Summary: 139 bulls sold; total $511,000; top $6000
The long trip to Barcaldine from southern Victoria is proving to be worth it for the Moyle family and their Pathfinder Angus stud.
At the annual Australian Topstock Barcaldine Bull Sale on Friday morning, the Pathfinder stud sold the top-priced bull for the fourth year running.
Pathfinder N316, a black Angus bull, sold for $6000 to the Fairview Cattle Company from Alpha.
Pathfinder principal Nick Moyle said he was very pleased with the stud's repeat results at the Barcaldine Topstock sale.
"It's a tough season here in Queensland, so we're very pleased with the result," he said.
"It's great to see some familiar faces here. A lot of the guys that have had our bulls keep coming back.
"It's really good value buying for them, and we appreciate them coming back."
The Topstock Barcaldine auction sold 139 bulls for a combined value of $511,000.
Ardrossan Angus, The Glen Angus, Kurra-Wirra Red Angus and Red Senegus and Pathfinder Angus were the four studs offering bulls at the auction.
Mr Moyle said he had Pathfinder N316 pegged as one of the stud's top bulls on offer at the sale.
"He's an exceptional bull with exceptional data. He's in the top 10 per cent for calving ease, birth weight and marbling, and in the top 15 per cent for muscle."
Gary Masters, who bought the bull on behalf of Warren Gleeson at Fairview, said he liked the structure of the bull and its quiet temperament.
He said when it got to Fairview it would likely be put over a herd of mostly Charolais first-calf heifers.
There were three notable volume buyers snapping-up bulls at the Barcaldine sale.
The Aldingham Family Trust from Winton bought 24 bulls for a total of $95,000, including 15 Angus bulls from the Ardrossan stud alone.
Clermont agents Australian Livestock Pty Ltd bought 16 bulls for $70,000, while Australian Top Stock's James Lilburne bought 15 bulls from the Kurra-Wirra stud for $60,000 on behalf of clients.
The second top-priced bull was Ardrossan Kingdom from the Ardrossan stud, sold to the Trebbins for $5500.
Ardrossan sold all of its 24 bulls on offer for a 100 per cent clearance rate.
Kurra-Wirra sold two bulls at its top price of $5000, with a total of 38 bulls selling at a 100 per cent clearance rate.
Five bulls were sold by The Glen at their top price of $4500, with 12 of the stud's 22 bulls selling for a 55 per cent clearance rate.
Pathfinder Angus sold 46 of 62 bulls for a clearance rate of 74 per cent.
