Bids were fast and furious at the Dunlop Santa Gertrudis sale near Proston on Saturday when stud principals Scott and Rebecca Dunlop sold 104 bulls to a top price of $57,500, for an average of $18,745 and record 100 per cent clearance.
In a breakdown of the sale catalogue, 85 classified bulls sold to a hefty average of $19,547, while 19 commercial bulls topped at $26,000, to average $15,157.
Repeat buyers Ken and Jackie Knudsen, Kilbeggan, Chinchilla, were determined to secure the two sires they had selected.
They put a solid floor in the buying from the start and finished with the first two bulls through the the sale ring.
Mrs Knudsen said they had a budget of $40,000 per beast, to buy what they were looking for and they needed two bulls.
"After securing the first lot for $24,000 we had some change left in the budget, so we could keep pushing and bidding over our budget to buy the sale topper Dunlop Vortex R56," she said.
The 22 month old Dunlop Vortex R56 is a son of Yarrawonga L858 from a Dunlop bred female family.
The sire, Yarrawonga L858 is a horned sire with an exceptional temperament and has volume, depth of body, and has overall capacity that he has bred into his sons.
Dunlop Vortex R56 weighed 934 kilograms, has a daily weight gain of 1.32kg, fat scans of 12 and 11mm, an eye muscle area of 143 square centimetres and 41 scrotal circumference.
Mrs Knudsen said they favoured horned bulls for breeding due to their overall constitution and bone, and they really liked his quiet temperament.
Both bulls will be used by the Knudsens to breed bulls for in-herd use. These bulls will be joined to selected Santa Gertrudis females and the progeny used in their 2000 head Santa infused breeding herd.
Mr Dunlop said the sale topper reflected all the attributes he is striving to breed, and that is 'big commercial orientated bulls with strong heads, who have long, deep bodies and stand on solid bone'.
He said he and wife Rebecca, were extremely humbled by the outstanding sale result.
"It is something you often dream about - but never expect it will happen, and it was particularly pleasing to see so many repeat buyers along with support from new clients sitting in the buyers gallery.
The next best price of $50,000 was achieved twice.
David and Suzanne Bassingthwaighte, Bass Cattle Company, Muldoon, Mungallala, bought the 23 month old Dunlop Valentino R582 (PS), a son of Diamond H Roy Roy (PS), again from another Dunlop bred female for stud duties.
Dunlop Valentino (PS) entered the sale ring weighing 846kg, has an average daily weight gain of 1.15kg, fat scans of 12 and 11mm, eye muscle area of 139 sq cm and a scrotal circumference of 41cms.
Also paying $50,000 was Russell, Trisha and James Pearson and family, Bull Creek, McKinlay.
They selected Dunlop Venture R238 (P) a son of Bullamakinka Kong, who the Dunlops bought in 2015 for $30,000.
The Dunlops selected Bullamakina Kong for his growth and strong tropical outlook and his faultless temperament which he has bred into his progeny.
Overall the Pearsons finished with two bulls and paid $45,000 for Dunlop Vagabond R304 (P), also a son of Bullamakinka Kong.
Selling agents were Nutrien, GDL, Shepherdson and Boyd, interfaced with Elite Livestock Auctions and AuctionsPlus. Auctioneers were Trent McKinlay, Peter Brazier and Jack Fogg.
Queensland Country Life will have a full report in next week's issue.
Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
