Season off to a flyer

The bull selling season was off to a great start at the Landmark Great Southern Blue Ribbon multi-breed sale last week when average prices were up $498 on last year.

Landmark stud stock auctioneer John Wirth said it was the best clearance ever for the Albany Region Cattle Association (ARCA) vendors who presented 77 bulls.

“Strong bidding competition throughout the sale was representative of the renewed confidence in the beef industry, ” Mr Wirth said.

The very last bull in the catalogue brought top price honours as Shorthorn breeders made their presence known at the sale for the first time.

Narralda principal Alex Burrow offered and sold six bulls to a sale top of $7250 for Narralda Eager E106, a home-grown Shorthorn.

The successful bidder was Pinjarra producer Marc Ross, of Landstal.

“The bull carries outcross genetics for use in my 4000 breeder herd, ” Mr Ross said.

Although Mr Burrow’s bulls accumulated a very respectable $4417 average price, it was the Angus breeds that stood out on the day.

ARCA president Darren Burrow’s offering of his Mason Valley Red Angus bulls brought the best of the averages to $5000 with repeat buyer and Manypeaks feedlotter Brian Lester the successful bidder on just the one bull that sold.

But while buyer support was limited for the Reds, more interest for Black Angus had three studs clear their offerings.

The numbers were with both Tullibardine stud which sold all nine bulls to a top of $7000 and Denbar stud, selling 11 Angus to a top of $5250 twice.

Frank Lambert’s Token Charolais, of Lower King, sold to a top of $6750 which placed his stud in equal fourth spot for top average.