Murdeduke Angus bull sale a total clearance

The top-priced bull was Murdeduke Pheasantry S100, a July 2021-drop son of Te Mania Pheasantry P1479.

Pheasantry S100 has TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation figures in the top 5 per cent or better for calving ease, days to calving, Angus breeding index and Angus breeding low feed cost index.

He was secured by return buyers Jack Kenny, JG Kenny & Sons, Korangamorah Angus, Corooke, for $32,000.

Korangamorah Angus also secured the second top-priced bull in Murdeduke Larriken S056, a Rennylea L519 son, for $27,000.

He was in the top 5pc or better in the breed for gestation length, docilit, and claw set.

"Both bulls had the thickness and the style we were looking for," Mr Kenny said.

"They had great 200 and 400-day growth figures, and they had birth weight within the range we were looking for.

"We only have younger females at this stage so being suitable for heifers and younger females was a key box to tick.

"They had good size, and their sires are well known and respected in the Angus world, and they are an outcross to the females we have been purchasing the last few months to start our Angus herd off.

"These bulls will go over the pick females we have purchased, which we will commence joining in a few months time once we finish calving."

Wayne Johnstone, Dunkeld Pastoral Company, Dunkeld, was the volume buyer of the sale, purchasing 12 bulls to a top of $10,000.

"We come back to Murdeduke each year as they keep the cattle consistent and in line with the selection criteria we have," he said.

"We have been focusing on the maternal traits for a while now and that is starting to show through our female herd.

"We are finding those maternal traits are increasing our [pregnancy] scanning rates, and we're still combining that with growth and phenotype.

"The bulls on offer from Murdeduke have a great temperament, they are easy to handle, they're just overall good cattle that pass traits through their progeny really well."

Murdeduke stud principal Lachie Wilson was pleased with the strong sale result.

"It was a strong, solid sale, with opportunities right through the catalogue, which was seen in the tail end of the catalogue still making over $20,000," he said.

"It shows that what we have been focusing on in our breeding is the right thing for our clients, in the selection criteria for our own breeding herd and the bulls we put on offer.

"The evenness of the bulls on offer was shown the whole way through and the buyers were the judge of that which is a really good achievement, and one that does not happen overnight.

"The lead up to the sale hasn't been the easiest to manage with the extreme weather, but the bulls still stood their ground and show a good display of what they are."