*29 of 43 bulls sold to $10,000, av $5259
A father and son team were among the volume buyers, at the 50th annual Pinora Angus sale, Heyfield.
Brian and Mick Higgins took home five bulls, having been strong supporters of the Heyfield stud for many years.
Mick Higgins, who set up his own Yallourn North operation late last year, paid the highest, and second top, price for two of the bulls.
He paid $10,000 for Lot 18, Pinora Ness N42 and a further $8500 for Lot 22, Pinora Narromine N82.
"The top priced bull was a fair bit heavier than the others and had length and depth about him," Mr Higgins said.
"He was good in the feet, nice and sound and quiet."
Mr Higgins said it was the first time he'd bought Pinora bulls, for his own operation
But he said he'd purchased them before, as part of a partnership with his father.
Ness had a birth weight of 9kilograms, 200-day growth of +60kg, 400-day weight of +103kg and 600 day weight of +154kg. The July, 2017 drop bull was out of Pinora Lila G75.
He had estimated breeding values of an eye muscle area of +6.6millimetres, a rib fat of -0.8, rump fat of -0.6 and an intramuscular fat of +0.6 per cent.
Mr Higgins said he'd join the bulls to about 115 Hereford cows, to produce Black Baldys, which would be sold as weaners.
"I'm pretty much trying to get my numbers up, I was short of a few bulls, and thought I might as well buy quality," he said.
"If you want to buy quality, you have to be prepared to spend the money. Otherwise you end up with bulls you don't necessarily want."
Mr Higgins said he, and Brian, who has properties at Glenmaggie and Licola, were running about 400 calves, which would be fed silage through winter.
"Hopefully cattle prices change a bit, between now and spring," he said.
Stud principal John Sundermann said he was pleased with the top price, given conditions in Central and East Gippsland.
"It's just a disaster, really, and we wondered if we would sell any bulls, at all," Mr Sundermann said.
But he said the clearance was good and there had been further purchases after the auction finished.
"We've been feeding stock for two years now, buying hay and pellets, like everyone else in the area," he said.
The bulls had gained condition in the last few months and presented well on the day.
Most buyers were local, but some regulars stayed away, as they had destocked.
"We don't often sell many bulls, out of Gippsland," Mr Sundermann said.
"We've always had a very strong client base here - they're the ones that stick with us," Mr Sundermann said.
Pinora Navarle N161 also sold for $8500, going to Longford's John Maclachlan.
Other volume buyers were WK and MA Ferguson, Longford, who picked up six bulls.
Landmark conducted the sale.
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.
