Sale summary: 43 bulls sold; top price $19,000; average price $8767; 91.5pc clearance.
A tidy $1700 increase on the average price paid per bull at the Moongana invitational Santa Gertrudis bull sale at Springsure on Tuesday underlined the loyal clientele that Cyril and Denise Gauld have built up in the central Queensland region.
By the end of the sale at the Springsure showgrounds 23 successful bidders had their name beside bulls in the catalogue.
The name beside that of the top priced bull was Matthew and Bernadette Paine of Myola, Springsure, who outlaid $19,000 to secure Moongana 3358 (PS).
A son of the well-known Moongana Harley H2144 (AI) (PS), the 25-month-old bull weighed 945kg, had a daily weight gain of 1.19kg, an eye muscle area of 147 square centimetres, and a scrotal circumference of 42cm.
Mr Paine said they'd bought bulls from the Harley bloodline before, which they liked for its big, heavy softness that it passed on.
They join three-quarters of their herd of 850 breeders to Santa Gertrudis bulls and the heifers to Droughtmaster bulls.
Two other sires will be going out to their older cows - Moongana Megatron 3386 (P), a son of Diamond H Trickshot T275 (PP), and Moongana 3466 (P), sired by Moongana Good as Gold (P).
Mr Paine said he liked that Moongana Megatron was a big poll bull, while the latter's sire was noted for his quiet progeny.
"He's also younger and a very commercial bull - we waited for him in the catalogue," he said.
The Paines paid $15,000 for each of those two bulls, outlasting under-bidders Daandine Pastoral Company for the latter.
Daandine's Jan Clark ended up buying one bull from the catalogue, Moongana 3454 (P) for $17,000.
A son of Diamond H Trickshot, the 23-month-old homozygous polled bull weighed 900kg, had a daily weight gain of 1.23kg, P8 and rib fat measurements of 19mm and 13mm, an EMA of 138sq cm, a scrotal circumference of 41cm, and semen morphology of 86 per cent.
Seawright Invest, Comet Downs, Injune, also bought just one bull, lot two in the catalogue, Moongana Nicholas 3444 (P), for $16,000.
At 23 months, the son of Moongana Good as Gold weighed 972kg, had a daily weight gain of 1.29kg, P8 and rib fat measurements of 19mm and 14mm, an EMA of 128sq cm, and a scrotal circumference of 45cm.
Invited stud breeders Alan and Jocelyn Nock from Red Mile Santas at Mundubbera sold five of the six bulls they offered, to a top of $8000 for Red Mile 16Q (H).
The 25-month-old son of Bullamakinka Gladiator G52 was purchased by Al Tebbit and family, viewing the action on AuctionsPlus.
The Nocks also received support from Jack McDonald Pty Ltd, Goondiwindi, who has bought Red Mile sires before, and who bought another Gladiator son for $5000 and a Cardona Packer P37 (P) son for $4000.
Mr Nock said it had been great to get the opportunity to sell with the Gaulds for the second time, having known them for many years.
Mr Gauld said he was pleased to record a solid sale result.
They offered around 10 less bulls this year, largely due to the drought conditions they were born into, and they were weaned early, so Mr Gauld said their weight gain showed what they could do.
AG and LP McKinlay, Callandoon, Springsure was the sale's volume buyer with four bulls, including homozygous polled Moongana Nifty 3410 (P) for $10,000, and a Red Mile sire for $6000.
MJ and JE Comisky, Connemarra, Springsure selected three bulls, as did Khartoum Pastoral Co, Clermont, WG and V Sullivan, Turkey Creek, Springsure, and A and J Clark, Roma.
- Selling agents: Hoch & Wilkinson, Elders, AuctionsPlus