There was no shortage of top-shelf females at The Great Eastern Brahman Female Sale last Monday, with a Garglen red Brahman heifer attracting the top bid of $40,000.
Following a successful first day at Brahman Week, quality female genetics drew strong interest from stud and commercial operations at the annual sale held at the Rockhampton Showgrounds last Monday.
Overall, 33 Brahman females were offered, with 32 selling to average $8,875 for a clearance rate of 99 per cent.
In a further run down of the catalogue, eight greys sold for a top price of $15,000 and a $7,750 average, while 17 reds sold for top of $40,000 and a solid $10,176 average.
It was Shane and Sandra Bishop, Garglen Brahman Co, Old Delargum, Moura, who attracted the $40,000 top bid with their outstanding red heifer Garglen Miss Merlot 1503 (PP), purchased by Eugene and Jess Mollenhagen, Mountain Springs Brahmans, Mt Perry.
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The 23-month-old heifer is sired by NK Hustler (PS) and out of a dam (PS) that includes Kandoona and Palmvale bloodlines in her pedigree.
Miss Merlot has been chance mated to Carinya M Atmosphere (PS) from August 9, a bull by JDH Mr. Encino Manso 612/6. She has not been detected by vet pregnancy test.
This was the first year that Garglen Brahman Co stud had been invited into the sale, which stud principal Shane Bishop said was "great honour".
"It was a great result for our family and it's great to see that the industry is full of confidence at the moment," Mr Bishop said.
"We thought a lot of this top heifer as she's out of one of our better cow lines that we've ever produced. Her mother's been very successful performer for our operation.
"We decided to sell her because we were invited into the sale and we wanted to sell our very best."
The heifer's mother is being used in Garglen's IVF program, to keep producing quality genetics from her.
The red heifer's overall femineity and desirable pedigree was brought Eugene and Jess Mollenhagen of Mountain Springs Brahmans to purchase her on the night.
Mr Mollenhagen said they're excited to be adding her to their red Brahman operation.
"We did some research on the heifer before the sale and we spoke to Shane regarding the heifer's bloodline," he said.
"She's an extremely long, thick and feminine heifer, which we thought ticked a lot of boxes and her PP is bonus to go with that."
In early February, the Mollenhagen family purchased a red Brahman bull off Ashley Kirk, Rockley Brahmans, called Rockley Magnar 266 (IVF) (P/S) for $90,000 at the Big Country Brahman Sale in Charters Towers.
Mr Mollenhagen said they have plans to IVF Miss Merlott to Rockley Magnar in the future.
"She'll be in calf at the moment, but we have plans to IVF her later to this bull," he said.
Tony and Kathryn Mortimer, Cotswold, Dalma. Token Brahman stud, sold the top grey female, Token Miss Marnie (AI) (H) for $15,000 to Cedar Bend Brahmans.
The 21-month-old is sired by Carinya Kirkwood (H) and out of Token Miss 680/7 (H).
Seven semen packages sold to average $7,250, with the top package selling to $33,000 for a package of five straws imported from the US from BRC Dutton 376/8 (ET).
Offered by the Garglen Brahman stud, the package was purchased by Nobbs Cattle Co.
The Bishop's travelled to the US to acquire the Australian semen rights to BRC Dutton, which Mr Bishop said they we're going to base their grey herd on BRC genetics.
"He's been a very successful sire around the world. He's in a lot of different countries and we're quite excited," Mr Bishop said.
- Selling agents: Elders Studstock and AuctionsPlus under the Helmsman auctions system.
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