Fieldhouse Droughtmaster tops at $11,500

A Fieldhouse Droughtmaster bull sold for the $11,500 top-price at the Narngulu Invitation Bos Indicus Bull Sale at the Coolina Sale Complex in Narngulu last Wednesday.

Overall, 88 bulls were offered including 13 Oakvale Brahman bulls and 75 Fieldhouse Droughtmaster bulls with a total of 64 bulls sold for an average price of $6039, up $2522/head on last year when 57 bulls sold for an average price of $3517.

The Teakle family’s offering of 13 Oakvale bulls resulted in 12 sold for an average price of $3708, up $708/head on last year, while the Mutton family’s Fieldhouse stud sold 52 bulls for an average price of $6577, up $2975/head on last year.

The sale topper, Fieldhouse 96 (P), sired by Glenlands J Voltage D5, sold to a 50/50 partnership between RSVP Droughtmaster stud in Samford, Queensland, and Vanuatu Cattle Company, on the island of Vanuatu.

Nutrien Livestock Kulin agent Ty Miller secured Voltage D5 via phone link-up with RSVP stud co-principal Steve Pickering, who was bidding from Queensland.

Mr Pickering said he was chasing a son of Voltage D5 after the sire sold to the Mutton family for $100,000 in 2018.

Voltage D5 was sashed junior champion bull at Brisbane’s Ekka show and was awarded senior and grand champion bull at the 2018 Beef Australia show.

Mr Pickering said his first purchase of a Fieldhouse bull was from a viewing a photo of a Voltage D5’s son, Fieldhouse 96 (P).

“He looked the best, with a good top line, plenty of muscle and tidy sheath,” he said.

“As part of our partnership, we will send semen to Vanuatu.”

The $11,000 second top-priced bull, Fieldhouse 13 (P) sired by Valera Vale Hitman, sold to first time Fieldhouse buyers Keith and Karen Anderson, of Jubilee Downs in Dandaragan.

Mr Anderson said he would put the bull over some of his family’s 200 pure Droughtmaster breeding herd.

“The bull suits our line of breeding,” he said.

Buyer Epminex paid $10,500 for Fieldhouse 112 (P), sired by Glenlands D Richmond, and the Marble Bar pastoralist also bought two other bulls for $7500/head and a fourth for $3500.

Nutrien Livestock Northampton agent Chad Smith secured three bulls to a top of $9500 and average price of $8334 on behalf of Middalya Station in Carnarvon.

Volume buyer Arthur Taylor, of Wanna Station in the upper Gascoyne, secured a total of 10 Droughtmaster bulls for an average price of $6400 with Elders WA commercial cattle manager Tom Marron assisting in the buying order.

Mr Taylor said he was selecting for dark skinned types with good back lines to work in his family’s 3000 head of mostly pure Droughtmaster breeders.

Meekatharra pastoralist Liam Johns, of Killara Pastoral Company, secured seven Droughtmaster bulls for an average price of $6857.

Mr Johns said he was selecting for deep red coated bulls with good temperament to work in his family’s 3000 head breeder herd of Santa Gertrudis cross Droughtmaster females.

“Hinging on rain events, we will be looking to sell 10-month-old calves in July to the live export market,” he said.

In the Brahman catalogue, Oakvale offered seven red bulls in which two sold for the $4000 equal top- price.

Both red bulls were sold to Days Pastoral in Newman, with this buyer also securing two other red bulls for $3500 each.

Oakvale also offered six grey coated bulls, all sired by Rathlyn Dovi, which all sold to the Elders Carnarvon account through agent Clint Avery to a top of $4000 and average price of $3750.