Their cattle stud is less than a year old but Luke and Carly Baker already know exactly what they want when it comes to buying bulls.
The Bakers, from the newly-established Annabranch stud in Wandoan, took home the top-priced bull at Tuesday's Santa Gertrudis sale in Clermont.
The bull, Yarrabee Greenbank (P), was bred by the Yarrabee Grazing Company and sold for $26,000 after a flurry of interest from bidders.
It was easily one of the standout bulls on offer at the sale, Mr Baker said.
"There wasn't much not to like about the bull that we bought," he said.
"He's got that nice red coat, is carrying the polled genetics that we like and also has a good weight for age."
The 27-month old bull tipped the scales at 965 kilograms, had a scrotal circumference of 38 centimetres and an impressive eye muscle area of 148 square centimetres.
"I thought we got him for a very good price in the end," Mr Baker said.
The Bakers established the Annabranch Santa Gertrudis Stud earlier this year and are in the process of buying quality bulls and grading up their herd.
Mr Baker said his family had previously worked with commercial cattle but he was drawn to the challenge of working with stud bulls.
There was a clearance rate of 80 per cent at the Clermont sale, with 64 bulls sold out of 80 offered on the day.
The average sale price was $5515 with the combined total across all bulls sold reaching $351,000.
Will Barlow from the Yarrabee Stud said interested buyers had been keeping an eye on Yarrabee Greenbank for some time because of his impressive pedigree.
Greenbank was sired by Yarrabee Country (P), who was the son of the profilic stud bull Yarrawonga Wager (ET)(P).
"[Yarrabee Greenbank] was one of our show bulls," Mr Barlow said.
"Everyone has known about him for quite some time. We've had a fair few enquiries about him."
Mr Barlow stressed the importance of investing in good sires to boost the quality of a herd.
"We've been investing heavily in sires and that investment has been showing for us," he said.
Dunlop Cattle Company sold the second-highest priced bull at Clermont, picked up by the Bullamankinka stud near Toowoomba for $20,000.
That bull, Dunlop Return (P), was 945 kilograms with a scrotal circumference of 42 centimetres and an eye muscle area of 133 square centimetres.
At 35 months it was also one of the oldest bulls for sale after it went missing, presumed dead, during weaning.
"Surprisingly returned by the neighbor in May this year after settling all his cows and no longer being needed," the Clermont sale notes read.
"He has done exceptionally well since his return."
There were two notable volume buyers at the Clermont sale.
The Comiskey family at the Lyra Park station near Capella snapped up 10 bulls at an average of $4050 a head.
The Southern family from St George's Secret Plains bought 11 bulls at an average of $4000 a head.
