Despite poorer seasonal conditions in WA’s northern rangelands, Bos Indicus bull values lifted to a top of $8500 at the annual WALSA Invitational Narngulu Bull Sale last week.

The overall average price of $3126 for 87 bulls sold was up $194 per head on last year, when 87 bulls sold for an average of $2932.

A total of 103 bulls were on offer, 37 fewer than last year, which resulted in a much better clearance rate of 84 per cent as opposed to last year’s 62 per cent when 140 bulls were offered.

Landmark auctioneer Tiny Holly said it was a solid sale with quality overall very good.

“Because of unseasonal conditions, buyers were on a budget,” he said.

Elders’ auctioneer Don Morgan said buyers were very selective on the quality and Brahman bulls were difficult to sell.

SANTA GERTRUDISThe sale got underway with the Santa Gertrudis catalogue which continued on from last year to have the best performing sale average price of $3500 for nine bulls offered and sold from two vendors.

Last year, 39 Santa Gertrudis bulls were offered from three vendors of which 20 sold to an average price of $3200.

This year, with fewer bulls on offer, buyers were quick to secure the lot, lifting the average price by $300/head.

Wendy Gould, of Wendalla stud, Chittering, offered and sold eight Santa Gertrudis bulls to a top of $4250 and average price of $3562, although down $313 per head on last year, Ms Gould was pleased to sell four more bulls this year.

Polled bull Wendalla N26 sold for the stud’s top-price to Ian Halleen, of Chicoty, West Perth, who also paid $4000 for Wendalla 005 (P).

Mulga Downs station bought five Wendalla bulls for an average price of $3450.

Morialta Santa Gertrudis stud, of Boyup Brook, offered and sold one bull for $3000 to new buyer Trevor Hodshon, of Sandstone.

DROUGHTMASTERIn the Droughtmaster catalogue, which made up the majority of the sale’s numbers, 61 of the 63 bulls offered were sold to a top of $8500 and average price of $3160, up $139/head on last year.

New buyers Russell and Wendy Clarke, of Bernburra Droughtmaster stud, Donnybrook, bought the sale topper, Fieldhouse 8, which will represent new genetics for the Clarkes who established their stud in 2013 and now run 65 stud females.

The bull was sired by Fieldhouse Perkins, going back to Wandobah Kieren, and out of Fieldhouse 1698.

“We selected for softness, length, width and the bull has a very tidy sheath,” Mr Clarke said.

Meekatharra pastoralist Liam Johns, of Killara station, paid $5000 for Fieldhouse 11 (P), also sired by Perkins.

Mr Johns said the season had been very patchy and feed was a real issue for many pastorialists.

Fieldhouse stud, of Wickepin, offered a total of 53 bulls and sold 51 for an average price of $3167, although this was down $77/head on last year, the stud sold 34 more bulls this year.

New Droughtmaster vendors Graham Bishop and Glen Hoskins, of Deep Valley stud, Donnybrook, offered and sold eight bulls to a top of $4000 twice and average price of $3219.

Another stud purchase resulted when Canterbury Droughtmaster stud, of New Norcia, paid $4000 for Deep Valley 94 (P), a bull sired by Glenlands Playboy.

Canterbury also offered and sold two Droughtmaster bulls for $2750 each to Wanna station.

Volume Droughtmaster bull buyers included Wanna station (14 bulls), Gindalbie (15 bulls), Lake Violet station (six bulls) and Mia Mia station (six bulls).

BRAHMANSimilar Brahman bull numbers were offered this year with 17 selling to a top of $3750 and average price of $2809, up $257/head on last year.

John Wesley’s Charlesville stud, of Southern Cross, offered 17 and sold nine bulls to a top of $3750 to repeat buyer Brent Smoothy, of Kumarina station.

Acting on behalf of Mr Smoothy, Elders agent Andy Lockyer secured three other Charleville bulls and two Canterbury bulls for the Newman pastoralist.

Canterbury Brahman stud, of New Norcia, also sold another six bulls to account Landmark Broome, the volume buyer of Brahman bulls.

The Birrahlee Brahman stud, of Williams, offered four bulls, which failed to find any buyers, but after the sale, three of these bulls were sold to account Landmark Broome.

Charlesville stud also sold three passed in bulls after the sale.