$24,000 Kapari Angus tops

In what was the richest Gingin Bull Sale on record, three Kapari Angus bulls sold for the sale record equal $24,000 top-price at the 33rd sale held last Thursday

Buyers at the Midland Cattle Breeders’ Association sale, held at the Gingin Recreation Centre and conducted by Nutrien Livestock and Elders, were prepared to continue pushing prices to the extremes as seen throughout the bull-selling season.

Overall 68 bulls were offered and sold including 50 Angus, 10 Limousin and eight Murray Greys for a sale record average price of $11,213, up $5197/head on last year when 66 bulls sold for an average price of $6016.

Nutrien Livestock auctioneer Tiny Holly said there were buyers from everywhere in a wide spread from Esperance, Albany, the South West and Northampton.

Elders auctioneer Nathan King said it was one of the best Gingin sales across all the three breeds.

From the combined vendor Angus catalogue of three studs, including Kapari, in Northampton, Black Tara, in Allanooka, and Cookalabi, in Coomberdale, all 50 bulls sold for a sale record average price of $12,020.

The Kapari stud offered and sold 29 bulls for an average price of $12,845, kicking off the sale with lot one, Kapari Kaiser Q43, an equal sale topper, selling to the Greenwell family, of BullRush Farms, in Gingin.

The 11-month-old Angus bull, sired by Granite Ridge Kaiser K26, recorded Estimated Breeding Values of +52, + 92 and +127 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.

Kapari Angus stud co-principal Tony Sudlow said the bull was out of one of the stud’s best performing cows, Kapari Trudi H18.

“The bull is deep, wide and long, with figures that are hard to fault,” he said.

Offering a variety of sire lines, the Sudlow family’s lot seven, Kapari Loch Up Q34, sired by Millah Murrah Loch Up L133, was the second equal sale topper.

This bull, with its outstanding structure, thickness and a strong topline, sold to buyer Cima Farm, through Elders at Albany.

The third-equal sale topper, Kapari Black Onyx Q50, was secured by Waroona commercial producer Murray River Farms.

Mr Sudlow said this bull had some of the industry’s elite breeding lines on its dam side.

“He has structure, thickness and outstanding depth of body,” he said.

New Kapari buyer was Hyden cattleman Vern Mouritz, who secured three bulls to a top of $21,000 and average price of $17,167.

“The quality of bulls was very good and consistent, and they presented well,” Mr Mouritz said.

“I will use the low-to-moderate birthweight bulls over mostly heifers.”

From the Black Tara catalogue, it was repeat buyer Trevor Kanny, of Cherip Holdings, in Walkaway, that secured the highest priced $22,000 Black Tara Q89.

“The bull has good length of body and wonderful conformation and represents outcross genetics and will go over our heifers,” Mr Kanny said.

Black Tara stud co-principal Brad Kupsch said the bull goes back to the great Vermont sire, Drambuie D057, and was out of Black Tara H13, a dam that had dropped consistent quality progeny.

“The bull has very good figures combined with eye catching muscle, depth and conformation,” Mr Kupsch said.

Black Tara sons and grandsons of sire S Chisum 6175 sold well with Gabyon Pastoral, in Dongara, securing one for $17,000 while R & R Cobley, in East Chapman, paid $16,000 for a son of Chisum.

Volume buyer of Angus bulls was Mount Gerisim Farms manager Peter Rathjen, of Dandaragan, who secured four bulls, including the $12,000 Black Tara Emperor Q84.

Mr Rathjen said the farm’s commercial Angus herd would be increased from 800 to 1000 breeders this year.

“We have achieved a farm benchmark recently at Muchea saleyards averaging $1330/head for 300 weaner steers,” he said.

Mr Rathjen also secured two Cookalabi bulls for $7500 and $5000.

The Topham Brothers’ Cookalabi stud offered and sold nine bulls for a stud record average price of $7500.

Boyup Brook-based Tonebridge Grazing commercial producer Matt Della Gola secured the $10,000 record stud top-price Cookalabi Q40.

Mr Della Gola said the Koojan Hills Docklands K90 sired bull was well bred.

From the Limousin catalogue, Tara stud, of Allanooka, offered and sold eight bulls to a stud record top of $17,000 and a record average price of $11,625.

The Tara sale topper, Tara Q100, sired by Raven Mandate M349, JUwas secured by Terry Cockman, of Tepco Fishing Co, in Dongara.

Mr Cockman said the Limousin bull, was the first black-skinned type he had bought from Tara and would go over Angus breeders.

“He is a well bred bull which will offer good hybrid vigour to produce heavier calves,” he said.

Mr Cockman also secured an apricot Tara bull for $10,000.

Tara sold its $16,000 second top-priced Limousin bull, Tara Q73, sired by Mandayen Jackaroo J2355, to Waroona-based Aldgate Limousin stud principal Pat Terpstra.

“This bull represents outcross genetics for my stud herd and will be used to produce replacement heifers,” Mrs Terpstra said.

From the Murray Grey catalogue, the Mungatta stud offered and sold eight bulls to a stud record average price of $6875.

The $11,000 top-priced bull, JUMungatta Tijuana Q10, was secured by the Tullibardine JUMurray Grey stud, in Albany, through Nutrien Livestock Mt Barker agent Harry Carroll.

The bull, sired by Woodburn Warrior A69, had the best eye muscle area of the sale team and also had good index figures.