Summary: 50 bulls offered; Hereford - top $10,000, av $4882, clearance 81pc; Charbray - top $9000, av $4941, clearance 59pc; sale total - av $4911, clearance 68pc.
Traditional Hereford breeders vying with producers looking for a Bos taurus infusion in their herd resulted in a pleasing clearance rate for the 21 Hereford bulls offered by the Bredhauer family at the annual Lambert bull sale in Blackall on Tuesday.
Pat and Kerry Bredhauer together with Scott and Christy Bredhauer offered a total of 50 bulls at the sale and said they were happy with the end result considering the season and the lack of a female herd in the state.
"We expected it to be tough - cow herds are down everywhere," Scott said. "Those who came, came to buy though, and we were happy to see new clients as well."
The main new buyers were Dale and Kelsey Neilson, Two Rivers Station, Boulia, who selected five bulls from the Charbray catalogue, paying the bargain price of $3500 for each of them.
Speaking on their behalf, Beau Frame, Frame Rural Agencies, said they had been very happy to access a quality offering closer to home and indicated they would be back next year.
"They were a fully Brahman herd but are moving towards greater Charbray content," he said. "They commented that lot four was as good a Charbray bull as they felt they could buy anywhere."
Acton N40, sired by Advance Kahuna K6 and a Drumlion Brahman cow, had P8 and rib fat measurements of 13 and 12mm, an eye muscle area of 133 square centimetres and weighed 976kg.
It was the partnership of SD Castles and LD Paynter, Gundoo, Charleville that purchased the top-priced Charbray, Acton N44 (P), for $9000.
Weighing 952kg and with the same parentage as lot four, it had a scrotal circumference of 41cm, an EMA of 136sq cm, and 13 and 10mm P8 and rib fat statistics.
Mr Bredhauer said the whiter coloured poll bull had looked the goods from the start and had been picked out as a calf as a potential top sale bull.
He had also picked the top priced Hereford bull, Lambert Nardoo N087 (P), sold to Don Lloyd, Cootabynia Pastoral Co, Blackall for $10,000, as a sure sale winner.
"He has good carcase characteristics with a slick coat - he will breed well no matter what you put him with," he said.
Mr Lloyd, who has had a lifetime of Hereford breeding, said he preferred their temperament for weight gain characteristics and took four bulls home from the sale, paying from $4500 to $10,000.
He said they were four of the best he'd seen around.
Nardoo hit the scales at 922kg and registered an EMA of 134sq cm and a scrotal circumference of 40cm.
He was sired by Kenevel Thunderbird K340 (AI) (P), from Lambert Minerva H118 (P).
The Nugent family, Tambo Station, selected three Hereford sires for $3500 each for their Santa Gertrudis herd.
David Nugent said they'd found that first cross Santa-Hereford cows were a very good breeder and the cross was something they did sporadically.
"The bulls here are a credit to the Bredhauers plus there's no reacclimatisation needed and no freight involved," he said.
JM Allan and Sons, Erne, Blackall paid $8500 and $7500 for two Charbray bulls while fellow Blackall breeders, CA Hauff and Son successfully bid to a top of $5000 for three Hereford sires.
Keogh, Wirth and Pedley, Boonamerrie, Longreach, also bought three Hereford bulls for a top price of $6000.
Since the sale, two more Charbray bulls and two more Hereford bulls have been sold.
- Agents - GDL, Elders
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
