Red Angus bulls make top of $7750

A Jutland Park Red Angus bull topped the WA Consolidated Red Angus Sale on Monday at Benger, selling for $7750 to the Wheatbelt.

With good support from repeat buyers from Eneabba to Esperance, first-time pastoral account Rocklea station, of Paraburdoo, brought a big buying order to the sale making a noticeable increase in the clearance ratio.

Rocklea livestock manager John Forrester, who runs a herd of 2500 Droughtmaster breeders, secured 10 bulls, with the assistance of Primaries agent Shane Flemming, to a top of $6750 and average price of $5435.

“I was selecting for early maturity and soft fleshing which will increase the station’s marketing options into southern WA,” he said.

The multi-vendor sale offered 59 bulls with 41 selling for an average price of $5378, slightly up on last year when 31 of the 51 bulls sold for an average price of $5362.

Jutland Park offered 14 bulls and sold 10 for an average price of $5475, while Kingslane stud increased numbers to 35 with 23 selling for an average $5283, but bragging rights go to Magic Valley this year for selling eight bulls to the sale’s best $5531 average, up $1331 per head on last year.

The sale-topper, Jutland Park Morgan M10, offered by Guy and Pat Jellicoe, of Serpentine, was secured by commercial cattle producer Adin Elliot, of Eneabba.

Mr Elliot, who runs a 50/50 cropping/livestock operation, said he admired Jutland Park bulls for their excellent temperament and past bulls had performed brilliantly at his family’s property.

“We run 200 breeders based on Droughtmaster types and sell bull calves to the boat trade, while heifers are grown out for replacement selection or sold on to feedlots,” he said.

The 875kg Jutland Morgan, was sired by Jutland Elton Jell E25 and recorded a low birthweight (+3.3) and was running with stud Jutland heifers before being offered for sale.

Also taking a liking to a low birthweight (+1.9) Jutland bull, Patricia Fraser, of Nannup, paid the equal $7500 second top-price for Jutland Maxwell M3, sired by Paringa Iron Ore E27, to put over Limousin cows to soften up the progeny.

Kingslane stud’s first sons of Andras New Direction R240 were a big hit at the sale with the equal second top-price $7500 Kingslane Midas M13 selling to Rob Johnston, of Preston Downs, Esperance. The six Andras sons were popular with McVay Pastoral Co, of Esperance securing lot 3 for $7250, Blythewood Pastoral Co, of Pinjarra taking lot 44 for $7000, and Mr Johnston paid $7000 for lot 4.

Magic Valley sold to a stud record top-price of $7500 when Mr Johnston secured Magic Valley Malibu M17, sired by Red U-2 Illicit 423P.

Mr Johnston said he was selecting for outcross genetics and low birthweight bulls with softness which will go to work in his family’s 600 head breeding herd from a Poll Hereford/Simmental cross base.

“We are moving towards a purer Red Angus herd,” he said.