*39 of 41 bulls sold to $26,000, av $11,794
An increased bull catalogue attempted to satiate the growing thirst for Prime Angus bulls whose autumn on-property bull sale at Warrenbayne on Thursday hit $26,000.
Stud co-principals Colin Flanagan and Pat Ebert offered 41 bulls and sold 39 for a draft average of $11,794.
In his opening address, Mr Flanagan reflected on the stud's genetic progress since purchasing the operation in 2019.
"Anyone who was here for our first sale, I said give us some time and you can see what we can do," he said.
"This is the start of what we are capable of doing. We are always about weight for age of our cattle.
"They start as a good weaner and they keep growing."
It's this growth for age which the Church family Pine Lodge are attracted to, as they transition their Freisian-dairy herd to an Angus beef operation.
They topped the sale at $26,000, paid for Lot 16, Prime Dusty S42 - a high performing son of Clunes Crossing Dusty M13.
The bull is in the top 1-2 per cent for the Angus Breeding Index ($A) at $297 and the Angus Breeding Low Feed Cost Index ($A-L) at $$470, respectively, and had an eye muscle area in the breed's top 1pc at +12.6.
Brad, Robert and Darren Church put together a draft of nine bulls in total, for an av $12571, selecting sires based on pedigree, with a focus on the Granite Ridge Punisher P216 sons.
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Their second highest priced bull was $20,000, paid for Lot 7, Kenny's Creek L519 - with huge growth and high performance figures.
He measured $A220, $A-L370, +3 birth weight to +123 600 day-weight, and +8.7 EMA, which is in the breeds top 10pc.
Return client Doug Lithgow, Swanpool, was a volume buyer at the sale, purchasing six bulls to av $9000, and top at $11000, paid for Lot 24, Prime Ashland S21.
The son of G A R Ashland was in the top 5pc or better for all selection indexes, with BW at +2.2, EMA +9, 600-day-weight at +143, and ranked $A269 and $A-L448.
Mr Lithgow's bull selection included several 18 month-old sires, who will be used as backup bulls to more than 300 breeders in the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program (ASBP).
He said a top trait was calving ease and balanced performance figures.
Buyers were registered from across Victoria, NSW, and South Australia, with five bulls purchased via AuctionsPlus. The auction was conducted via video to manage stock stress and safety, Mr Flanagan said.
Annabelle Cleeland
Annabelle Cleeland is a Stock & Land journalist. She has worked at Australian Community Media for more than a decade serving in a number of roles including editor, senior journalist and national sheep & wool writer. She runs a fine Merino wool property with her young family in North-East Victoria.
Annabelle Cleeland is a Stock & Land journalist. She has worked at Australian Community Media for more than a decade serving in a number of roles including editor, senior journalist and national sheep & wool writer. She runs a fine Merino wool property with her young family in North-East Victoria.
