New stud record for Marellan Shorthorns on-property bull sale with bids to $38,000, av. $15,608

Despite a dry year, the Job family of Emerald Downs presented an exceptional draft of grass-fed bulls, representing the 'very best' of Shorthorn genetics suited for Bos indicus cattle.

Overall, the Job family sold all 51 bulls on offer, representing a 100 per cent clearance rate. This culminated in a $15,608 stud record average, up by $6108 from the 2020 sale average of $9500 with an extra 10 bulls sold.

Marellan Shorthorns stud principals Lincoln and Lisa Job were both 'extremely humbled' by the sale result.

"We're very humbled and gratified with the confidence that was shown by northern producers, both repeat and new clients," Mr Job said.

"We see the sale result as an endorsement of our grass-fed Shorthorn bulls in the ticks. Fifty of 51 bulls will remain in ticky country and 100pc sold to Queensland commercial operations.

"This year marks the 50th anniversary of my family breeding Shorthorns and my wife and I have been breeding them in the north here for eight years now.

"We're very pleased with the quality of the bulls and the sale outcome, but we don't measure success by the sale result but by how they perform in our clients' herds."

Mr Job said the family continued to strive for industry-leading selection pressure to instil more genetic gain in their herd and the herds of their clients.

"Shorthorn bulls that can survive and thrive in the north we think have a tremendous future, and that was probably shown by the support that we received from breeders with Bos indicus cows," he said.

True to his name, Marellan Wow Factor (P) was the sir prospect that incited a fierce bidding war and achieved top price honours.

He was eventually knocked down for $38,000 to first-time buyer Donald Burnett of Mount Douglas Pastoral Co, Mt Douglas Station, Clermont.

Wow Factor was sired by Warraberry Rocky Balboa L12 (P) and out of Warraberry Trita N286 (P), a female which they think a lot of; having recently had her third calf at just over four-years-old, Trita N286 will now enter their ET program.

The 26-month-old sire prospect recorded a weight of 652 kilograms and boasted an eye muscle area of 118 square centimetres with a scrotal circumference of 37cm. He recorded an intramuscular fat of 6.7pc and a morphology of 95pc.

The Marellan sale was the first for Donald Burnett, who was on the lookout for quality Shorthorn bulls to put over his Brahman cows.

Mr Douglas said Marellan Wow Factor (P) was the pick of the draft for him on the day. "He was a sire I liked the most. Out of the three bulls that I bought, he is certainly the pick of it," he said.

"He's a structurally sound bull and is very square in the hindquarters. He boasted a great topline and we have plans to put him over some of our very high content Brahman cows."

Mr Douglas also secured a further two bulls for his operation north of Clermont, for a solid average of $25,000.

The Jobs thought a lot of the top bull, saying they thought he had a real combination of smooth muscle pattern and mobility in a really low birthweight package.

Not far behind at $36,000 was the second-top price bull, Marellan Xcalibur (P), who sold to repeat buyer Fred Appleton, Appleton Cattle Co, Islay Plains, Alpha.

Out of Marellan Susan 3175 (P), the 19-month-old entered the sale ring weighing 606kg, and measured 37cm in the scrotum. He boasted an EMA of 110sq cm, an IMF of 6.3pc, and a morphology of 96pc, with Mr Job saying the bull had "phenomenal actual data for a totally grass-fed bull".

Appleton Cattle Company were the top volume buyers, securing 10 bulls for an average of $18,700.

The Bradford family of Arcturus Downs, Springsure, also spent up big on Marellan genetics this year, purchasing eight bulls for a top price of $18,000 and an average of $15,000.

Hoch and Wilkinson auctioneer Jake Passfield said it was a tremendous result.

"It was a very successful day for the Job family, with a lot of repeat buyers in the stands again this year," Mr Passfield said.

"A large percentage of the bulls are going to Springsure, Alpha, Clermont, Charters Towers and there's a bull going to Beaudesert, which is a fair spread of the bulls."

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