Holbrook, NSW, stud, Wirruna Poll Herefords sold to a top of $16,000 at their spring bull and female sale, with bulls showing high intramuscular fat (IMF) and eye muscle area figures (EMA) well sought after.
Bulls and females sold to four states around the country with purchases from Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia.
The stud sold 64 of 67 bulls to average $8677, while all 12 stud females sold to a top of $8000 twice to average $4500, and three out of the four pens of females, or 26 of 31, sold to a top of $2400 with an average of $2055 per head.
One bull sold post auction for $5000 along with a pen of six females being sold for $1800.
Wirruna Seaview S104 was the top-priced bull of the sale, purchased by long-time supporters in the Burden Family Trust, Caniambo, Vic, for $16,000.
The 24 month-old, Wirruna Qantas Q036 son was a 'star lot' in the catalogue, with a low birthweight figure of +1.6, IMF of +2.3, along with a EMA figure of +6.6, placing him in the top five per cent of the breed for both IMF and EMA.
He was also in the 10pc for carcase weight with a figure of +68.
He was described in the catalogue as a real curve bender, with his dam Wirruna Sirkit M230 still performing for the stud's program like clock work, with a good udder structure.
Jenna Burden, Burden Family Trust, said that her family, going back to her grandfather, Keith, have been buying Wirruna bulls for the families beef and prime lamb operation.
"He had good figures and caught our eye when we walked in the pen," Ms Burden said.
"It's just the temperament and the growth of the bulls that makes us keep coming back."
Burden Family trust also purchased Wirruna Strathlea S258 for $6000.
The second top-priced bull for the sale was Wirruna Santana S594, purchased by JJ7 Partnership, Havelock, Mitchell for $14,000.
The 23 month-old Wirruna Qajeer Q071 son tipped the scales at 774 kilograms and had an average daily weight gain of 1.06kg per day.
Santana S594 displayed good calving ease credentials with a figure of +5.3, along with ranking in the top 1pc for scrotal size with +5.2 and the top 5pc for IMF with a value of +2.2.
JJ7 Partnership also purchased another four bulls to average $13,200 across the sale.
For the female portion of the sale, two heifers topped the sale at $8000, the first being Wirruna Flora R244, purchased by Bendoc Park Poll Herefords, Bendoc, Vic.
Flora was pregnancy-tested-in-calf to Wirruna Saul S019, a low birthweight, high growth and quality carcase bull.
Showing an EBV of +29, the three year-old heifer ranked in the top 1pc of the breed for milk, while also being in the top 5pc with a figure of -6.1 for direct calving ease.
Bendoc Park also purchased Wirruna Last Day R275 for $3500, along with a bull, Wirruna Sunset S331, for $13,000.
Bendoc Park stud principal Lucy Sellars said the two females would fit well in the stud's program and they took the opportunity to buy females in the top 1pc to 5pc of the breed for indexes, growth and carcase.
"We're aiming at breeding high indexing bulls, chasing fat, IMF and eye muscle area," Ms Sellars said.
"All our cattle are grass fed, so doing ability is important to us."
The other top-priced heifer was Wirruna Cora S080, purchased by P & S Eggleston, Bethanga.
A Limehills Starter 160062 daughter, who was also PTIC to Wirruna Saul S019, carrying a heifer calf, ranked in the top 1pc for all the dollar indexes, 200-, 400- and 600-day weight, with values of +56, +95, +135 and +121, respectively, for growth.
The Egglestons also purchased another two heifers to average $5166 for their three lots.
The top-priced pen of PTIC heifers was bought by R & R Cox, Umbiram, Qld, for $2400 per head, being joined to Wirruna Saul S019 and Wirruna Spellbound S465.
The volume buyer of the sale was Wiltara Farms Pty Ltd, Cassilis, who purchased 12 bulls with a top of $10,000 to average $7181.
A volume buyer for the female portion was E & B Hill, Brunswick, WA, purchasing five females to a top of $5500 to average $4300, along with a bull, Wirruna Sandpatch S495 for $6000.
Wirruna stud principal Ian Locke said the stud was delighted with the results and said the clearance was great in difficult market conditions.
"We're very pleased with the way the bulls presented and how the clients reacted," said Mr Locke.
"Across the board I think there was some very good prices.
"Particularly through the growth bulls and muscle bulls and specialist heifer bulls, there was some very good solid results."
The Helmsman auction was interfaced with AuctionsPlus and settled by Nutrien Ag Solutions, Holbrook.
