ALPINE/WELCOME SWALLOW
Angus
102 of 108 bulls sold to $8500, av $4279.
Charolais
3 of 5 bulls sold to $3000, av $3000.
DEVELOPMENT of good cattle stud stock was similar to coaching a football team, Alpine Angus principal Jim Delaney told a large gallery of buyers at this year’s autumn sale.
He told buyers at the Rosewhite selling complex, stud manager Chris Oswin had “turned over” a few cows, similar to the way a coach swapped players in a bid to improve performance.
“He was particularly looking at temperament and structure issues – I think his work is reflected in what we see in our cattle,” Mr Delaney said.
“They are sound, free moving cattle, plenty on length, long, clean fronted bulls, standing on strong pasterns that reflects the qualities of our female herd.”
He said he felt the sale went very well, given the number of animals on offer, with all Alpine bulls cleared. Alpine joined with Welcome Swallow, which was clearing the first group of its bulls following the heifer dispersal by the Illalangi stud last September.
Most commercial buyers came from a 150-200 kilometre radius of the stud.
“I think people were looking for good, sound structure, moderate birth weight and high growth spread,” Mr Delaney said. Welcome Swallow co-principal Suzy Martin said she and husband Jim would continue to work with Alpine, giving advice on mating and marketing.
“We will just see how our life evolves,” Ms Martin said.
Welcome Swallow dispersed its heifers in September last year, after 22 years.
“We have known Chris Oswin for a long time, and we know he shares similar values to ours, in breeding cattle,” she said.
Auctioneer Michael Glasser had suggested the studs have a joint sale.
“We decided we would market out first draft of bulls for the autumn sale, and that would be our final sale, and then they bought the younger brothers to these we presented and they will sell them in Spring.”
Jeff Brindley, Lucybanks, Corryong, paid the top price of $8500, for lot one, 24 month-old Alpine Full House KO52 (Alpine Angus).
A 870 kilogram bull, with a 42 centimetre scrotal measurement, is a Largo Full House son out of Alpine Bernice. He recorded estimated breeding values (EBVs) of +48kg 200-day weight, +86kg at 400 days and +117 at 600 days. He has an eye muscle area (EMA) EBV of +5.5 sq cm, rib fat of -1.4mm and rump of -0.9mm.
The bull was described as a “sound, good bodied, Full House son, with excellent structural assessment scores”. The sire had been producing low birthweight, quiet, sound cattle.
Mr Brindley said he already had calves on the ground from a Full House bull.
“We just want to put this one over some our better cows, we just want to lift the herd, that’s what we are doing,” Mr Brindley said.
He said calves from the Angus herd were sold into the weaner market,
“We are into the pure Alpine Angus now, there are only one or two that are not, we have had no trouble taking them up into that climate,” he said.
Other Alpine Angus bulls were knocked down for between $6000 and $8000.
Top sellers included Alpine Earnen K024, knocked down to Tom Groggin and Alpine Apache K160,which both went for $8000.
Vienna Investment Holdings,Tatong, was the biggest volume buyer, successfully bidding on five bulls, to a top of $4500.
KH&WR Ingram, Bonang paid $7500 for the Welcome Swallow sale topper, Welcome Swallow Apache K113.
The auction was conducted by Michael Glasser, GTSM, in conjunction with Elders, Paul and Scollard and Rodwells.
