2019 Bull Sale
The 2019 Bull Sale averaged $17,261, a new national breed record surpassing our 2016 figure of $16,348. The star performer was Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15 with a national Angus auction price record for a bull at $160,000. The sale highlights video is here.
Millah Murrah Smashes Records
Courtesy The Land p102, 12/9/2019, by Lisa Duce
Bathurst-Based stud Millah Murrah Angus broke two of their own national records during their 31st on-property sale last Thursday, including the national Angus auction price for a bull with a $160,000 bid.
The 2016 stud national Angus average record of $16,348, held by Millah Murrah, also fell when all 69 bulls sold to average $17,261.
The individual bull record toppled for the $160,000 Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15. The previous record was $150,000 when Millah Murrah Kingdom K35 sold in 2015. The young sire was by EF Commando 1366 out of Millah Murrah Ela M9 and had been used quite heavily in Millah Murrah’s autumn AI program. Purchased by the Cowan family’s Oldfield Angus stud, Western Australia, Paratrooper P15 will be used as a foundation sire to complement daughters of Millah Murrah Klooney K42 among other bloodlines.
Semen distribution was contracted through Bill Cornell of ABS Australia. Arkle Farm’s farm manager Chad Hall believed that P15’s phenotype was spot on.
“He has the thickness, the structure, the depth of body and early maturity we are after. He’s a tremendous Angus type,” he said.
On top of that, his numbers are really good. As most know it is hard to get both numbers and phenotype.”
Delighted stud principal, Siobhan Cowan said the balanced combination the bull brought to their herd and WA clients had everyone excited.
Underbidders were Ascot Angus, Warwick, Queensland in a syndicate with Gilmandyke Angus, Orange and Clift Angus, Scone.
Ascot principal Jim Wedge felt it was a fantastic day for the industry and the breed. It’s great to get some positivity in some really hard times,” he said.
“P15 was close to the perfect bull. With a hole-proof dataset and terrific phenotype, he will suit our breeding program perfectly. We will be buying semen from the bull to use in our stud.”
Second top priced bull was yearling, Millah Murrah Chisum P108, at $40,000 and sold to Gilmandyke Angus, Orange.
Underbidders were Julie and Jeremy Shaw, JS Grazing, Injune, Qld. They took home three bulls, which made them one of the volume buyers of the day, including the second top priced yearling, Millah Murrah Chisum P110 for $34,000.
“We loved his weight for age and softness,” Mr Shaw said.
“We have been buying at Millah Murrah for about 12 years. We have seen a huge improvement in our herd and won’t be changing our breeding program any time soon.
“To be breaking records in this climate is an endorsement for Ross’s breeding program. They are cattlemens’ cattle.
The two top yearlings were sons of Spicklers Chisum 255, a new bloodline found by Millah Murrah.
Millah Murrah’s Ross Thompson described Chisum 255 as one of the most aesthetically pleasing bulls he had seen in America.
“His dam stood out in a very functional herd, as did her ET progeny in the weaning pens when we visited in 2016,” he said.
It is no surprise to see 255 putting some good calves on the ground for us.”
He said the sale was mind-blowing.
I am absolutely ecstatic that bull made the money he did,” he said.
I think (Paratrooper) is a great bull for the breed right now. He has a phenomenal carcase pattern, structural integrity and moderate frame and a huge weight for age. The Millah Murrah Loch Up L133 progeny were also stunningly popular. They were appreciated right around the country.”
Buyers Pay Big Bucks for Top Sires
(Courtesy The Land p8, 12/9/2019, by Lucy Kinbacher and Lisa Duce)
STUD and commercial buyers a like showed confidence in the red meat industry last week when bull and ram auctions were pushed to record heights.
Despite seasonal conditions, the top price purchasers all agreed their hefty investments would pay off in the long run.
The headline was the Thompson family’s annual Millah Murrah Angus sale near Bathurst last Thursday when Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15 cemented a new Angus breed record auction bull price and the country’s seventh most expensive bull at $160,000.
He was secured by the Cowan family’s newly acquired Oldfield Angus, Bedford Harbour, near Esperance in Western Australia.
Oldfield Angus is operated by Arkle Farms and chairman Paul Cowan said the stud was a key component for their business.
“We are making a big investment in Australian agriculture, focusing in Western Australia across cropping, livestock and in the stud.”
Mr Cowan said these genetics would be used in their breeding herd to supply genetics to their Western Australian, and global customers.
Paratrooper P15 wasn’t the only highlight, with Millah Murrah also breaking the national Angus auction average record when all 69 bulls sold to average $17,261 (see more p102).
The following day it was Richard Chalker, Lach River stud, Darby’s Falls, who bought a two thirds share in the $72,500 Collinsville 180641, with the other third going to Warick Kopp, Towalba, Peak Hill, at the Adelaide Stud Merino and Poll Merino Ram sale.
“We have been looking for an impact sire for two or three years and we saw this fella down at Hay as a young ram lamb and followed him through,” he said.
The ram will go to an artificial insemination collection centre in Jerilderie before beginning natural mating’s at Lach River.
He was trumped, though, by a Glenlea Park ram from Pinnaroo, South Australia, which sold a Poll Merino named Smithy for $100,000 to Will Lynch, Boorana stud, Woorndoo, Victoria (see more p76).
In other sales, the Sweeney family of Bindaree and Nundoone Border Leicesters studs, Merrygoen, fetched what is believed to be a new state auction record for their breed last Wednesday.
The 2019 Australian Sheep and Wool Show supreme Border Leicester and was sold for $16,500 to Wellington buyer, Ben O’Brien (see more p99).
It was just $1800 off the national record held by Coolawang Border Leicester stud, Mundulla West, SA, set on October 2013 at $18,200.
