Venta de Toros de 2003

$41,000 Angus record
(The Land, September 11 2003)

$5823 average for Millah Murrah sale

AN AUSTRALIAN record Angus price of $41,000 was paid for the two-year-old Millah Future Direction W100, at the 16th annual Millah Murrah Angus bull sale at "Goonamurrah", Bathurst, last Thursday.

The sale of 48 of 49 bulls offered by vendors Wyatt, Winsome and Ross Thompson grossed $279,500 and averaged $5823 - the top average at a NSW auction so far this year and a match for Millah Murrah's 2001 result.

The $41,000 top bid was made by Witherswood Angus stud owners, John and Joan Woodruff, of Glenrowan, Victoria.

This broke the record of $40,000 set at the Angus National Show and Sales in Wodonga in 1983 and equalled last year.

"I have been looking for a top stud sire and W100 has all the qualities to suit our breeding program," Mr Woodruff said.

"He is the thickest-topped bull I have seen, with good old fashioned traits of bone, butt and wonderful balance."

Mr Woodruff said the bull had the perfect feet and structure required of a stud sire, and was from a superb feminine cow with a perfect udder and conformation, that was now raising a great heifer calf.

The high selling bull was an AI son of the US sire, Future Direction, from an Ythanbrae N33-sired female.

Millah Murrah retained a half semen share in the bull, which was the heaviest in the sale, weighing 932kg with a Japanese B3 market $index figure of +$85 and a CAAB $index of +$61, both of which place him in the top five per cent of the breed.

The under-bidder on the record breaking bull, Sue Howieson, Fairvale Angus stud, Canberra, paid the second top price of $18,000 for a 17-month, 622kg son of Future Direction and Hingaia 469 donor cow, MM Flower S110.

Phil Gilbert and his manager Damien Sotter, of the Meadows Angus at Oberon, paid $9000 for a same-aged bull with the top weight for age at 708kg.

Colin Bannerman, Kywarra Angus, Blayney, paid $6000 for his selection of a Future Direction son.

Ross Thompson, of Millah Murrah, said he was delighted to sell four bulls into studs with strong Millah Murrah influence in their cow herds.

Long-time supporter Peter Emery, 'Emery Park", Crookwell, secured a 17-month-old BR New Design 036-son at $10,000 for his elite commercial operation at Crookwell. The ET calf is a maternal brother to the $18,000 W100.

Volume buyer, John McGoverne, "Beaudesert", Mudgee, took home five bulls at a $4500 average.

Many bulls sold locally, most in the $3500 to $5000 range.

Elders' Paul Dooley presided at the rostrum.

After the sale, an emotional Wyatt Thompson announced that Millah Murrah would hold an unprecedented sale of stud female cattle on November 7.

Every female born before 2003 will be offered from the 190-strong registered breeding herd.

Wyatt and Winsome Thompson will retire to Bathurst in December, and after their wedding later this year, Ross Thompson and Dimity Jardine will continue the Millah Murrah stud, based on the retained heifer weaner portion of the existing herd.