The Gyranda Santa Gertrudis bull sale was quick to fire at Theodore on Saturday, resulting in an average of $10,282.
Kicking off with an opening bid of $10,000 for the first bull into the ring, Gyranda Quickfire Q600 (PS), things only got better from there as the first five lots averaged $16,000.
Surrounded by a green tinge thanks to 12mm of rain last week, stud and commercial producers quickly accounted for the entire draft of 85 classified and purebred bulls to a top price of $22,500.
It was Chris and Elisa Fox, Cooinda Santa Gertrudis, Proston, who placed the top bid, taking home Gyranda Quokka Q248 (PP).
Sired by Greenup Gizza G218 (PS), the classified bull tipped the scales at 824 kilograms, had the highest eye muscle area in the catalogue at 134 square centimetres, and measured 44cm in the scrotal.
With estimated breeding values in, or close to, the top 10 per cent of the breed for growth, muscle fat, fertility and temperament, the 23-month-old had rib and rump fat scans of 6mm and 9mm respectively, and an intramuscular fat of 4.1pc.
Mr Fox said the bull had been purchased to go into his father's commercial Santa Gertrudis herd, and would also run with Cooinda stud cows later in the season.
"He has lovely thickness and bone, powerful dark bull and polled poll was a bonus," Mr Fox said.
Gyranda Quicksilver Q492 (PP) attracted the second-top price of $20,000.
Preparing themselves for a bidding war for the first son of new-release sire Gyranda Manchester M516 (P), Shaun and Jo McGuigan, Cree Pastoral Company, Thangool, were happy to place the winning bid on the 23-month-old sire prospect.
Weighing 866kg, the homozygous poll measured 44cm in scrotal circumference, 132sq cm for EMA, 10mm and 12mm for rib and rump fats, and scanned 4.8pc for IMF.
Mr McGuigan said they selected Quicksilver Q492 based on a combination of traits and breeding history.
"The performance data in the bull, his fertility traits along with the fact that he's a homozygous poll bull, colour, type, conformation - he's a bull that was very hard to fault," he said.
"The dam history on both sides of his pedigree, as far back as we could search, had an unblemished calving record.
"He'll go into our stud herd and being homozygous polled, we'll probably put him through a majority of horned cows."
Arraburry Pastoral Company were the largest volume buyers, putting together a draft of eight bulls for an average of $9750 bound for Mt Leonard Station, Betoota, and Cluny Station, Bedourie.
Darcy and Kara Knudsen, Allied Beef, Mundubbera, selected seven new sires for an average of $8357, while Warragumbah Pastoral Co, Glen Douglas, St George, and LD Knuth and Co, Saint Pauls Station, Charters Towers, each selected six bulls.
Stud principal Peter Mahony said it was an exciting result for what was probably the most even line of bulls they've ever had.
The sale was conducted by Grant Daniel and Long, with Peter Brazier and guest auctioneer Wayne York taking the bids.
