IT WAS a sale for the history books for Knowla Livestock who sold an elite sire prospective for a stud-record high of $190,000 today at its 14th annual on-property sale near Gloucester.
Eclipsing their previously stud best benchmark of $40,000 set during last year's sale, the Laurie family were humbled by the strong support shown by both stud and commercial operations across the east coast of Australia which resulted in a full clearance.
An exciting six-figure top price, and an average increase of $9287 were just some of the highlights of the high-energy sale.
In all, 82 Angus bulls sold to the sale top of $190,000 and averaged $26,512. This was up from a $40,000 top and $17,255 average result at last year's sale.
In the breakdown, 46 R-drop bulls sold to a top of $38,000 and averaged $25,608, while 36 S-drop bulls topped at $190,000 and averaged $27,666.
The $190,000 sale-topping bull created a bidding frenzy between studs wanting to get their hands on the first son of Baldridge Alternative E125 to sell within Australia.
Knowla So Right S48 sold to successful purchasers Sprys-W, Wagga Wagga and Cottage Creek Angus, Tarcutta.
Tipping the scales at 690 kilograms at 17 months of age, he measured a 42 centimetre scrotal circumference and ranked within the top 10 per cent of the breed or higher for carcase weight (+83), eye muscle area (+9.7), scrotal size (+3.4), 200-day weight (+59) and the Angus Breeding Index ($245) and the Angus Breeding Low Cost Index (+408).
He also sat within the top 15pc for intramuscular fat (+3.2) and docility (+20).
The $190,000 Knowla So Right S48 now etches his name in the history books as the fourth highest-priced Angus bull to sell within Australia, only being surpassed by the $280,000 Millah Murrah Rocketman R38, the $240,000 Millah Murrah Rembrandt R48, and the $225,000 Texas Iceman R725.
He out-sells Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15 who set the bar high at $160,000 in 2019, the $140,000 Dunoon Prime Minister P758 sold in 2020, and Milwillah Slideshow Q102 sold for $130,000 last year.
"I'm going to try and hold it together...this is humbling, it's overwhelming, I don't know what to say," James Laurie told the crowd after the sale.
"It's not like we have been in it for 50 years, we are relatively new comers in on property sales (14 on-farm sales).
"It's unbelievable, we thought we had a good team of bulls in the inspections in the lead up, then word spread, and our expectations were high but no where near what we achieved."
He added they had Queensland interest for the first time with many bulls heading across the border.
"The heifers were also unbelievable, which shows confidence in the Angus breed and our program," he said.
Gerald Spry from Sprys-W Angus said he purchased the $190,000 Knowla So Right S48 as it had the "feeder type and data" as well as structure they were looking for to use in their program.
"He will fit well into our commercially focused program, we will use him in our commercial herd and our studs," Mr Spry said.
"Why Knowla? We like their commercially focused program ... we have known them for a long time and they have purchased bulls from us many years ago."
The $40,000 second-top price bull was Knowla Sureal S08 which was knocked down to DW and AM Cameron, Glenora, Walcha.
Sired by Karoo K12 Realist N278 and Knowla Burnette K133, another daughter of Wattletop Sitz 458N E111, he weighed 714kg at 17 months and ranked in the top 10pc for 400- and 600-day weights, carcase weight and calving ease daughters.
Stud interest in the sale started from the get-go with Bowmont Angus, Tatyoon, Vic, outlaying $30,000 for the lead lot in the sale, Knowla Roma R135, a son of Inglebrae Farms Nobleman N6, who was a described as a heifer bull.
Murk and Kate Schoen of Aarden Angus, Corowa paid $34,000 for Knowla Superior S44, a son of Knowla Nobleman N127 out of Knowla Designer Q69 who is a daughter of Knowla Designer L21 - the dam of the $190,000 lead bull.
Chris Knox and Helen Alexander of DSK Angus, Coonabarabran purchased Knowla Sureal S09 for $28,000.
The $38,000 high-selling R-drop bull, Knowla Rushmore R129 by Landfall Nobleman N106, was knocked down to MR and AC Ireland Grazing Co, Walcha.
Ellerston Station, Ellerston were once again major volume buyers purchasing eight bulls to an average of $20,250/hd.
Rob Teague from Ellerston said he kept coming back because the bulls had the "whole package"
"The owners are actually stockmen, they handle them on horses with dogs like we do at Ellerston," Mr Teague said
"The bulls are handled and have respect. There are 82 bulls in the yards and we have not seen a bull all day rush or fight or do anything in the yards so temperament has been dealt with in this set up."
"I like the meat in the bulls, the composition, they have the whole package."
He plans to put the bulls over Herefords to breed black baldy cows to breed a second cross.
"They will go to feeder market as we are chasing a 500kg steer at around 16 to 18-months-old," Mr Teague said.
FEMALE FRENZY
Six stud females were sold by the Laurie family resulting in a $32,000 top and $22,666 average.
Knowla Designed R102 was the $32,000 top-priced female purchased by Shayne Clark of Northwest Mining, Fairview Scone, who put together a draft of four females averaging $24,500.
She was a rising two-year-old daughter of GAR Ashland out of Knowla Designer F30, and was pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) to the $130,000 Australian record-top priced sire Lawsons Rocky R4010.
"They are good quality heifers that are well bred," Mr Clark said.
"Knowla do a good job, you get your money's worth."
Commercial females were also a hot commodity with 100 Angus heifer sold to a top of $4800 a head, and average of $4453/hd. They were all European Union (EU) accredited, non-station-mated (NSM).
The top-priced pen of 18 Angus heifers sold for $4800/hd was sold to Georgina Elizabeth Pastoral, Woolahra.
Alex Matuszny from Bungay purchased 46 heifers to an average of $4446/hd.
The sale was conducted by Elders with guest auctioneer Paul Dooley, Tamworth, taking bids.
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