*26 of 38 Hereford bulls sold to $11,000, av $7500
*Eight of 12 Angus bulls sold to $7000, av $5625
*Three of six Shorthorn bulls sold to $8000, av $6500
Four cattle buyers from across Gippsland have shared a slice of Nunniong Hereford's top draft of bulls during the Ensay stud's 33rd on-property sire sale.
Twenty-six of 38 bulls sold to a top price of $11,000, four times, to average $7500 on Wednesday.
Tambo Angus, Tambo Crossing, and Malton Shorthorns, Finley, NSW, also sold bulls following the Nunniong sale.
Nunniong Hereford stud principal Phillip 'Bluey' Commins said he was "surprised" by the result of the sale.
"It actually went better than I thought it was in terms of the clearance rate, but I was expecting a higher price," he said.
"The clearance rate is better than last year and to have four bulls sell for an equal top price is pretty good.
"When you compare the result of the bull sale against the recent weaner sale here in Ensay, I thought we did fairly well considering the state of the cattle market at the moment.
RELATED FROM 2022: Nunniong Herefords top bull bought by Benambra couple for $17,000
Three of the bulls went to high country breeders, including Ron Connley and his adult children Erica Coulthard and Charles Connley, Omeo, who bought Lot 1, Nunniong Photograph S020, to start the sale at $11,000.
The April 2021-drop polled bull was sired by Supple Photograph and out of Nunniong Last Day.
The Connleys also purchased Lot 27, Nunniong Photograph S102, for $6000.
Ron Connley said he had bought bulls from Nunniong for more than a decade and would "buy bulls from Bluey as long as I'm breeding cattle".
It followed Lot 11, Nunniong Kyunga S008, which also sold for $11,000 to local Ensay breeders and long-term clients, Phil and Kerry Geehman.
The April 2021-drop horned bull was sired by Nunniong Kyuga and out of Nunniong Minerva.
"We loved this bull's muscle along with the length and the frame to go with it," Mr Geehman said.
"He also has an outstanding temperament and given we've bought many bulls from Bluey before, we know they perform."
The Geehmans run about 200 breeding females and produce steers for the January store sale at Bairnsdale.
"We don't start calving until April so our cows get a good break in between," Mr Geehman said.
"We have a dash of Shorthorn through our older breeders so these bulls will be joined to some of our mixed-aged cows."
Lot 26, Nunniong Mechanic S048, was purchased by Ken Hayward, trading as John Hayward & Partners, Ensay, for $11,000.
The next top-priced poll bull, bought in April 2021, was sired by Supple Mechanic and out of Nunniong Senora.
Mr Hayward bought the bull in partnership with his brothers Chris and Rodney and mother Betty.
"He has a very quiet temperament for a start along with a good conformation," he said.
"We run about 300 cows so this bull will be joined to mixed-aged Hereford cows in our herd at Ensay."
South Gippsland grazier, Michael Russell, Glen Forbes, was also among those to purchase an $11,000 bull, Lot 20, Nunniong Photograph S106, with the assistance of South Gippsland agent Ben Bowman, SEJ Leongtha.
Lot 20, a polled bull, was the younger half brother of Lot 1, sired by Supple Photograph and out of Nunniong Lady Mary, and born in June 2021.
Among the volume buyers was BG & DK McNamara who bought three bulls, while three bulls went to clients operating via AuctionsPlus.
Angus, Shorthorn studs take part in sale
East Gippsland stud Tambo Angus, Tambo Crossing, also sold a consignment of July-October 2021-drop bulls at the sale, with eight of 12 bulls offered sold at auction.
Glenshiel Pastoral, Butchers Ridge, near Gelantipy, bought five of the bulls to a top price of $7000.
Glenshiel Pastoral managers Chris and Rosie Stewart said they had bought bulls from the Dean family of Tambo Angus for more than 15 years.
"We're very pleased with the performance and doing ability of these bulls," Mr Stewart said.
Finley, NSW, stud Malton Shorthorn also sent a consignment of six bulls to the sale.
Three bulls sold to a top price of $8000, including one to Bayrook Pastoral, Butchers Ridge, as well as two bought by a client operating via AuctionsPlus.
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Bryce Eishold
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
