Heifers to $11,000 twice at National Droughtmaster Female Sale

Droughtmaster CEO Neil Donaldson said it was a well-deserved result for the sale vendors whose offering of outstanding quality Droughtmaster females met with enthusiastic bidding by buyers from all points of the compass.

“The sale result once again demonstrated the popularity of the Droughtmaster breed,” said Mr Donaldson.

Overall 130 females averaged $3238 which represented a clearance rate of 98 percent and sale proceeds of $421,000.

In the breakdown a pair of cows and calves averaged $3250, 19 joined heifers averaged $3868 and 109 unjoined maidens averaged $3128.

Central Queensland vendors played a pivotal role in the overall result with two studs sharing top money honours for their unjoined heifers.

First-time vendors Will and Ingrid Haviland, Sugerland Droughtmasters, Coowonga via Rockhampton sold their 13-month-old, double polled, maiden Sugerland Jingle (P) for the $11,000 equal top price.

Fellow Central Queensland vendors Andrew and Kerri McKenzie, Hamadra Droughtmasters, Bluff made it a back-to-back Gympie sale topping performances after their home-bred heifer, Hamadra Hazel (P) attracted $11,000. Hamadra was one of the largest vendors and sold all nine unjoined heifers for a $5583 average.

Both sale topping unjoined heifers were bought by Chris and Hailey Heness, Ridgie Didge stud, Goomeri and part of a major herd building upgrade. Mr Heness said both heifers were exceptional individuals with great breed character, plenty of style and good bone and fleshing. Ridgie Didge was also one of the major buyers after securing eight females for a $6563 average.

Sale chairman and long term vendors Brian and Yvonne Heck, Bryvonlea Droughtmasters, Glastonbury via Gympie topped the joined heifer market at $8000 with Bryvonlea Edian (P), a quality daughter of Skye Wilfred (P) which was in-calf to Billabong Fergus. She was also bought by Chris and Hailey Heness of the Ridgie Didge stud.

The Heck family celebrated 20 years of successful Droughtmaster breeding with another solid Gympie result after they sold 10 joined and unjoined heifers for a $4833 average.

The $3500 top-priced cow and calf unit, Benjamin Naarrah (P) was offered by Leslie John Howard, Benjamin Droughtmasters, North Aramara and was bought by the Hansen family of Maclagan.

South western beef producer Binny Pegler, Goodline Properties, Aramac operating as Copai Pastoral bought 10 females for a $3000 average for his herd bull breeding operation based at Wharf Farm, Bli Bli.

Mr Pegler said he wanted good, functional females to breed bulls for their Aramac and Quilpie properties, Politic, Patricia Park and Wallyah which had benefited from good recent rain. He manages their 3000 head pure Droughtmaster herd running across all three properties.

The 2018 Gympie Droughtmaster National sale was well up on last year’s results where 115 head sold from 136 offered for a 85 percent clearance rate to average $2780.

At the prior fixture unjoined heifers sold to $15,000 for Hamadra Golden Girl which sold on account of the McKenzie family, Hamadra Droughtmaster stud, Bluff.

There was also a big increase in the number of registered buyers  with over 100 on the books.