Williams-bred Willandra Simmental bull rockets to a top of $24,000 at annual sale

A Williams-bred Simmental bull sold to the top-price of $24,000 at the Cowcher family’s annual Willandra Simmental, Red Angus and Angus Bull Sale as buyers had selection options from a quality three-breed line-up. The sale held on February 20, conducted by Nutrien Livestock and interfaced with AuctionsPlus, resulted in 66 bulls offered with 50 sold for an average price of $8320, down $1110/head on last year when 57 bulls sold for an average price of $9430. The line-up of 34 Simmental bulls resulted in 26 sold to a top of $24,000 and average price of $8346, down $513/head on last year when 32 sold for a record top of $49,000 and an average price of $8859. The Red Angus offering of 23 bulls resulted in 17 sold to a top of $12,000 and average price of $7941, down $3011/head on last year when all 21 offered sold for an average price of $10,952. Improving the most was an offering of seven Angus bulls that all sold to a top of $12,000 and average price of $9142, up $3142/head on last when four bulls averaged $6000. The sale took off like a rocket with lot one, Willandra Tantamount T35 — an outstanding double polled Simmental bull that was knocked down for $24,000 to Naracoopa Simmental stud principals Kevin and Janice Hard, of Denmark. The 808kg 2022 April-drop sale topper, was the first of first-drop sons by Tullamore Park Rocket (AI), the sire selected for Willandra stud duties for its “outstanding” carcase attributes. Busselton-based Tullamore Park stud principal Daniel Partridge, who sold Rocket to the Cowchers, said the sire had thrown exceptional square udders in its daughters. Other than its exceptional visual appeal with a 43cm scrotal circumference, Willandra T35 recorded a low birthweight (+2.7) and had top 5 to 10 per cent growth figures of +44, +83, and +111 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights. Mr Hard, a regular investor in Willandra genetics, said the bull, out of dam Willandra Crystal Q140, had excellent qualities including length, docility, correctness and a “sirey outlook”. “We liked that he was double polled and had traditional coat colours with a good eye pigment — he will go over our traditional stud cows,” he said. “Today’s catalogue of Tullamore Park Rocket sons showed great consistency and we have used the stud’s genetics previously with success.” Returning to the sale after trialling Black Simmentals for a few years, Giulio and Janine Perrella, of Northcliffe, secured the $15,000 second top-priced bull, Willandra Tornado T44 (PH). Mr Perrella said the 846kg W T44, sired by Willandra Lee Marvin, had “exceptional structure” and would go over his Angus cross Friesian commercial cows to produce “baby beef”. Mr Perrella, who has been breeding cattle for 65 years, said he returned to Willandra to get that extra early weight gain from Traditional Simmental genetics. Meanwhile Tullamore Park Rocket sons were a hot item with Mr Partridge and his partner Jenny Mai securing lot two for $14,000 while Hyden account Terrica Valley paid $12,000 and Elders Manjimup account paid $11,000 for the popular sons. Mr Partridge said he was keen to re-install Rocket genetics back into his stud. Regular volume buyer was Williams-based Welldon Beef co-principal Gordon Atwell who secured seven Simmental bulls to a top of $8000 and average price of $5714. Mr Atwell said he runs Simmental bulls over Angus cows mainly for hybrid vigour before the calves are feedlot finished for 90 days to a weight of 560kg and sold through a Coles contract. “I sense cattle values will be slowly going up,” he said. The $12,000 top-priced Red Angus bull, Willandra Thornbury T88, sold to an undisclosed repeat buyer. The 790kg 2022 April-drop bull was sired by Willandra Panther P38 and had EBV growth figures in the top 5 and 10 per cent. The same buyer picked up two other Red Angus bulls, both by different sires, for $9000 each. In the buoyant Angus catalogue, Pinjarra commercial producer Todd Nancarrow secured the $12,000 top-priced bull, Willandra Tenor T10. This 826kg 2022 May-drop bull was sired by Koojan Hills Traction P40 and recorded EBVs of +53, +97 and +126 for 200, 400 and 600-day growth weights. Mr Nancarrow, a first-time buyer at Willandra, said he was impressed with the bull’s depth and would put the bull over his family’s Angus cross Friesian cow herd of 200 breeders for the farm’s baby beef program. Nutrien Livestock auctioneer Chris Waddingham said the Willandra sale offering was as good as he had ever seen. “While buyers were selective due to the dry season, the style and type in the offering was very even throughout,” he said. “The sale result was comparable in values to what has been achieved at previous bull sales this season.”