Top Gandy Angus bull reaches a top of $16,000 at Boyanup

Gandy Angus bulls reached a top-price of $16,000 at the Gandy family’s annual sale held last Thursday at the Boyanup saleyards. The first Angus bull sale of the 2021-22 season, conducted by Elders and interfaced with AuctionsPlus, resulted in 55 bulls sold for an overall average price of $7750. The buoyant sale, with 58 registered buyers, was up a massive $2255/head on last year when 49 bulls sold for an average price of $5495. Gandy Angus stud co-principal Kim Gandy said past clients had returned to acquire good-quality bulls as the stud continued to rebuild after a major sell-off of stud cows in 2015. “We offered some exceptional- quality bulls and buyers were able to find good value in their selections,” Mr Gandy said. “Elders has been instrumental in our rebuild program.” The sale topper, Diamond One Nugget R131, was secured by Esperance cattleman Anthony McDonald, who trades as Kuloomba Farming and has been buying Gandy Angus bulls for six years. “I was selecting for moderate birthweight and thickness for our 800 Angus and Red Angus herd,” he said. Mr McDonald’s top pick was 20.5 months of age, weighed 818kg and was a first-drop AI son of Millah Murrah Nugget N266 out of Diamond One Bronc P18. The bull recorded estimated breeding values of +2.7 BW, +51, +96 and +121 for 200, 400 and 600-day growth rates, +21 milk and +3.1 for scrotal size. Three other bulls were also selected by Mr McDonald, including a Musgrave Stunner son, Diamond One Stunner R48, for $12,250. This 21-month-old bull weighed 822kg and recorded EBVs of +4.3 BW, +55, +98 and +126 for 200, 400 and 600-day growth rates, and a +78 for carcase weight. The other two bulls selected included Diamond One Nugget R23 for $9000 and Diamond One Stunner R44 for $9000. The $15,250 second top-priced bull, Diamond One Beast Mode R122, was secured through AuctionsPlus by repeat buyer Wes Graham, of Monjingup stud, in Esperance. Mr Graham said he had bought two sons of the Beast Mode sire last year and was again looking for the extra weight-for-age from the sire’s high-performance genetics. “Beast Mode sons are offering good temperament and work well on their feet,” he said. Making competitive bids through AuctionsPlus from his farm, Mr Graham’s top pick weighed in at 904kg and recorded EBVs of +5.7 BW, +70, +124 and +155 for 200, 400 and 600-day growth rates, all in the top one per cent of the breed, and the bull had a scrotal of +4.4, also in the top one per cent. Mr Graham runs 2000 Angus breeders and has a Coles Finest contract in which he supplies the supermarket 14 to 16-month-old calves at 350kg to 360kg to be finished in a Tammin feedlot. “We run a sheep, cattle and cropping program, with the exceptional season and strong commodity prices, it is a good time to be a mixed farmer,” he said. Another Musgrave Stunner son, Diamond One Stunner R67, sold to repeat buying account LT Armstrong & Son, of Tutunup. The catalogue had a good variety of sires representative including from a Granite Ridge Kaiser K26 son that sold for $11,750 to Bachos Holdings, in Balbarrup. Charles and Peter Cowcher, of Willandra stud in Williams, were first-time buyers of Gandy bulls, selecting 20-month-of-age Diamond One Capitalist R201 for $11,250. Their top pick weighed 864kg and recorded EBVs of +4 BW, +50, +90 and +119 for 200, 400 and 600-day growth rates. “We liked his weight for age, structure and ability to produce good daughters plus he had balanced figures,” Peter said. “We have registered our Willandra Angus stud and will slowly build up a stud herd.” Volume buyer was Alcoa of Australia Farmlands manager Vaughn Byrd, of Waroona, who secured seven bulls to a top of $7000 and average price of $6072. Mr Byrd said he was selecting good temperament and carcase figures to fit into the Alcoa Angus herd of 3900 commercial breeders. Elders auctioneer Nathan King said the sale was a fantastic result with good competition on a great presentation of bulls. “They presented well from a very wet and cold winter period,” he said.