WESTERN Australia's Munda Reds stud again led the way in a strong field of Queensland bulls at another successful Fitzroy Crossing Invitation Bos Indicus Bull Sale last week.
All up 19 studs representing six Bos Indicus breeds offered a total of 171 bulls at the Landmark fixture which is WA's largest bull sale.
Strong buying support from the 31 registered buyers, mainly from the Kimberley and Pilbara pastoralists, with some interest from producers further south, bid actively on selected lots and ensure all 171 bulls found new homes to average $4673 and gross $799,000.
Reflecting the ongoing dry conditions in widespread areas of the north, bull numbers were back from last year's sale where 212 bulls sold to gross $889,000, but the average jumped $480 from last year's $4193.
But it was the Thompson family's Munda Reds stud, Mundabullangana station, Port Hedland and Glencoe Farm, Gingin, which featured at the top end of the sale for average and top price stakes with their team of nine Droughtmaster bulls.
They topped the sale with another $13,000 bull and averaged $7139 across the nine bulls, including the sale's $11,000 second top-priced bull.
The team of Munda Reds bulls didn't enter the sale ring until mid-sale but soon grabbed the attention of the buying gallery.
The $13,000 sale topper was Munda's third bull into the ring in lot 94 and was knocked down to new owners JR Atkinson & Co, Glenavon stud, Yaamba.
The early December 2017 born bull was sired by Aldinga Flirt and out of a Glenavon Indian Chief daughter Comanche 3550.
Munda's previous bull into the sale ring, a Santa Gertrudis-Droughtmaster cross, sold for the sale's $11,000 second top price to volume Droughtmaster buyer Warrawagine Cattle Company, Port Hedland.
The late October 2017 born bull was sired by Yarrawonga Freerange, purchased by Munda in 2016 for $75,000, and out of a Cashmere Leeroy daughter Comanche 4392.
Warrawagine Cattle Company went on to secure seven of the nine Munda Reds bulls but was pushed all the way from other hopeful buyers including paying $7000 for a 21-month-old son of Oasis A Hudson and a Glenavon daughter.
Munda Reds sale team leader, an early October 2017 born bull by a homebred sire Munda Answer (by Truvalle Hali) and another Glenavon daughter, was knocked down for $8000 to local buyer WNM MacDonald, Fitzroy Crossing.
Red Brangus
The Redline stud, Eidsvold, opened the sale with a team of seven Red Brangus bulls that sold to average $3357.
This was back $1768 on last year's result where eight bulls sold to average $5125.
The Ngarluma Aboriginal Corporation, Karratha station, Karratha, paid the stud's $4750 top price for a 22 month-old son of Malabar Colby (P) and a Duarran W665 (P) daughter and $3750 for another Redline bull.
Liveringa station, Fitzroy Crossing, secured the balance of the Redline bulls.
Red Brahman
Next into the sale ring was a run of 37 Red Brahman bulls from four vendors which collectively averaged $4250, up $1022 on average but just more than half the numbers offered last year where 67 bulls sold to average $3228.
Topping this section was the Barlyne stud, Gayndah, selling a bull to Barnhill Livestock, Broome, for $6000.
The top-priced polled bull was a 22 month-old son of Muan Packer 4465 (P) and a Mt Callan Jaguar daughter.
Barlyne's 10 bulls averaged the highest for the breed at $4875 with Barnhill Livestock selecting a further two bulls JR & PM Grey, Broome, paid to $5750 for three bulls while Red Dirt Agriculture, Kununarra, also secured three Barlyne bulls to $5500.
Opening this section of the sale was nine bulls from the Rodlyn stud, Bell, that sold to average $3779.
Savannah Contracting, Broome, paid the stud's $4750 top price each for three bulls while Argyle Cattle Company, Broome, picked up four Rodlyn bulls.
Muan stud, Biggenden, was next in with its team of 10 bulls that averaged $3800.
Barnhill Livestock returned to the top prices paying $4750 for one of two Muan bulls, an early October 2017 born son of Mt Callan Govenor and a Kandoona Mansfield daughter while Argyle Cattle Co finished with three bulls.
Barnhill went on to pay Samari Plains stud's, Roma, $5750 top price from their team of eight bulls that averaged $4563.
The polled top-priced 24-month old bull was by a homebred sire Monty 1462 (by Tartrus Redmonts) and an Elmo Ironman daughter.
Napier Corporation Pty Ltd, Derby, WA was a multiple bull buyer with two Samari Plains bulls costing $4000 each.
Grey Brahman
The run of 45 Grey Brahman bulls made them among the sale's bigger breeds and sold to average $3761.
This was back $1112 on last year's sale average of $4873 from 49 bulls sold.
Bar Boot stud, Boyneside, Queensland, was the breed's biggest individual vendor with a team of 20 bulls that sold for the strongest $4038 average and to the equal third top price of $10,000.
Red Dirt Agriculture paid top dollar for a polled 21 month-old son of Yenda V El Chappo 166 and a Coweki Sherriff daughter.
Karratha station was back into it paying $6500 for another polled El Chappo son while Yeeda Pastoral Co, Broome and Larrawa station, Fitzroy Crossing, secured five Bar Boot bulls each.
The Ahern stud, Gayndah, was the first Grey Brahman stud to sell with its 14 bulls averaging $3446.
Doorawarrah station, Carnarvon, WA paid the stud's $4750 top price twice for sons of Yenda Recruit and Carynya Jericho in an account of four Ahern bulls while Kapco Performance, Derby, WA finished with three bulls.
The Raglan stud, Emerald, rounded out the Grey Brahmans with their 11 bulls averaging $3659.
Kapco Performance bid to $4750 for one of two Raglan herd bulls, Yeeda Pastoral Co snapped up four bulls and Sophie Downs station, Halls Creek, three bulls.
Droughtmaster
Droughtmasters were the biggest breed represented at the sale with 52 bulls from six vendors.
They won the sale's breed average stakes at $5678 ahead of the Queenslanders, lifting last year's average by $705 from $4973 for the 55 bulls sold.
The Lynsey Park stud, Bell, followed Munda Reds into the sale ring with a team of six bulls that averaged $5625.
WNM MacDonald Pty Ltd, Fitzroy Crossing, paid a solid top price of $9500 for 25-month-old polled son of Red Acres Earl and a Sevenell Paddy Boy daughter.
Warrawagine Cattle Company collected the remaining five Lynsey Park bulls.
Stablemates the Sevenell stud also offered six bulls which averaged $5875.
The MacDonalds secured three bulls and also paid the stud's $8000 top price for another Earl son out of a Twin Waters Zorro daughter born late July 2017.
The Rodlyn stud was next up with 11 Droughtmaster bulls that averaged $4568 with their $6750 top-price bull also going to the MacDonalds.
The late August 2017 born polled bull was by Vitwood Officer and out of a Glenlands sired daughter, with the MacDonalds adding to their account a further four Rodlyn bulls.
The family's buying didn't stop there, collecting another five consecutive bulls and paying $7250 from the run of nine bulls offered by SC Grazing, Yaamba.
The top-priced bull was a polled early October 2017 born son of Lisgar Dallas.
Warrawagine picked up the balance of the SC Grazing bulls who averaged $5111 from their nine bulls.
The Valera Vale stud, Charleville, finished up the Droughtmasters with 11 bulls that recorded the sale's $5977 second top average.
Jubilee Downs station, Fitzroy Crossing, paid the stud's $7000 top price for a 21-month-old polled bull by Glen Fosslyn 12451.
Warrawagine was strong on the Valera Vale line-up, paying from $5500 to $6750 for six bulls.
Queenslander
Three breeders combined to offer 26 Queenslander bulls which sold strongly to average $5452, up by a solid $2139 on last year's sale where 28 bulls averaged $3313.
The Barlyne stud recorded a strong result with its team of 20 bulls, averaging $5813 and selling to the sale's $10,000 equal third top price.
The MacDonalds returned to top price territory, collecting a mid-September 2017 born bull by Valeravale 5108 and out of a Mundoo Bryant daughter and was one of ten Barlyne bulls they purchased.
Mandoora Cattle Company, Port Hedland, Jubilee Downs and Warrawagine each secured three Barlyne bulls.
Samari Plains averaged $4250 with their three bulls with Sophie Downs station paying their $5500 top price for a polled 21-month-old bull by Samari Plains Nelson (by Lancefield D Bollanger) and a Rockley daughter.
The Muan stud also offered three bulls and averaged $4250 with Mandora paying the stud's $4750 top price for a 22-month-old polled bull by Muan A Ironman (by NCC Mboma) and a Valuce Red Prince daughter.
Charbray
The four Charbrays offered by the Rodlyn and Samari Plains studs sold for $3000 each with the five bulls offered last year averaging $5350.
Ruby Plains station, Halls Creek and Barnhill Livestock secured two Charbray bulls each.
