*36 of 38 bulls sold to $11,000, av $6403
ADAMELUCA Angus stud principal Sam Trovatello said after years of hard work, he was finally getting to where he wanted to be.
And that was reflected in the result at the Kyneton South stud's bull sale held at Glendan Park Hereford stud's Barfold property last week.
The stud offered 38 Angus bulls, and sold all but two, hitting a top price of $11,000 and an average price of $6403.
While the average was slightly down on last year's result, the stud sold nine extra bulls and recorded a tighter clearance rate.
Mr Trovatello said the progress they had made in the eight years the stud had been running for was reaching a pivotal point.
"We've worked out the good from the bad and we're really focusing on our females," he said.
"We're stepping everything up and we're where we want to be."
And the top-priced buyer was a new face, Eyton on Yarra manager Murph Steer, Healesville, who took home the $11,000 sale-topper, Adameluca Package P102, as well as one at $10,000 and another at $6500.
Mr Steer said he wasn't afraid to pay the big bucks for quality genetics.
"I don't mind paying the money for good genetics, it's not worth it if you're only going to spend a small amount," he said.
"You get what you pay for."
Eyton on Yarra keeps all of their heifers as breeders and sells steers at 15 months of age.
Mr Steer said they had built up a reputation at Pakenham for their quality, fast-growing cattle.
"We sold empty heifers at Pakenham the other day that weighed an average of 499 kilograms for 360 cents a kilogram," he said.
He said he used visual assessment and figures to make buying decisions.
He admired the rump and length of the top-priced bull and said he had good milk and weight figures.
The bull was sired by a Banquet Angus bull and out of an Ayrvale cow, and recorded estimated breeding values of +4.0 kilograms birth weight, +40kg 200-day weight, +93kg 400-day weight and +129kg 600-day weight.
It recorded a milk index of +21 and an eye muscle area of +3.2.
Mr Trovotello said it was rewarding to see so many return buyers.
"It's a slow process, you've got to get it all right," he said.
There were some big volume buyers too, including Neville, David and Alison McClure, Mooree Partnerships, Harrow, who bought seven, and Michael O'Connor, Kyneton, who bought three.