A STRONG commercial market and good seasons across most areas of the eastern states helped Angus studs post record averages and clearances in 2017.
According to Angus Australia, a total of 167 Angus bull sales were held, with 9296 bulls sold for an average of $7630. Most Angus studs had full clearances, with many others selling at least 95 per cent of their lots.
The top price was paid for Carabar Docklands L36, which made $110,000 in the inaugural Carabar Angus on-property sale at Meandarra, Queensland in August, and set a new Queensland breed record.
The bull, bought by Vince Larkin and Sharala Ramsey, Larriken Angus, Narrabri, NSW, was one of 74 sold, averaging $9318.
South Australian stud Nampara Angus, Kingston SE, sold the second highest selling bull, Nampara Liberty L21, for $85,000, to Trent Walker, Keringa Angus, Culburra, SA, and Jim Wedge and Jackie Chard, Ascot Angus, Warwick, Qld, setting a new breed record for the state.
Booragul Angus, Piallaway, NSW, smashed its stud records in May, selling Booragul Leroy L70 for a record high of $60,000, and averaging $13,730 – a rise of almost $6000 from the previous year – for 63 bulls. Leroy was purchased by Dunoon Angus, Holbrook, NSW.
Three more bulls reached the $50,000 mark last year, with Texas Angus, Warialda, NSW, selling Texas Earnam L612 to DSK Angus, Coonabarabran, NSW, for $56,000; Victorian stud Banquet Angus taking home $52,000 for the sale of Banquet Lukas L200, who was bought by Fernleigh Angus, Elmbank, Vic; and Millah Murrah Angus, Bathurst, NSW, selling Millah Murrah Klooney M182 to Trio Angus, Cassilis, NSW, for $50,000, setting a new record for a yearling bull sold in Australia.
The three studs also posted impressive sale averages, with Texas selling all 127 bulls for a record sale average of $12,535; Banquet setting a sale record of $9169 with all 89 bulls sold; and 122 bulls averaging $15,590 at Millah Murrah.
Coolatai, NSW stud Clunie Range Angus reached a new record sale high of $45,000 for Clunie Range Landmark L415, which sold to Adameluca Angus, Kyneton, Vic, and recorded its strongest sale average yet, with 136 bulls averaging $12,324.
In NSW, Rennylea Angus, Bowna, NSW, sold Rennylea M6 to Bingara stud Booroomooka Angus, for $38,000, in the stud’s spring sale in September. The sale averaged $9682, with 148 of 150 bulls sold. Knowla Angus, Gloucester, sold Knowla Lofty L127 to Booragul Angus, Piallaway, for a sale record of $38,000, and also reached a record average of $11,214 for 69 bulls.
The Booroomooka Angus sale reached a high of $33,000 for Booroomooka Leroy L173, which sold to Wyagdon Valley Angus, Bathurst. The Sinclair family sold 227 bulls from 228 offered for a sale average of $9656, and a gross of $2.192 million, a record for the Angus breed.
Ben Nevis Angus, Walcha, NSW, osted a record sale high and average, with all 71 yearling bulls averaging $10,281 and reaching a top of $32,000 for Metamorphic M51, which was bought by Banquet Angus.
In its southern sale in March, Victorian stud Te Mania Angus sold Te Mania Lackey L27 to Jodie and Shane Foster, Boonaroo Angus, Casterton, Vic, for $30,000, and recorded an average of $9282, with all 156 bulls sold. Te Mania bulls reached a high of $20,000 at the stud’s Walgett, NSW, sale, where all 105 bulls sold for a strong average of $10,308. In the New England region of NSW, the run of strong sales began with a $9517 average and a top of $15,000 at the inaugural Heart Angus on-property sale at Tamworth. Guyra stud Eastern Plains Angus had a top of $16,000 and average of $8934 and Sara Park Angus, Glen Innes, sold all 36 bulls, topping at $16,000 twice and averaging $9583.
At Dulverton Angus, Glen Innes, prices reached $18,000, with all 78 bulls on offer selling for a new stud average record of $11,064, while Guyra stud, Glenavon Angus, also set a new record average of $10,633, with a top of $19,000 and a total clearance of the 101 bulls offered.
Bald Blair Angus, Guyra, continued the strong results for Angus cattle, with all 69 bulls offered selling, topping at $16,000 and averaging $9594. In the penultimate bull sale for Guyra stud, Wattletop Angus, just one of the 121 bulls offered was passed in, with bidding reaching a high of $26,000 to average $10,308.