THE colder it became the more the buying action heated up with cattle producers tearing into the Palgrove catalogue last Friday.
Buyers from four states delivered a stunning $7558 average and a 100 per cent clearance of the 130 bulls on offer at a cold and wet on-property sale at Dalveen.
In breakdown 109 Charolais bulls averaged $8111 and 21 Ultrablack and Brangus bulls averaged $4714.
The sale jointly conducted by Ruralco's Davidson Cameron and Co, Elders, and George and Fuhrmann, flies in the face of widespread expectations that the 2014 bull selling season would be tough going. The result was also a massive endorsement in the value of high performance genetics in commercial cattle herds.
The 30th annual sale was dedicated to Palgrove founder the late Peter Bondfield, who passed away in November last year aged 85. It was a sale that would have had left the beef industry visionary absolutely delighted, not just because of the prices paid but because of the quality and depth of bulls put forward by David and Prue Bondfield.
Sale topper was Palgrove Hallmark (P) bought for $44,000 by father and son team Michael and Mark Hopgood, Enmore, Goondiwindi.
Hallmark, who is by Palgrove Charm (P) who is in turn by Palgrove Viagra (P), weighed 962kg at 24 months, has a 150sq cm eye muscle area (EMA) and 42cm scrotal circumference.
He also had marbling percentage of 4, rump fat of 12 and a rib fat of 8. He is in the top 5pc of the Charolais breed for EMA and the top 10pc for fat cover. Hallmark, a DNA tested homozygous poll, red factor sire, will be used over 50 selected cows in the Hopgood Charolais stud herd.
"This bull is the benchmark for what we should be aiming for in the Charolais breed," Mark Hopgood said.
Second top price was $26,000 paid by Jim Wedge, Ascot Charolais, Warwick, for Palgrove Headline (P). Headline weighed an outstanding 1095kg at 22.5 months ranking him as the top weight for age bull of the catalogue. In addition he had a EMA of 143, scrotal of 46, 4.4 marbling, rump of 6 and rib of 7. Headline, by Palgrove Enterprise
(P) and also goes back to Viagra on the maternal side,
Semen rights in Headline were bought by Bruce and Maureen Fisher, Silverstream Charolais, from Christchurch, New Zealand.
Ascot also paid the equal top of $13,000 in the yearling bull draft for Palgrove Justify (P) by Winns Mans Lanza (P), weighing 726kg at 16 months.
Ben Avery, Blackall, also paid $13,000 for Palgrove Jagger (P), a 16-month-old
by Sudden Impact (P), weighing 790kg at 16 months.
Mr Avery also bought the 912kg Palgrove Highjack (P) at 24 months for $17,000, the 988kg at 24 months Palgrove High Times for $11,000, and the 856kg at 23 months Palgrove Hollywood for $11,000.
James and Susie Milson, Alfalfa, Leyburn, were the volume buyers. They demonstrated their ongoing confidence in the beef industry, buying 21 bulls to go over Santa cows at Bellen Park, south of Longreach. The Milsons paid a top of $10,000 for an average $5976. Their top bull was the 24-month-old poll Palgrove Hopeful.
Consolidated Pastoral Co paid $20,000 for the Charm bull Palgrove Harvest (P), which weighed 972kg at 24 months.
Rob Abbott, Mount William Partners, Willaura, Vic, also paid $20,000 for the poll red factor bull Palgrove Hannibal, that weighed 924kg at 23 months.
Clare Charolais, Theodore, bought Palgrove How Awesome (P) for $18,000, and at 1070kg at 24 months he was one of the heaviest weight-for-age bull in the sale.
Len Bode, Percol Plains, McKinlay, paid $16,000 twice. The first selection was Palgrove Herald (P), a sleek-skinned bull
that weighed 1045kg at 24.5 months. The second was the red factor bull Palgrove Hoss (P), that weighed 1012kg at 24 months. His other buy at $8000 was another red factor bull Palgrove Howdy.
Gibson Partnership, Dalby, paid $16,000 for Palgrove High Impact (P), which weighed 1030kg at 24.5 months. The Gibsons later bought the Ultrablack Palgrove Jeeves (P) for $6000.
Dean and Rebecca Arnaboldi, Allanard, Jericho, also paid $16,000 for Palgrove Horsham (P). The DNA tested homozygous bull weighed 896kg at 25 months. The Arnaboldis also paid $14,000 for Palgrove Hero (P), that weighed 992kg at 24.5 months. They also secured Palgrove Hank for $6500.
Parklea, Pakenham, Vic, bought Palgrove Hickory (P R/F) for $15,000 and Palgrove Habit (R/F) for $11,000.
Frank Sorraghan, Wisconsin, Wagga Wagga, paid $14,000 for Palgrove Honcho (P),Palgrove Hussey (P) for $5000, and $8000 for the yearling Palgrove Jasper. Arcadia Valley producers BJ Taylor and Sons, Marjundale, Injune, paid $14,000 for Palgrove Harlem (P).
The McCamley Family, 2AM Pastoral Co, Barwon Park, Dingo, bought four: Palgrove (P, R/F) for $12,000, Palgrove Highline (P/S) for $8000, Palgrove Jacko (P) for $6500, and Palgrove Hulk (P) for $6000.
Ultrablacks sold to a top of $9000 with Ray Vella, Baldhills Station, Marlborough, buying Palgrove Hydro (P), which has a stand-out marbling score of 6.
