An impressive $11,000 high at Gandy sale

A son of Stonedale All In L11 has emerged as the stand-out bull at this year’s Gandy Angus Stud annual sale, securing a sale-topping $11,000.

Forty-nine bulls were offered through Elders at the Boyanup saleyards last month, with 16 selling to an average price of $4735.

The sale had a 68 per cent pass-in rate.

Due to testing seasonal conditions, Gandy co-principal Kim Gandy had premonitions that the serious buyers would bid on the exceptional stand-out bulls.

However, he thought it would be tough to sell the lot.

Elders auctioneer Nathan King said the stand-out “curve bender” was Diamond One All IN Q196, a 10-month-old bull, sired by Stonedale All In L11.

The featured yearling bull recorded the top 10 per cent in Estimated Breeding Value growth rate with figures of +55, +101 and +129 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights and a low birthweight of +2.8.

Elders Manjimup agent Cameron Harris was the successful bidder for the sale topper, via photo hook-up to repeat buyer account M Swainston, of Albany.

“The bull was the pick of the sale and represented outcross genetics for the buyer with low birthweight and above-average growth figures,” Mr Harris said.

The under bidders were Cowaramup dairy farmers Rodney and Nicole May, who were Dairy Australia’s Milk Quality Award winners last year.

“We were first-time buyers of Gandy bulls and were looking for a low-birthweight youngster to put over our Friesian heifers,” Mr May said.

The Mays were assisted by Elders Bunbury agent Michael Carroll and were quite keen on taking the yearling bull back to the dairy, but they settled on another bull for $4000.

The $6000 second-top-priced yearling bull, Diamond One High Weigh Q62, was secured by 20-year repeat buyer John Omodei, of RH Omodie & Sons, of Pemberton.

The 516kg nine-month-old bull also had a low birthweight EBV of +2.9, and recorded a top 10 per cent retail beef yield of +1.8.

Mr Omodei said he would put the bull, sired by EWA High Weigh 3123, over Mordallup blood heifers from his 250 Angus female herd.

“We average 248kg dressed weight on our steers sold to Woolworths at eight to nine-months of age,” he said.

Another High Weigh sired yearling sold for $5250 to Darkan account Roemarie Enterprises.

Making up a catalogue of genetic diversity, a WWA Black Onyx 5Q11 sired yearling sold for $5000 to account MAM & PR Martin, of Karridale.

A half-brother to the sale topper sired by Stonedale All Inn N129 sold to Pinjarra account BT Venn.

A satisfied first-time buyer last year, Brendon Venn said he would use the yearling bull over Angus heifers from his 220 cow herd. “I liked the bull’s figures, its shape and quiet temperament,” he said.