Strong start to buying season

Top-price honours were shared between an Angus and a Charolais bull at Landmark's Great Southern sale last week at Mt Barker, while it was the Simmentals that made the top gross for an individual stud.

The annual blue ribbon event opened the bull selling season with a $169 per head increase on last year.

Of the 64 bulls offered, 56 sold for an average price of $4161, as compared to last year when 63 sold for an average price of $3992.

In the Angus catalogue, Denbar stud principals Mike and Ruth Coffey's Pfizer STAR accredited bull, Denbar F95, sold for the equal top-price of $7500.

The Coffey's 10-bull offering sold to an average price of $4425.

The 766kg bull was sired by Booroomooka Yogi Z27 and was described as suitable to use over heifers.

Working off a good season, Robert Hortin, of LF Hortin & Sons, Kronkup, said he bought the bull to work in his family's commercial Angus/Friesian first-cross herd.

"We run 850 breeders and market most of the calves to Woolworths," Robert said.

He said calf prices had been the best ever with one of their lines selling for a top price of $1200/head at an average weight of 225kg.

"We are averaging approximately $945/head," he said.

The Hortins also bought the $7250 second top-priced Angus bull from Tullibardine Angus stud.

The other equal $7500 top-priced bull in the sale was from Frank and Judy Lambert's Token Charolais stud, of Lower King.

The sirey bull, Token's Eaton Flagship, was bought by Kevin and Robin Yost, of Liberty Charolais stud, Toodyay, who attended the sale with their children Morgan and Jessica.

Kevin said he selected the low birth weight poll for its outcross genetics and overall balance.

He said it was the first walking bull to be purchased by Liberty.

"We have only used AI and ET since the stud's 1993 inception," he said.

Kevin explained that as the Liberty stud herd continued to grow in breeding numbers, there was more room for sire replacement options.

The Lamberts were pleased their Charolais bulls sold to the sale top average price of $4875.

Frank and Janice Hard, of Naracoopa Simmentals, Denmark, offered and sold all 12 of their bulls to a top price of $7000 and average price of $4667.

Frank said it was the first Australian offering of bulls sired by South African bull, Woonallee Blockade B128 (ET).

Denmark commercial producer Ross Thorton bought four Naracoopa bulls to a top price of $7000, for a Blockade son.

Ross runs 330 Friesian/Angus cross cows and sells his calves to Woolworths.

Alastair Murray's Tullibardine stud sold the $5500 top-priced Murray Grey bull to Amerrillup Pastoral Company, of Mt Barker.

Landmark auctioneer John Wirth said buyers were prepared to invest in new bulls.

"I have never seen the beef market so strong," he said.

Landmark Albany agent Bob Pumphrey said Great Southern breeders had been producing a very consistent product for the supermarket chain for many years.

Great Southern Blue Ribbon Bull Sale * STUD OFFERED SOLD TOP PRICE AVERAGE ANGUS Tullibardine 9 7 $7250 $4464 Denbar 10 10 $7500 $4425 Ponderosa 2 1 $3000 $3000 Mason Valley 3 1 $3750 $3750 Ballawinna 2 2 $3000 $2750 MURRAY GREY Tullibardine 3 3 $5500 $4500 Willawa 5 5 $4250 $3450 Barker High 3 1 $3250 $3250 SIMMENTAL Naracoopa 12 12 $7500 $4667 Inlet 6 5 $4500 $3750 CHAROLAIS Token 4 4 $7500 $4875 Quicksilver 5 5 $4500 $4140 TOTAL 64 56 $7500(2) $4161