A 'rare commidity' bull has reached top price at Yea for his unique traits

McKenzie Ag Services principal Lachlan McKenzie, Bruanlea and Troah, Coleraine and Casterton, bought the top-priced bull, Lot 52, at Yea on Thursday, March 21.

The top bull, Kelly Angus T697, sold for $18,000 and was sired by Kelly Angus Ringleader R232 and out of Kelly Angus Trailblazer R31.

Mr McKenzie said Kelly Angus were long-term clients of their nutrition, grain and fodder business, and had taken a "keen interest" in their preparation of bulls.

He also manages a stud, with a self-replacing Angus herd.

"We thought Lot 52 was exceptional, particularly given the balance of data and his phenotype which is quite unusual," he said.

"We find the bulls with high carcase traits lack growth and shape, and he's got oodles of muscle and power and still top one per cent IMF.

"It's really quite a rare commodity to find."

He said the bull was in the top 10pc for calving ease direct, 1pc for gestation length, 17pc for birth weight and 2pc for growth.

Its TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation estimated breeding values included +2.3 kilograms birth weight, +69kg 200-day weight, +120kg 400-day weight, +157kg 600-day weight, as well as +0.6 centimetres scrotal size, +3.9 square centimetres eye muscle area and +6.5 per cent intramuscular fat.

Mr McKenzie said they planned to collect semen from the bull to AI him heavily over about 120 of their spring-drop heifers.

"We think he's a good match from a pedigree and breedplan perspective," he said.

Kelly Angus studstock operations manager Patrick Joyce, Yea, said they had used the top bull since he was a yearling, and was "unmatched" in his data.

"He's just easy-doing, he's performed so well for us, we've sold plenty of semen on him into commercial operations, and he's bred beautiful females," Mr Joyce said.

"They just last, they're easy doing, it's certainly shone through in these bulls that they're nice and tight in the group, they're moderate with heaps of meat, and they have good data to back it all up."

The sale offered 52 lots and sold 44 to a top price of $18,000 and an average price of $7500.

"We had a really good day, it was a very good clearance considering the times that we're in," Mr Joyce said.

"We're very fortunate that people trust our brand and have seen the results."

He said of the 44 bulls that were sold, 95 per cent of the bulls went within a 50 kilometre radius of the Yea property.

Volume buyers included J & KE Scott, Gooram, bought five bulls, Hazelwynde Farms, Wallan, bought three bulls, Yanckens Pastoral Company, Mansfield, bought three bulls, Dalander Pty Ltd, Porepunkah, bought three bulls.

Nutrien Ag Solutions Yea livestock agent Chris Pollard said with the current market conditions, it was a strong sale.

"Given what's gone on in the past fortnight, it was quite a good sale and good clearance," he said.