It may have been one of the coldest days of the year, but the competition was red hot in the buyering gallery at the Merawah Poll Herefords on-property sale at Boggabilla, NSW, on Tuesday.
A total of 43 bulls sold to $20,000 to average $8756 to a panel of buyers stretching from Warrnambool, Victoria, to Mt Riddock Station, situated south of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
With many spectators describing the sale draft as some of the best bulls they have seen at a Merawah sale, the bidding was hot from the outset with the first 12 bulls through the ring averaging a stunning $12,750.
Taking an early lead was Bernie Hore, Rotherfield Poll Hereford stud, Holbrook, NSW, who paid $20,000 for Merawah Mainframe P084, a 940 kilogram son of Koanui Techno 3062, who was in the top 5 per cent of the breed for 200, 400 and 600 day weight and top 20pc for IMF.
Buying through studstock agent Mike Wilson, Mr Hore said he'd been chasing a Techno son for some time and liked the power and scale in the bull, with the benefit of being out of a highly-regarded female family.
Repeat buyers Marg and Phoebe Lucas, Ashmore Farms, Warrnambool, Victoria, paid $19,000 for Merawah Technician P040, another son of Techno who weighed 935kg and was in in top 1pc of the breed for 200, 400 and 600 day weight and the top 1pc for all the Hereford indexes.
They also secured another Techno son, Merawah Techno P118 for $12,000.
The Lucas family supply Teys Australia's premium grass-fed 36 Degree South branded beef and took the premium supplier award last year.
Jim and Sue Gunn, Sevenbardot Poll Herefords, Conandale, were also serious about securing Techno genetics and bought Merawah Techno P093 for $15,000, who weighed 942kg, P093 was in the top 1pc of the breed for 200,400 and 600 day weight.
Wesley Lowien family at WRL Herefords, Kamkillenbum, paid $12,000 for Merawah Justice P021 who boasted breed leading figures for EMA of +7.0 and IMF of +1.5 combined with a BW of only +3.4.
Cam Flower, Garrabarra, Roma, selected three bulls to average $12,333. The Flower family breed top quality Hereford/Santa Gertrudis-cross cattle on several properties in the Maranoa district.
Bruce Staniforth, Bogong, Condoblin, NSW, was one of a strong buying contingent from the Central West picking up four bulls to a top of $14,000 for Merawah Legend P124, a 937kg son of Merawah Hero L35, and $12,000 for Merawah Hero P108.
Merawah Hero sons proved popular with another son, Merawah Hero P081, selling to Hornet Bank Pastoral, Taroom, for $11,000, while Phil Harding, Brooklyn, Condoblin, NSW, picked up Merawah Hero P106 for the same money.
Repeat buyers Mt Riddock Pastoral Co, Alice Springs, NT, bought eight bulls to $9,000 to average $5750, while Goorarooman Pty.Ltd., Thallon, picked up four bulls to $10,000 to average $8,000
Merawah stud principal Andrew Mackay said he was very happy with the result with a strong panel of repeat clients as well as a many new buyers in attendance.
- Selling agents: Elders, GDL, and Mike Wilson Stud Stock.