$6000 bull tops Narngulu sale

Bos indicus bulls sold to a top of $6000 at the annual WALSA Invitational Narngulu Bull Sale, held last week at the Coolina Sale Complex.

There were 140 bulls on offer this year, representing four breeds, with 87 selling for an average of $2932, as compared with last year when 228 bulls were offered, with 127 selling for an average of $3005.

The reduced numbers made for a slightly better clearance rate at 62 per cent. However, vendors said some regular buyers did not attend.

Landmark auctioneer Tiny Holly said the quality bulls on offer sold well in what he described as a buyers' market.

Elders auctioneer Don Morgan said the bulls were presented well but the sale was tough with limited buying support because of seasonal conditions in some parts of the pastoral regions.

The 56 Droughtmaster bulls offered made up the numbers - selling to a top of $4750 and average of $3021, down $205/head on last year.

In contrast, the 39 Santa Gertrudis bulls on offer had 20 selling to a top of $6000 for an average price of $3200, or $779/head up on last year.

The 40 Brahman bulls on offer did slightly better this year with 22 selling for an average price of $2552, up $21/head on last year when only 16 bulls sold.

New vendors to the sale Stephen and Donna Gentle, of Morialta Santa Gertrudis stud, Boyup Brook, offered one bull which sold to the $6000 top-price to absent buyer Jim Quadrio, from Granite Peak station, Wiluna, with Elders agent Gary Preston bidding on the pastoralist's behalf.

Mr Gentle said it was a great beginning for his family's stud at the sale and he was extremely pleased with the result.

The 24-month-old bull, sired by Swan Hill Purcell and out of Morialta 591, was judged champion Santa Gertrudis bull at the 2014 Perth Royal Show.

• Droughtmaster *

With numbers of Droughtmaster bulls on offer reduced by more than half from last year, down to only 56 head from 113 offered in 2014, expectations were ripe for a better result but this was not the case.

"Buyers were being very selective," Landmark auctioneer Tiny Holly said.

Six vendors sold a total of 43 bulls to a top of $4750 and an average price of $3021, as compared with last year when 88 bulls sold for an average price of $3226.

Dongara cattle producer Wellard Rural paid the $4750 top price for a Merryup bull.

The 17-month-old bull was sired by Rondel Overider and out of a Fieldhouse dam.

Wellard Agri livestock manager Geoff Crabb said the young bull would introduce a new bloodline in the Droughtmaster herd.

"I was particularly impressed by his very sound conformation and notable muscle definition," Mr Crabb said.

"We have earmarked a line of our better, mature Droughtmaster cows to use him over and I think his progeny will be outstanding."

Landmark agent Daniel Wood, who was bidding on behalf of Wellard, picked the eyes out of the Droughtmaster catalogue securing another top Merryup bull for $3500 and two of the top-priced Fieldhouse bulls for $4250 each.

The Sounness family of Merryup Droughtmaster stud, Mt Barker, sold 20 bulls in total for an average price of $2950, which was down $220/head on last year.

Of the higher-priced Merryup bulls, a $4000 bull sold to account RG & PM Engelke of Badgingarra.

The Mutton family of Fieldhouse Droughtmaster stud, Wickepin, sold 17 bulls for an average price of $3244, which was down $65/head on last year.

Two more top-priced Fieldhouse bulls sold for $4000 each, with one going to Walkaway producer Jim Waters.

Mr Waters said he was enjoying the highest cattle market prices in his 50 years of producing, but was concerned of a consumer backlash if local retail beef did not hold market share against other competitive protein sources.

Bidding on behalf of a volume buyer, Primaries agent Shane Flemming secured seven Fieldhouse bulls and four Merryup bulls for the DePledge family who run the Yanrey and Koordarrie stations in the West Pilbara.

"I was selecting for good shape and soft bulls," Mr Flemming said.

Other vendors that offered Droughtmaster bulls included Hallmark stud, which sold two bulls, Ryvoan stud, which also sold two bulls, as did the Canterbury stud.

• Santa Master *

The Hall family of Tanglewood Santa Master stud, Piawaning, offered five bulls with only two sold to an average price of $2500.

One bull sold to new buyer Pardoo Beef Co.

• Santa Gertrudis *

In terms of values, the Santa Gertrudis bulls were the best performers at the sale with a total of 20 bulls selling for the highest average price of $3200, which was up $779/head on last year.

The Sounness family of Merryup stud, Mt Barker, while only selling half of their 30 bull offering, realised an average price of $2833, or $386/head up on last year.

Pardoo Beef Co bought the top-priced bulls, paying $4000 each for two and another $3250 for Merryup bulls. The other major purchaser was Minara Pastoral Holdings, Leonora, securing seven Merryup bulls for an average price of $2929.

Wendalla Santa Gertrudis stud, now owned by Wendy Gould of Chittering, offered eight bulls with Wendalla Marley M64 (PS) selling for the $5250 second-top price of the sale to Les Parsons, Coolawanyah Pastoral Co, Tom Price.

The 29-month-old bull was sired by Wendalla Invinceable 1250 (P).

Wendalla offered a total of eight bulls with four selling for an average price of $3875.

• Brahman *

More Brahman bulls were sold this year with 22 accounting for an average price of $2552, or up $21 on last year when 16 sold for an average price of $2531.

Five vendors put together a 40-bull catalogue which realised a 55 per cent clearance.

The Lovelock family of Canterbury Brahman stud, New Norcia, sold double-polled Canterbury 3682 to Ashmulla Pastoral Co for the $3500 top price.

Speaking on behalf of Ashmulla, Dustin Clinch, who selected the bulls, said the pastoralist was increasing cattle numbers and the bulls purchased would go to work on Peedamullah station at Onslow.

Christie Clinch, who was bidding on behalf of Ashmulla, secured another two Brahman bulls from Oakvale stud and one from Birrahlee stud. A volume buyer of Brahman bulls was Roger Forrester of Yarlarweelor Pastoral Co, Meekatharra, who secured two bulls from Canterbury bulls, two from Oakvale and two from Birrahlee.

Mt Clere station, Meekatharra, bought two Charlesville bulls for $3000 each, one Ryvoan bull for $3000 and one Oakvale bull for $2200.

Murray Grey, of Glenflorrie station, Carnarvon, bought one Canterbury bull, two Oakvale bulls and one Birrahlee bull.

• WALSA Invitational Narngulu bull sale * Breed/Stud Offered Sold Top Price Average *DROUGHTMASTER * Fieldhouse 22 17 $4250(2) $3244 Merryup 26 20 $4750 $2950 Hallmark 3 2 $2750 $2625 Ryvoan 2 2 $2500(2) $2500 Canterbury 2 2 $3000 $2750 Clinlee Plains 1 - - - *GROUP TOTAL * 56 43 $4750 $3021 *SANTA MASTER * Tanglewood 5 2 $2500(2) $2500 *SANTA GERTRUDIS * Merryup 30 15 $4000(2) $2833 Wendalla 8 4 $5250 $3875 Morialta 1 1 $6000 $6000 *GROUP TOTAL * 39 20 $6000 $3200 *BRAHMAN * Charlesville 4 2 $3000(2) $3000 Ryvoan 2 1 $3000 $3000 Canterbury 7 4 $3500 $2750 Oakvale 21 10 $2750 $2375 Birrahlee 6 5 $3000 $2480 *GROUP TOTAL * 40 22 $3500 $2552 *OVERALL TOTAL * 140 87 $6000 $2932