Tullibardine sells to $10,500

Green Valley-based Tullibardine stud has reached a $10,500 top price for an Angus sire, while a Murray Grey bull demanded $8500, at its annual sale last week.

Tullibardine co-principals Alastair and Jenny Murray offered 31 Angus and 10 Murray Grey bulls at the on-farm sale near Albany last Tuesday, with 34 bulls selling through Landmark and Elders for an average price of $5897 per head.

The result marked an $897-per-head increase on last year, when 38 bulls sold for an average of $5000 per head.

Twenty-seven Angus bulls sold for an average price of $6019 per head and seven Murray Grey bulls sold for an average of $5429 per head.

Takalarup beef producers Graeme and Deby Pyle secured the sale-topper, Tulliabardine Penthouse P1, a 902kg Angus bull sired by Millah Murrah Reality K61.

Mrs Pyle said the genetic outcross bull was visually correct with length, depth and muscling and they would use the bull over Angus cows. “Good conformation is important as we supply steers to the Daniel Wells Feedlot at Borden,” she said.

The bull, sold as lot 3A in the catalogue, recorded Estimated Breeding Values of +50, +91 and +120 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.

The $8500 second top-priced Angus bull, Tullibardine Pot Luck P64, sired by MM Reality, was secured by Rick Bentink, of Denmark.

Mr Bentink, who runs 2000 Angus cows with son Alex, said he selected the bull on good EBV figures including +4.7 BW, -2.4 GL, +117 MCW, +7.4 EMA, +2.9 IMF and +$164 HGN.

“We will use the outcross bull as backup to our AI program,” he said.

The Smith family, of Narrikup, secured two Angus bulls for $8000 and $7000.

Stewart Smith said the deep-bodied bulls would be used in his family’s 150-female herd, which was mostly Angus.

Tullibardine Phantum P61, sired by Millah Murrah Tex K37, which was awarded the supreme ribbon at the 2019 Perth Royal Show Angus breed judging, sold for $6500 to Mt Barker account EI & BJ Lynch & Sons.

From the Murray Grey catalogue, first-time buyers were from the Mount Barker Community College, with the school’s farm manager Jay Rowles securing the $8500 top-priced bull, Tullibardine Preston P142.

Mr Rowles said he selected the bull for its outcross genetics, EBV growth rates and carcase quality.

“We will use the bull in our school’s Murray Grey stud herd of 45 females,” he said.

The 900kg bull, sired by Melaleuca Jeep J52, recorded EBVs of +37, +63 and +79 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights and had a carcase weight of +49.

The $6000 second top-priced bull, Tullibardine Prophet P109, sired by Tullibardine Jeopardy J14, was secured by Albany account MJE Grazing.

Landmark southern livestock manager Bob Pumphrey said the sale result represented a good clearance despite the dry season.

“The bulls presented extremely well and there was good buying at the top end,” he said.

Mr Murray said he had the sale numbers right for all the water problems producers were facing.

“We were very pleased to have good support, with return buyers and a few new ones,” he said.