* 25 of 36 bulls sold to $20,000, av $7041
Loyal clients have buoyed this year’s Glendan Park Herefords, Barfold, bull sale, in what stud principal Alvio Trovatello acknowledged is a tough season.
Mr Trovatello said he was happy with the sale, particularly the top end prices.
“Buyers were prepared to pay for the ones they liked, the clearance could have been a bit better, but – having said that – I think we made up for it with people being prepared to pay for the good ones and the ones they liked,” Mr Trovatello said.
The stud had not changed its program to prepare for this year’s sale.
“I don’t think it would have made much difference, to be honest.
"Cow numbers are back and people were pretty selective, and they didn’t need three or four bulls
"They only needed that one or two but were prepared to pay for them.”
He said buyers came from Gippsland, western Victoria, South Australia and NSW.
David McClure, Mooree Partnership, Harrow, paid the top price of $20,000 for lot number two, Glendan Park Nashville N002 (AI).
He was the sale’s volume buyer, picking up three bulls.
The March 2017-drop bull was by Yarrandabbie Herschel H106 (AI) (S), out of Glendan Park Moth G142 (P).
He weighed 972kilograms and recorded figures of an eye muscle area of 122millimetres, a P8 measurement of 16 millimetres, rib of eight mm and intramuscular fat of six per cent.
Nashville had a birthweight of 5.2kg, 200-day weight of 33kg, 400-day weight of 61kg and 600-day weight of 86kg.
Mr McClure was the volume buyer at the sale, picking up three bulls.
“We have bought Glendan Park bulls for more than 15 years,” Mr McClure said,
“They produce weight for age animals, animals that grow, producing females that are fertile, which is your biggest profit driver in a herd, and industry-leading carcase traits.”
He said he was prepared to pay for the bulls he liked.
“When we are picking a team of bulls, we will generally work on averages, some ones you buy cost more than you think, and some less, so you work on the averages to get the team want.”
The bull would go to a group of select cows, to produce elite females.
“These guys put all the work in; the easiest thing is we can come back and put our hand in the air,” he said.
Elders auctioneer Ross Milne said buyers found the better bulls and were prepared to bid on them.
“We didn’t get a full clearance, but people still got pretty good value between four and six grand, which is always important,” Mr Milne said.
“It’s a little bit tight, in surrounding areas, where Glendan Park does sell cattle, so obviously that put a dampner on, in terms of the clearance, but it’s still good to see old clients still appreciating the animals and bidding up.”
He said the success of the upcoming bull selling season would depend on where studs were located
“I think the western district sales should be solid enough, with reasonable clearances, but there are some areas where it’s been dry over a long period, and it's going to affect clearances, more so than anything else. ”
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
