Top bull nets $16k at Narrogin Ag Invitational Bull Sale

A Poll Hereford dubbed the “cream of the crop” by sale-goers fetched a whopping $16,000 at this year’s Invitational Bull Sale.

It was a spirited bidding war for the beast, which sold for almost double what last year’s $9250 prize beast did.

Thirty-four bulls across three breeds were offered from four vendors at the sale at WA College of Agriculture — Narrogin, with 28 sold for an average of $7196.

Fourteen Poll Herefords and 14 Murray Greys were sold through Elders auctioneer James Culletin during the 28th annual auction, where college students cooked up a storm on the barbecue for punters.

It was a welcome result for the Woods family’s Terraneil stud, which was the only Poll Hereford vendor on the day, and offered 17 animals after one was withdrawn.

The stud sold 14 animals to an average of $7267. The breed’s average at the 2020 sale was $6250.

“We’re very impressed, very happy,” stud co-principal Sandy Woods said. “We thought it might have been slightly harder than it was ... there’s certainly a lot of people out there without water and who have got rid of some numbers, but cattle prices are looking promising and it bodes for a good bull sale at the end of the day.

“We’re trying to get a good, average, well-balanced animal that’s going to do pretty well anywhere and with durability but just has that extra bit in growth figures, ease of calving, some milk and the dollar indexes.

“We’re very, very happy and certainly appreciate the loyal support we’ve had from some return buyers.”

The three animals passed in during auction were sold privately after the sale.

“I thought the cattle were presented very well and that was reflected in the sale,” Mr Culletin said.

Terraneil Kalimna TNI Q014 — sired by Wirruna Kalimna K326 — attracted the most attention, with Lindsay James of James Pastoral Company securing the animal for a sale-high $16,000.

The Hyden farmer and fourth-time buyer called the bull’s breeding figures “outstanding” and was looking forward to introducing it to his 200-head herd.

“I thought it was probably the best bull of the team even though it was well back in the field,” he said.

Mrs Woods agreed. “If you put him across the breed he’s probably in the top 10 per cent across the board,” she said.

Mr James said the animals’ growth and birth rates were a major factor in the sale, and the purchase — coupled with his procurement of Terraneil Kalimna TNI Q012 of the same sire for $6000 — would provide continuation of the genetics he had been using for the past five years.

In the Murray Greys, it was a record-breaking sale for Young Guns, which offered all 15 of the breed following the withdrawal of Benview studs’ only lot and one Young Guns lot.

Fourteen were sold to a $7125 average — up from $4729 last year — with the stud’s top-selling bull going for $10,250 to Moorine Rocks’ DJ & LM Granich.

Stud principal Lindsay Bagshaw said it was the highest average they had ever achieved, with buyers from Esperance to Geraldton purchasing his “low-maintenance” cattle which he bred to “do well” in the grainbelts’ tough condi-tions.

“It was pleasing as we had new clients come in and a number of return buyers who bought multiple,” he said. “It’s always great when people come back as it gives you confidence that they’re happy with what you’re doing.”