A Macedon Ranges stud has paid more than $7000 for a registered Red Angus cow with bull calf at foot at Kyneton's monthly store sale.
While agents only yarded about 300 head of store cattle, the feature was the herd dispersal by Charlton's Braeside Angus stud, with the top cow selling for $7250 to Mt Charlie Red Angus, Riddells Creek.
Mt Charlie principal Paul Rathbone said the cow, BJ's Eyeline M11, had exceptional genetics.
She was sired by Canadian bull Red Lazy MC Eye Spy and out of well-known dam GK Red Rubra G17, Dalby. Qld.
"The bidding was pretty competitive, they went at it hammer and tongs," Mr Rathbone said.
GK was probably one of the best Red Angus breeders in the country
Mr Rathbone said the stud's three additional successful bids also had strong genetics, also from GK Red Angus and from the well-known breed-legend Canadian sire, Red Fine Line Mulberry.
Mulberry was now off the open market, with straws selling for $650 at the 2021 National Red Angus sale.
"What we are trying to do is improve our herd, through very selective genetics - when those animals come up, you are prepared to pay a little bit more."
All three cows were pregnancy-tested-in-calf and due to drop from March.
Mr Rathbone said Mt Charlie had been actively building a strong genetic base for its expanding stud, with a focus on structure, performance, muscle mass, calving ease and temperament.
"The Red Angus breed has been increasingly generating a lot of interest among breeders and commercial operations because of their strong maternal traits, excellent performance and muscle, and easy to work temperament," he said.
McGrath Rodwell auctioneer Kieran McGrath said Braeside dispersed their herd of 50 Red Angus females, from heifers to mature cows.
The dispersal saw heifer weaners making $2850 and cows from $4000 to $7250.
Braeside averaged $5241 for its eight cows and calves, $5189 for 29 joined females and $2850 for nine heifer weaners.
He said Gippsland and interstate bidders expressed interest in the herd dispersal.
A NSW stud, 5M Red Angus, Gilgandra, and purchased the balance of the cows.
"They were very good cattle," Mr McGrath said.
Anthony Battersby also yarded 78 pregnancy-tested-in-calf Angus and Black Baldy heifers, which sold from $2840 to $3600.
His 49 PTIC heifers averaged $3492, while 16 Black Baldy heifers sold to $3140, av $3012/head.
"They went to Alexandra, Kyneton and Ballarat," Mr McGrath.
"There were also phone bids from Yass and Goulburn, NSW, on those cattle - if you follow AuctionsPlus, this sale was very solid.
"It was certainly a dearer sale than what was on A+ prior to Christmas."
In other sales, Elders auctioneer Dean Coxon said given the small yarding, prices were very strong.
Commission buyer Duncan Brown, Nutrien Wangaratta livestock agent Hamish Falla, Highland, local agents and Pental Island Producers, Swan Hill, were all at the rail.
"We were happy with the prices, heavy steers, 400-450 kilogram steers made 450 or 560 cents a kilogram - once you got early 300kg steers, they were back up to 650-60c/kg and all the heifers would have gone along at 550-580c/kg."
Tellbach sold seven Angus steers, 307kg, for $2050 or 667c/kg
Peter Irwin sold five Angus steers, 361kg, for $2080 or 576c/kg.
RW & H Hanson sold 12 Glendan Park Poll Hereford steers, 297kg, for $1900 or 639c/kg.
Craig Pethybridge sold seven Angus heifers, 359kg, for $2000 or 557c/kg.
GG & NFW Bell sold 13 Angus-cross heifers, 270kg, for $1710 or 633c/kg.
Springhill Holdings sold four Red Angus heifers, 356kg, for $2100 or 589c/kg.