2022 Bull Sale
The Land Newspaper – Livestock, Thursday September 08, 2022, page 60
A world record average
Millah Murrah averages $43,633
By Hannah Powe
Millah Murrah Angus stud made its mark on a global scale, setting a new world record on-property bull sale average of $43,633 on Thursday.
Described as ‘the sale of the century’ by many cattlemen, from the start those that attended the auction held at Goonamurrah, Bathurst, knew they were in for a spectacle when the car park and pens were full with eager buyers from 10am.
The electric atmosphere had people from all states and territories, as well as a large contingent from New Zealand, in absolute awe as prices remained strong the entire sale.
Ross Thompson and family, Millah Murrah Angus, sold 128 bulls to a top of $160,000 and average of $43,633 to gross $5.585 million. This was a new all breeds world record average, exceeding $34,221 for 118 bulls set last year.
At sale’s end, guest auctioneer Paul Dooley, Tamworth, put it simply. “What a day. They broke records last year, and they’ve done it again ladies and gentlemen.”
Bidding reached $100,000 by Lot 3, and $160,000 by Lot 5 – the eventual top price – at which point the sale was averaging $70,833 (sic). The first 20 bulls averaged $60,300 to gross $1.206 million, and at the 50th lot the average was $52,800.
All up, 60 bulls aged 18 months reached $160,000 and averaged $46,700, 17 senior bulls, two years, sold to $65,000 and averaged $45,176, and 51 yearling bulls sold to $110,000 and averaged $39,510.
Afterwards, Mr Thompson said he was numb. “We were very confident in the bulls. In the sale lead up, several industry veterans told us it was the best draft of bulls they had seen, and we felt the same way,” he said. “Discussions with buyers in the weeks ahead indicated that budgets were strong. So, we knew we were in for a big day. But never in my wildest imaginings did I hope we would top last year’s result.”
A NSW and Queensland partnership in JT Angus, Scone, and Ascot Cattle Company, Warwick, bought the $160,000 Millah Murrah Sugar Ray S76.
Sired by Millah Murrah Nectar N334 and out of a Millah Murrah Loch Up L133 daughter, Millah Murrah Flower P81, S76 weighed 830kg at 18 months with a 42 centimetre scrotal circumference.
Jim Wedge of Ascot, said they were seeking a bull to put on their Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15 and Dunoon Prime Minister P758 progeny.
“He is a very complete bull. The main reason was he is an outcross to a lot of what we already have in our herd,” Mr Wedge said.
“He ticked all the boxes also for structure, thickness, great feet and legs, head, temperament and was a bull that really looked like a bull with good raw data.
“He had a good balance of figures across the board, but we mainly want bulls that look like bulls, which will breed bulls.”
Underbidder, Urban Angus, Dungog, went on to buy MM Soldier S84 for $50,000 and MM Stormtrooper S334 for $40,000.
Millah Murrah Stormtrooper S235 was sold for $110,000 to Palgrove, Dalveen, Qld, and Heart Angus, Tamworth.
The 13-month-old Paratrooper P15 son from MM Klooney K42 daughter, MM Rado M215, weighed 632kg.
Bassett Cattle Company, Jenavale, Roma, Qld, paid $100,000 for Millah Murrah Stormtrooper S52, another Paratrooper son.
Repeat buyers of three years, the Bassett family, Bassett Cattle Company, run a self-replacing herd of 500 Angus breeders targeting the heavy feeder market and have had great success with Millah Murrah genetics.
“The bloodlines lines for a start drew us to the bull (Stormtrooper S52),” Edward Bassett said. He is an outstanding bull and will be used over Millah Murrah heifers of Chisum bloodlines.
“We’ve found the Millah Murrah bulls are athletic, structurally sound. Their temperament is excellent, and we have had good success with them, particularly with fertility.
“Using Millah Murrah bulls we have achieved 100 per cent heifer pregnancy rates which is important for us in driving profitability.”
In all, 44 sons of Paratrooper P15 averaged $49,682, even more than last year when the first draft of sons averaged $46,990.
Also at $100,000 was Millah Murrah Sugar Ray S273, another Nectar N334 son, which sold to David McLeod, Wellington. Weighing 602kg at 13 months, he was out of Klooney K42 daughter, MM Rado M295.
Mr McLeod sought a Nectar son to put on 200 head of Millah Murrah-blood breeders.
“He (Sugar Ray S273) stood out in the sale as a very well put together bull with good weight for age and a good sirey head,” he said. “I also like the Lot 5 top-priced bull, so when I missed him, I purchased this bull which had good sire presence.”
Mr McLeod aims to breed moderate maturity cattle and has bought from Millah Murrah for 12-15 years.
“They’re the only stud I buy from,”he said. “We’ve bought here every year and even bought cows from the stud’s sales.”
Clune Trading Pty Ltd, Manjimup, WA, bought MM Stormtrooper S80 for $80,000, a Paratroooper P15 son from MM Loch Up daughter, MM Flower P22.
Tandarook Pastoral Company, Culburra, SA, paid $80,000 for MM Sandstone S50, while next highest was MM Stormtrooper S153 purchased for $75,000 by Betrola, Cassilis.
Boambee Angus, East Seaham, bought MM Stormtrooper S69, another Paratrooper-Klooney combination for $70,000, while Springwaters Angus, Boorowa, paid $55,000 for MM Sandstone S56, and True North Angus, Possum Point, paid $55,000 for MM Stormtrooper S30.
Tivoli Angus, Merriwa, paid $45,000 for MM Sovereign S133, and Langi Kal Kal Angus, Trawalla, Vic, paid $35,000 for MM Stormtrooper S49.
Volume buyers were Macada Pty Ltd, Oberon, taking 13 to average $40,769, Bodangora Partnership, Wellington, took five averaging $39,800, Amanda Stewart, Running Stream, four averaging $36,750, Thomas Burnett, Lightning Ridge, three averaging $50,000, JS Grazing, Injune, Qld, three averaging $51,333, and Hatton and Sons, Dareen, Qld, three averaging $53,333.
The sale was conducted by Elders Bathurst.
