*34 bulls of 38 sold to $12,000, av $6514.
The introduction of a new sire to the Guildford Poll Herefords, Ouse, Tasmania, has boosted the stud's annual bull sale.
A bull sired by Wirruna Legs made the top price at the 40th annual sale, run as a Helsman auction, interfaced with Auctions Plus.
Guildford's Philip Davie said Legs was bought from Wirruna, Holbrook, NSW, in 2017.
The Wirruna Legs son Guildford Palaeo P132 (PP) was purchased by St Peters Pass, in Tasmania's Midlands, for $14,000.
"I reckon they selected him on his figures and thickness and being by a new sire helped," Mr Davie said.
Guildford Palaeo was out of Guildford Queenie K41 (P).
He had estimated breeding values of a 4.6kg birthweight, 43kg 200-day weight, 74kg 400-day weight and 105kg 600-day weight.
Palaeo recorded an eye muscle area of 4.4 square centimetres and a rib and rump fat measurement of 1mm.
He had a retail beef yield of 1percent and intramuscular fat of 0.9pc.
Mr Davie said as livestock sales had been allowed to continue in Tasmania, albeit under strict social distancing rules, a good crowd attended the auction in person.
But he said King and Flinders Islands buyers reaped the benefit of interfacing the sale with Auctions Plus.
Residents of both islands are in isolation, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Davie said Guildford was trying to breed bulls with good growth, muscle and easy-doing ability.
"They are also easy calving, good milking, good temperament, and of optimum size and maturity type, with the ability to finish for all markets," he said.
Bloodlines represented in this year's sale were Days Farenheit, K103, Wirruna Kalimna, K326 and Wirruna Leap Forward L95,
All but one of the sale bulls went into commercial herds, with Victorian stud Ennerdale, Dundonnell, being the exception.
Some of the commercial producers were putting the bulls over Herefords, while others were crossbreeding.
"A few a doing crossbreeding programs, as it's been proven they get a better return, as Black Baldys." Mr Davie said.
Fergus Morrison, St Peter's Pass, said he chose the bull on the way he looked and his EBVs.
"We've been on Guildford bloodlines for four or five years and are very happy with them," Mr Morrison said
The bull would go over St Peter's 250 strong cow herd, of which about 90pc were Herefords.
"Depending on the season, we grow them out until they are 12 months old, and sell them in the spring, as yearlings," Mr Morrison said.
The property had been using Quamby Plains bulls but switched to Guildford as that property had similar climatic conditions to St Peter's Pass.
"They are a good mix for our land area," he said.
"At Quamby Plains, the bulls are quite used to having plenty of grass, all the time."
The volume buyer was Vellakope, King Island, which purchased four bulls.
Mr Davie said six bulls went into NSW.
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