Murdeduke's near total clearance as bulls hit $30,000

The Winchelsea-based stud offered 100 bulls which sold to a top of $30,000 for Lot 3, to repeat buyers Mark and Leah Jacob, Dreeite South.

Lot 3 - Murdeduke Moe R381 - was an August 2020-drop bull, out of Chiltern Park Moe M6, going back to one of Murdeduke's best donors Vermont Nanny D354.

He boasted a data set of +5.4 for birth weight, +59, +112 and +117 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, and had scanned the highest in the draft for intramuscular fat and rump fat.

"He is a good, long bull, he has plenty of muscle, he just had a good outlook that will work with our herd well," Mr Jacob said.

"I buy my bulls based on their looks, I do go through and highlight the figures that work for our operation, but today I found this bull's outlook just did the job for us.

"We are running a self-replacing herd, which we have been using Murdeduke bulls for a number of years as they just suit our environment, being in the same area.

"He will be going out over our cows in April to breed calves destined for the January weaner sales, as well as breeding our future females."

The second top-priced bull was Lot 15 - Murdeduke Larrikin R064 - a July 2020-drop bull by the Rennylea L519 sire, from the Murdeduke Panda female line.

Lot 15 had a +5.3 birth weight, and had growth figures of +48, +91 and +117 for his 200, 400 and 600-day weights.

He was purchased by Able Pastoral through Charles Stewart and Co, Colac.

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Volume purchasers included Broadlands Pastoral, Lucindale, SA, with manager Chris Major making the trip over to the sale.

"We have had a good run with the Murdeduke bulls, we join around 600 head of Hereford heifers to them each year for ease of calving," Mr Major said.

"We are in a growth phase, as we are in the midst still of renovating country that was blue gum plantations, we plan to end up with around 350 Black Baldy females in our rotation as well.

"The main selection factor for the bulls was ease of calving, but we were also looking for milk, eye muscle, and those other important carcase factors.

"We will pick the best of the bulls we have purchased and actually collect the bulls and conduct fresh artificial insemination for a tighter calving pattern, then use the remainder as natural joining."

Repeat buyer Broadlands purchased 15 bulls in total to a top price of $14,000, and an average of $11,400.

Other volume buyers for the sale included Dunkeld Pastoral Company, Dunkeld, and Mingawalla Pastoral, Beeac.

Murdeduke stud principal Lachie Wilson said the sale was a reflection of the beef industry positivity and strength at the current time.

"It was a wonderful day, the beef industry is on fire at the moment, and we are so fortunate to be a part of it," he said.

"A few years ago I don't think you could have been able to dream of the averages that we are having and seeing with the bull sales of late.

"The locals who have been with us for a long time were very strong with their support for the bulls on offer.

"Our result is just reflective of the commercial beef industry, and those commercial beef producers are the ones that are sharing the rewards with us to give a strong result."