*23 of 33 Nunniong Hereford bulls sold to $17,000, av $9347
*Four of seven Malton Shorthorn bulls sold to $8000, av $6500
*Seven of 12 Tambo Angus bulls sold to $10,000, av $7333
Hereford graziers flocked to Victoria's high country on Tuesday for the annual Nunniong Herefords stud bull sale amid what Ensay producer and stud principal Philip 'Bluey' Commins described as the best seasons in living memory.
The stud sold 23 of its 33 Hereford bulls on offer to a top price of $17,000 to average $9347 across the draft.
Two other studs including Malton Shorthorns and Tambo Angus ran sales after the iconic Hereford sale.
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Mr Commins said the sale was tough going, but thanked return buyers from across the Omeo and Benambra district who were out in force to secure future sires for their breeding programs.
"I might have had a high expectation on the end result but I felt it was a bit tougher compared to previous years," he said.
"There were some good prices there, but I thought there might have been a few more bulls sold and the average was lower than what I was expecting."
The sale was one week after Mr Commins sold one of the leading drafts of Hereford weaners at the Ensay calf market where he was awarded the best presented pen.
The top-priced bull, Lot 10 Nunniong Night Rider R041, was knocked down for $17,000 and purchased by Max and Margaret Pendergast, Kimberley Park, Benambra.
The April 2020-drop bull was sired by Kylo Night Rider and out of Nunniong Marinda.
He was described as a handy bull for first-calving heifers and backed up with good figures, skins and well-balanced traits.
One of the second top-priced bulls, Lot 1 Nunniong Night Rider R024, which sold for $16,000 was also by the same sire.
"They're both outstanding bulls and have anything you could possibly want in a bull," Mr Commins said.
Mr Pendergast, who runs about 150 breeding cows, said the bull would be joined to three-year-old cows.
"He's a good stand-up fella, nice and quiet and he will suit the type of cattle we run," he said.
"We've purchased bulls here before and they have all turned out reasonably well."
More than 15 single purchasers bought a bull at the Nunniong sale, while one bull was sold to a client via online platform AuctionsPlus.
Elders Victoria and Riverina stud stock manager Ross Milne said buyers were selective in what they bought.
"There was some good money at the top end, but in saying that buyers were still able to buy bulls at $5000-$6000 which is still very affordable," he said.
"They presented well and were a good, consistent, even draft of bulls."
Shorthorns from NSW go under the hammer
Finley-based NSW stud Malton Shorthorns also offered a draft of seven bulls, with four going under the hammer and the remaining passed-in bulls sold in the moments after the sale.
Malton Shorthorns stud principal Peter Falls said he had a long association with selling bulls into the high country.
"We've been selling bulls for 50 years and we have good repeat clients in this area," he said.
"We don't force-feed our bulls and what you see is what you get and that's why people like our bulls."
The top-priced $8000 Shorthorn bull, Lot 2 Malton Unique, was bought by Bayrook Pastoral, Butchers Ridge.
Mr Falls said a key component of his breeding program was based around fertility and temperament.
"Our point of difference is that we run our bulls without supplementary feed and just on grass early in their life," he said.
Tambo Crossing Angus bulls hit $10,000
Tambo Angus stud principals Kevin and Mandy Dean, Tambo Crossing, also offered a draft of 12 Angus bulls, with seven of the consignment going under the hammer.
Ensay grazier Brendan Flynn bought the top-priced July 2020-drop Angus bull, Lot 9 Dean Ryan, for $12,000.
"I haven't bought one of these bulls for quite a few years but I have bought them in the past," Mr Flynn said.
"They're great black bulls with very good length and temperament."
Mr Dean said it was one of the best seasons around the Tambo Crossing area he could remember.
"The top bull sold very well but there wasn't a lot of demand for those secondary bulls," he said.
"In saying that, they've sold after auction so I'm pretty satisfied with the day.
"Our grass growth is ballistic and once you feed it down, it just grows again."