Carenda Angus bulls top at stud record $16,000 at Katanning

Carenda Angus bulls reached a stud record top-price of $16,000 at the Kitchen family’s Fifth Annual On-property Bull Sale at Katanning with the introduction of new sires leading the way. The February 23 sale, conducted by Elders through the Helmsman auction system and interfaced with AuctionsPlus, offered 28 bulls and sold 26 to a stud average price of $7692, up $380/head on last year when 32 bulls sold for an average of $7312. The sale topper, Carenda Shockwave S34, was secured by Bowie Beef farm manager Matt Fairbass, of Bridgetown, who has consistently bought three consecutive top-priced bulls at the sale. “This bull, sired by Musgrave 316 Stunner, fits the bill to put over cows in Bowie Beef’s Angus herd of 1050 breeders,” he said. “I have used a Stunner son previously and was very happy with his progeny.” Carenda Shockwave S34 recorded a +5.7 birthweight, and had growth figures in the top 5 and 10 per cent including +61, +112 and +140 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, and had postive figures for calving ease, eye muscle area (+4.8), intramuscular fat (+0.8), rib fat (+1.2) and rumb fat (+1.2). In his volume purchase of five bulls for an average price of $10,000/head, Mr Fairbass also paid $10,000 for a son of Varilek Geddes 7068 offered as lot 2, Carenda Sphinx S21, one of Carenda’s first drops by this sire. “This bull represents outcross genetics for our herd and he will be used over heifers,” he said. Carenda stud co-principal Matt Kitchen said he selected the sire Varilek Geddes for its low birthweight and good growth attributes plus its exceptional docility. “His sons were a stand-out in the catalogue,” he said. Mr Fairbass also selected three heifer bulls sired by Carenda Quill Q30, a grandson of Clunie Range Legend L348. The $11,000 second top-priced bull, Carenda Safafar S7, was also sired by Varilek Geddes 7068 and was secured by Redmond producers Rob and Michelle Hourston. Mr Hourston said he was chasing a sizable bull to put over a line of Charolais cross Murray Grey cows. “This bull had good growth and excellent configuration in his feet in the angle and claw set,” he said. “He is a long bull with a straight back and small head and has good calving ease figures.” The Hourstons run a medium-sized herd of breeders and had good results with a Carenda bull they bought two years ago. “We find our crossbreeding program offers diverse genetics and enough hybrid vigour to suit marketing our calves to a range of options,” Mr Hourston said. Also introduced at Carenda this year were sons of S Powerpoint with one son, Carenda Scotch S20, sold for $10,000 to Albany account Ten Year Developments. Mr Kitchen said the infusion of S Powerpoint genetics had added good growth figures and carcase data into the Carenda herd while keeping the birthweight in check. The $10,500 third top-priced bull, Carenda Quixote S80, sold to new buyer Jamie Nicolaou, who trades as Yanmah Farm Contracting in East Manjimup. Mr Nicolaou also paid $10,000 for Carenda Quixote S81, a half-brother to S80 — both sired by Millah Murrah Quixote Q96 and representing new genetics at Carenda. The December 2021-drop yearling bulls will be put over Yanmah heifers in a program to build a self-replacing Angus herd with a base of Coonamble blood breeders secured from Murray River Farms. “We started shifting from a herd of F1 breeders about three years ago and looking to build a self-replacing Angus herd of 150 breeders,” Mr Nicolaou said. Another MM Quixote son, Carenda Quixote S78 sold to Woogenellup account Capecup Grazing for $8000. Volume buyer Eric Walmsley, who trades as Banell Falls in Pinjarra secured four bulls to a top of $8000 and average price of $6000. Mr Walmsley said he selected for low birthweight and good milk figures and would put the bulls over heifers. Elders stud stock agent Russell McKay said it was a great clearance of Carenda bulls. “Carenda’s introduction of an on-property sale five years ago continues to build in strength and with two excellent consecutive sale results, Matt and Daniegh have gained confidence in their program,” he said. “Elders is proud to be part of their success.”