd likely be used at Morstone and Magowra in the Gulf.

"I think the big companies are starting to appreciate what we offer - the slick gene red Angus are creating a lot of attention," Mr Close said.

They are Australia's largest Senegus breeder, but it was a red Angus bull, Kurra-Wirra Supertrouper S42, who topped the sale when he was purchased by Jock and Stacey Ryrie, Mt Pleasant, Tambo for $8000.

Sired by Brown Oracle B112, one of the leading red Angus sires in the US, Mr Ryrie said the bull's fertility and calving ease statistics, as well as his built-in dehorners, were what attracted him most.

They've been buying from the stud, sometimes Senegus but always at the higher content Angus end, for six or so years, to put with their Charolais red Angus-cross cow herd.

Supertrouper had P8 and rib fat measurements of 15 and 10 millimetres respectively, an eye muscle area of 132 square centimetres, intra-muscular fat of 7.2pc, and a scrotal circumference of 40.5cm.

The Ryries bought a total of three bulls, averaging $6333.

The sale's second top price of $7000 was shared by Angus and Senegus bulls.

The first, Kurra-Wirra Sullivan S19 was bought by Blue Sky Beef at Blackall.

His P8 and rib fat measurements were 14 and 12mm, his EMA was 133sq cm, his IMF was 6.8pc, and his scrotal circumference was 40cm.

The second $7000 bull was a hetero slick Senegus purchased by No 27 Pastoral Company, Acton, Richmond, represented at the sale by Wyatt and Angus Propsting.

It was their first time at the sale but they said slick coated red bulls fitted well into the north.

They bought 11 bulls at the sale for an average $4818 and Wyatt Propsting said they'd be going over Droughtmaster heifers on Richmond downs country.

"All the bulls were bought as heifer bulls, with low birthweight one of the big things we were looking at," he said.

A closer look at the sale statistics shows that the popularity for the Senegus bulls exceeded that of the red and black Angus sire prospects this year, a reverse of last year's results.

Of the 76 Senegus bulls offered, 93pc were sold.

Ninety per cent of the 10 red Angus bulls were sold under the hammer, and 69pc of the 13 Angus bulls found new homes.

The other volume buyer at the sale was SLM Australian Livestock Fund, a new client, who bought seven bulls for an average $4500.

Australian Topstock's James Lilburne was buying on their behalf and said they'd probably go back to Coonamble in NSW for use by the company.

Thirty-eight bulls in all were bought online, and 53pc of the catalogue had online bids.