*72 of 78 of bulls sold to $11,000, av $6903
WEERAN Angus, Byaduk, recorded a 92 per cent clearance rate at its 43rd on-property auction on Tuesday.
Weeran Angus stud co-principals Alec and Jo Moore said it was one of the best bull sales to date.
"It was the biggest draft of bulls we've put up and the largest number of bulls we've ever sold," Mr Moore said.
"We had a good crowd and about 50 registered buyers so we were very pleased.
"I think the way the cattle job is going this is just the beginning because if the rain keeps coming, the job will take off."
The top-priced bull, Lot 65, sold to the Lewis family, Hawkesdale, for $11,000.
"[The family is] a longstanding client of Weeran's," Mr Moore said.
"Lot 65 is an ideal bull for grass finishing programs with a high net feed efficiency and calving ease by Wattletop Franklin."
Wattletop Franklin G188 was the best performing sire in the sale, averaging $8563, followed by Ascot Hallmark which averaged $8167.
The equal second top-priced bulls sold to repeat client Nareen Station, Nareen (Lot 67), and the Perryman family, Mount Gambier, South Australia (Lot 15), for $10,000.
"[We] were delighted to welcome many new faces to the sale along with new buyers to the Weeran program," Mr Moore said.
"The future of the beef industry is looking very exciting and with protein shortage worldwide beef will be in demand."
Volume buyers included Nareen Station which bought six bulls and Winnidad Pastoral, Mortlake, which also bought six bulls.
Nareen bought its first bull from the stud in 1998.
Another notable buyer included second-time buyers Glencoe Farm Trust, Darlington, which bought four bulls.
Return top-priced bull buyer Joe Lewis, Hawkesdale, said the top-priced bull would be joined to about 40 heifers in May.
He bought the top-priced bull at the stud's autumn bull sale for $12,000 last year.
"He was a well put together article and I plan to put him over heifers so I liked his low birth weight and good calving ease," Mr Lewis said.
"He also had good growth so I thought it would be ideal for putting over my heifers to produce some nice calves."
Mr Lewis was also among the volume buyers, buying another three bulls at the sale.