*106 of 107 bulls sold to $14,000 (twice), av $7180
Pathfinder Angus bulls sold to $14,000 on two occasions as buyers spent an average of $7180 for the 106 bulls sold under the hammer.
It was an almost total clearance as repeat buyers dominated the buying tickets representing herds across the western district, Gippsland, the Riverina and northern NSW.
Nick and Sarah Moyle and family presented 107 bulls for auction.
Mr Moyle said it was a "good, solid sale", with 90 per cent repeat buyers.
"We were very pleased with the sale but people were still a bit cautious," he said.
"It was nice to see familiar faces return."
"We have been getting very good feedback from backgrounders with weight gain trials and that's certainly helping our clients."
Mr Moyle said that because most of the stud's clients were looking at the better genetics, they aimed to retain the steer portion to benefit from the genetics and keeping them through for feedlot entry or bullocks. The buyers were benefiting from the better genetics leading to extra growth.
The first bull to make the top of $14,000 was lot 7, Pathfinder Jaal a February 2018 drop bull by Te Mania Jaal J2. The buyer was Ossie and Elaine Rentsch, Byaduk.
Mr Rentsch said for him the bull was "the outstanding bull o;f the catalogue".
We liked his conformation, he said.
The bull weighed 1003 kilograms and had key figures of +98kh 400-day weight and +132kg 600-day weight and a birth weight of +1.9kg.
Buyer of the other bull to top $14,000 were regular clients Frank and Andis Sorraghan, Rockwood Angus and Charolais, Wisconsin, Book Book, NSW, and Mountain Creek Estate, Woomargama, NSW.
Mr Sorraghan said he bought ten bulls including the top priced lot.
"Opportunity knocks. When you see something that suits you, that you regard highly, you buy. That's how I operate in all things I do," he said.
"The article was right and the price was right. We've bought he before, as we have from a number of other studs, and these have performed as good as anybodies.
"I like their cow herd. It looks terrific and being an ex dairy farmer, the maternal line means a lot."
Mr Sorraghan said the Pathfinder bloodlines had a proven track record.
"it's good when you can jump on the bandwagon of somebody that's running well," he said.
He said they "liked the look" of the top lot.
The numbers were important but without the looks, the numbers were not worth having, he said.
The bull, Pathfinder Konquer P138, a son of Pathfinder General K7, weighed 848kg and had figures of +127kg for 600-day weight and a +8.2 square centimetre eye muscle area.
Fitzgibbon Farms, Mortlake, paid $13,000 for another Jaal son, Pathfinder Jaal 444. This bull weighed 844kg and had figures of +97kg 400-day weight, +128kg for 600-day weight and +31kg for milk.
LMB Timmins Pty Ltd, Buffalo, Gippsland, paid $12,000 for lot five, Pathfinder General P383, a son of Ayrvale General G18.
Alos making $12,000 was lot one of the sale bought by Robyn Machin. Pathfinder Garth P7 was sired by Te Mania Garth G67.
Another volume buyer was Fucheng Australia which purchased eight bulls to a top of $9000, twice.
The sale was conducted by Nutrien and the auctioneers were Kevin Norris and Gordon Wood.
