Buyers bid strongly on first-rate Red Brahman and heifer genetics during the first day of the Big Country Brahman Sale held at the Dalrymple Saleyards, Charters Towers, resulting in a total clearance of the 164 lots which entered the ring.
Selling in the Reds reached fever pitch when Paul Herrod, Ponderosa Brahmans, Katherine, Northern Territory, made the winning $54,000 bid on Lot 70, Somerview Nugget 2900 (P), from Brian and Glenda Kirkwood, Somerview Red Brahmans, Charters Towers.
Mr Herrod said the 774kg, 25-month-old son of Palmvale Honky Tonk out of Somerview Janet 2108 was "exactly the article they were looking for", at the sale.
"He has great depth, volume, a top head, he's structurally correct, very tidy and has great flesh for his age," he said.
Mr Herrod said he'll be putting the Somerview poll in a single sire program with 50 of his top heifers.
"We're trying to produce early maturing cattle for the boats, and when we're trying to get our steers to 350kgs as quickly as possible you need bulls like him."
Mr Kirkwood said while they had high hopes for the bull going into the sale, the result surpassed their expectations.
"He's a good calf from a good dam, and we're very pleased that he's going into a well recognised and well run operation like Paul's."
In all, 99 Red sires including six Red herd bulls, sold to average $9190 while achieving the aforementioned top price of $54,000 for a 100 per cent clearance.
After selling wrapped up in the Red bull section, a contingent of 65 high quality Red and Grey Brahman heifers went under the hammer (25 in the "Brahman Belles" stud heifer section while a further 40 were offered by Brian and Cindy Hughes, Lanes Creek Brahmans, Georgetown, in their "Lanes Creek Ladies" draft.
All 25 of the Brahman Belles lots sold to average $4820, with Cambil Miranda 5500 (P), sired by NCC Jaguar to Willtony Miranda 768 (P), claiming top heifer honours, attracting $19,000 from Kelvin and Margaret Maloney, Kenilworth Brahmans, Mount Coolon.
Mrs Maloney said she was attracted to both the genetics and overall look of the heifer.
"We liked her because she had length and breadth, her teats were good, her head was good and she was just a very nice heifer all over.
"She's 20-months-old so we'll probably let her calve naturally at first and then decide what we're going to do after that."
- Read the full sale report in the March 7 editions of the North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
