*38 of 44 bulls sold to $16,000 (twice), av $8157
PRIME Angus' second bull sale under its new owners saw a top price of $16,000 reached twice.
The Warrenbayne stud's principals Colin Flanagan and Pat Ebert bought the 174-hectare property, Glenwellyn, from Peter and Annick Butterfield, in 2019.
The acquisition included the family's stud, Prime Angus, with its 94 stud cows, 46 maiden heifers and 36 yearling bulls.
Mr Flanagan said Prime had since fast-tracked the production of 18-month-old bulls by buying a select group of Ardrossan females.
"We are concentrating on getting our 18-month-old bull program up and going," Mr Flanagan said.
"Over the next couple of years we will be where we really want to be.
"People will see a huge difference in the type of cattle we are breeding."
Mr Flangan said the stud was concentrating on carcase traits, "spring-of-rib" and docility.
"To top it all they will have good structure - we are pretty much there now but there is always room for improvement," he said.
Kevin Opray and his wife Maree, Hedley, paid top price of $16,000 for Lot 15 Ardrossan Marlon Brando.
They run cows and calves, selling steers and heifers through the saleyards for the feedlot trade.
"We are pretty new to the game - we were dairy people up until three years ago," Mr Opray said.
"We always like to have good cattle around us."
Lot 15, Ardrossan Marlon Brando Q268, an August-2019-drop bull, was sired by NMMM304 Millah Murrah Marlon Brando M304, out of NAQM380 Ardrossan Princess M380.
He weighed 866 kilograms and had Trans Tasman Angus Cattle Evaluation figures of a birth weight of +6.1kg, a 200-day weight of +50kg, a 400-day weight of +98kg and a 600-day weight of +124kg.
Ardrossan Marlon Brando had an eye muscle area (EMA) of +10.7, a rib of +2.7, rump of +0.7 and intramuscular fat (IMF) of +2.1.
His retail beef yield was +0.7.
Mr Opray said he chose Marlon Brando because of his fat cover and shape.
"He was what we were looking for," he said.
Adam Wheeler, Towong Hill, Cudgewa, also paid the top price for a bull, Lot 16.
Ardrossan Edmund, Q460, a September 2019-drop bull, was by NAQM299 Adrossan Edmund M299 out of NAQH190 Ardrossan Wilcoola H190.
He weighed 890kg and recorded Trans Tasman Angus Cattle Evaluation figures of an EMA of +5.1, a rib of +0.1, a rump of -0.7 and IMF of +3.2.
Edmund had a birth weight of +7.7kg, a 200-day weight of +52kg, a 400-day weight of +96kg, and a 600-day weight of +129kg.
"I've got my own operation and manage Towong Hill station as well," Mr Wheeler said.
"We have an autumn and spring calving herd and I may use him in an artificial insemination program.
"I liked his easy-doing, his softness and growth traits."
While the aim was to produce feeder steers, Mr Wheeler said he was also hoping to breed females.
"It's easy to breed a black steer but it's not always easy to breed a good female," he said.
Mr Wheeler said he had also bought four other bulls for the Towong Hill operation.
Ray White GTSM auctioneer Michael Glasser said it was a good, solid sale.
"They are still putting their mark on the stud and these calves represent their breeding," Mr Glasser said.
"We have gone from 30 bulls to 50 bulls this year, so that's lifted the numbers on offer.
"I think the two $16,000 bulls really prove where the top of the job is."
Mr Glasser said buyers came from Tamworth, NSW, to Gippsland and South Australia.
"A lot of people covered a lot of area to take part," he said.
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.
