'A great time to be in the beef industry' is what rang through the ears of onlookers in the stands as stud principal Alan Goodland opened the 10th annual Elridge and Clare Eidsvold Charolais bull sale with his heartfelt address.
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Held at the Eidsvold saleyards on Tuesday, the sale saw 57 Charolais bulls go under the hammer to completely clear and achieve an overall average of $10,447.
Of the bulls showcased in the combined sale, Clare Charolais sold 22 bulls to produce an average of $10,204, while the 35 Elridge Charolais bulls averaged $10,600 and topped at $19,000, to break the stud's previous standing record in both categories.
Featuring a line-up of 68 per cent polled genetics, it was 24-month-old Clare Quinn (P) (R/F) who dazzled the crowd to earn himself top spot on the leaderboard.
Purchased by Brett and Susan Kirk from Blackwood, Middlemount, the long and strong Charolais bull outshone the rest of his comrades to top the sale at $22,000.
Sired by Palgrove How Awesome (P) and out of Clare Dessi 4 (P) (R/F), the young bull weighed in at 924 kilograms, with an eye muscle area of 143 square centimetres, P8 and rib fat of 10mm and 8mm respectively, intramuscular fat of 4.4 per cent and a scrotal circumference of 40cm.
First-time buyers at the Elridge and Clare Charolais sale, Mr Kirk said Clare Quinn had been a clear standout for him.
"We've been using Charbray genetics since they first came into the country in 1970's," Mr Kirk said.
"I thought the bull we selected was a very complete, structurally correct bull. With the European cattle you've got to watch that they don't get too heavily muscled and too light on fat.
"This bull had plenty of muscle and plenty of fat cover and smoothness of carcase and he was my pick of the yard."
Mr Kirk said the bull will be put in a multi-sire herd to be crossed over some grey Brahman cows.
"The F1 is pretty hard to beat. You get that hybrid vigor and with the European cattle, you get the advantage of weight and market suitability," he said.
Second to the top in Tuesday's sale was 24-month-old Clare Quintero (P) who was purchased by repeat buyers Brian and Pam Dray from Woolooga for a cracking $20,000.
Sired by Palgrove How Awesome (P) and out of Clare Zara 7 (P), the polled bull weighed in at 898kg, with an EMA of 140sq cm, P8 and rib fat of 12mm and 9mm respectively, IMF of 4.6pc and a scrotal circumference of 38cm.
The Drays run a commercial cattle breeding operation on 4000 hectares at Woolooga where they've incorporated the Charolais genetics into their Brahman herd to produce quality Charbray calves.
"We've selected the bulls here on their weight for age and the fact that they're homozygous polled bulls," Mr Dray said.
"Overall, it was a very good line of cattle and both Clare and Elridge should be proud of themselves."
Also worthy of notable mention were volume buyers Wangella Pastoral Co, Kilkivan, who purchased five bulls to average $10,800.
Clare Charolais stud principal Alan Goodland was pleased with how the bulls performed in the sale and expressed gratitude toward all repeat buyers and new clients for backing their product.
"It was good sale for everybody, very good value for money," he said.
Elridge Charolais stud principal Ross Warren said it had been a record sale for their line of bulls.
"We had the highest priced bull that we've ever sold before, several times through the day and we had the highest average we've ever had before. We're just so pleased with the result, it was terrific," he said.
"Incidentally, the Kajewski family from Bettafield Charolais bought our previous top priced bull at our very first sale here 10 years ago, and they paid $15,500 for that bull.
"Ten years on they have come back and purchased our next top bull for $19,000 so they've beaten their own record."
Mr Warren said it was a wonderful sale overall and was pleased with the support from all who attended.
"We've got lots of repeat buyers that have been with us for 10 years and it's just great to see those people turn up year on and year out," he said.
"The friendship we've got with Clare, to be able to put a whole sale of bulls together between our studs in partnership for ten years is terrific."
- Selling agents: Burnett Livestock & Realty, Eidsvold Livestock and Property.
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