Bonnydale Black Simmental bulls to a record top of $27,000

The Introvigne family of Bonnydale Black Simmental and SimAngus stud in Bridgetown had a “rock n roll” result at their annual yearling bull sale when one of their Black Simmental bulls sold for a stud record top-price of $27,000.

The sale, held on March 13 and conducted by Elders and interfaced with AuctionsPlus offered 80 bulls with 76 sold for a record stud average price of $11,421, up $271/head on last year when 76 bulls sold for an average price of $11,250.

The quality line-up of bulls sold included 57 Black Simmentals that reached a top-price of $27,000 and average price of $11,904 and 19 SimAngus bulls sold to a top of $16,000 and average price of $$11,421.

The overall sale topper, Bonnydale Rock N Roll T232, sold through AuctionsPlus to new buyers John and Nichole Hopkins, who run Wormbete Simmental stud in Illabo, NSW, 70km north east of Wagga Wagga.

Wormbete was established in 1972 by founder Henry Hopkins who was one of the first to introduce Simmental genetics into Australia.

Bonnydale T232 brought competitive bidding to the sale with many WA bidders keen on the January 2022 drop youngster that weighed 628kg.

The third generation bred bull goes back to Bonnydale Augustus L84 that sold for the previous stud record price of $24,000 in 2016 when it was secured by Wombramurra stud in NSW.

Wormbete studmaster John Hopkins said he inspected the bull late February at Bonnydale.

“This young sire had well-balanced structure with a slick coat and was a standout,” he said.

“He has a fantastic spread of data and his phenotype matched his figures — he was my one and only pick of the catalogue.”

Mr Hopkins said T232 was the first walking bull he secured from Bonnydale after using embryos and semen sires previously.

“I will put the bull over heifers and cows the first year before using him in an AI program,” he said.

The $21,000 second top-priced Black Simmental bull, Bonnydale Roosevelt T98 sold to 15-year repeat buyer Rod Newnham in Euroa, Victoria, with Elders Bunbury agent Michael Lonford bidding on his behalf.

Mr Newnham said he was after genetics that the bull offered and the sire of the bull, TJ Roosevelt 366E, represented an outcross pedigree.

“I will put the bull over pure Black Simmental females to breed replacement heifers and also offer his sons for sale,” he said.

Repeat WA buyer Alf Carroll, who trades as Tirano Farms in Cundinup, paid $19,000 for the heaviest Black Simmental bull, Bonnydale Element T149 that weighed 734kg.

This January 2022-drop bull was sired by Gibbs 3009A Element and had a mountain of meat on him.

Mr Carroll said he would put the bull over Friesian cross Angus cows as a terminal sire to breed vealers that made the weights.

“I was after good weaning weight figures — our vealers weight between 245 and 250kg at nine months of age,” he said.

Mr Carroll also paid $16,000 for Bonnydale Dividend T70 that was sired by homebred bull B Dividend R43.

The $16,000 top-priced SimAngus bull, Bonnydale SA Powerplay was secured by Calingiri-based Atlas Farms.

This 672kg bull was sired by Angus sire Texas Powerplay P613 and out of Bonnydale SA Annabelle R481 to make up cross between Angus and Black Simmental genetics.

Volume buyers included Eneabba-based Big Vally Pastoral that secured two Black Simmental bulls and three SimAngus bulls for an average price of $11,600.

Sunnyside-based Water Avondale Grazing secured three SimAngus and one Black Simmental bull for an average price of $7500.

New buyer and Charles Hull Contracting farm manager Steve Lovis secured three Black Simmentals and one SimAngus for an average price of $6625.

“We will trial these bulls over the farm’s herd of Angus breeders,” he said.