HAZELDEAN co-principal Bea Litchfield summed up the main reason why her family's Northern Performance Angus bull sale was such a resounding success after setting a record $9103 average at the Pinora selling complex, Jackson, Qld, on Thursday.
"We offered bulls with strong carcase performance and calving ease with fertility built in which is what commercial producers are chasing," she said.
Right from the kick off, demand appeared insatiable as new and return commercial operators bid strongly until the final bull, amassing $1,320,000 for Ed Bradley and Bea Litchfield and family.
Bulls were dispersed as far north as Richmond and south into Victoria with several New South Wales buyers active.
First-time buyers Steven and Leigh Phelps, Wilga View, Jackson paid the $17,000 top money for Hazeldean P656, a 920kg, deep-bodied son of LD Capitalist 316 with performance written all over him.
"Hazeldean P656 has fantastic all round performance from his low birth weight, excellent calving ease and explosive growth rates and docile nature," Leigh said.
"We will use him in our pure commercial Angus herd over heifers and I wanted to introduce Capitalist blood into our Tenderlee Angus stud and he will back up our AI program."
Respected advisor Kevin Graham of Kevin Graham Consulting Pty Ltd, Brisbane was operating on the top end for long term clients, Alister and Joanne McClymont, AJM Pastoral Company, Richmond with three bulls at $16,000 each for their composite program on Burleigh Station.
Bob and Toby Nixon, Wallen Creek, Drillham also paid $16,000 for Hazeldean P430, a performance packed son of Hazeldean Jaipur J140 with an exceptional birth to growth spread and a quiet disposition.
Selling agents were Nutrien Livestock and Hourn & Bishop Queensland.
Full report in next week's newspaper.