INTEREST from interstate buyers has driven Benjarra Limousins to a top of $20,000 at its third annual bull sale on Friday.
A draft of 35 bulls offered by the Benjarra and A.T Limousin studs greeted a gallery of 26 registered bidders, who had braved drizzly weather, to gather at the Passmore family's Ellangowan property, while many more followed the sale online via AuctionsPlus.
At the fall of the hammer, 33 of the 35 red, apricot and black-coloured Limousin bulls on offer were sold at an average of $7848, while the other two were sold after the sale's conclusion for a 100 per cent clearance and at an average of $7514.
The sale's high point was reached when the seventh bull in the catalogue, Benjarra Ramjet R45, was knocked down to Nine Mile Pty Ltd, Warialda, NSW, for $20,000.
A red-coloured, homozygous polled, 21-month-old son of Red Jock N205 and out of Benjarra Destiny 2 weighed 895 kilograms, had P8 and rib fat measurements of 13 and nine millimetres respectively and had an eye muscle area of 146 centimetres.
"I don't think there was any doubt he was the pick of the red bulls on offer at this year's sale," buyer Karly Crisp, Nine Mile Pty Ltd, Warialda, said.
"He has a lot of style, good structure and plenty of potential about him as well.
"I think he'll do a good job for us and put a lot of his positive attributes into our calves in the future."
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Running operations in Stanthorpe and Warialda, Ms Crisp said the top seller would predominantly be used with a herd of about 500 Charbray females south of the border in northern NSW.
"We've used Limousins from Benjarra before and they have done a really good job for us in our country," she said.
"I'm sure this bull will fit right in and will get to work over our cows pretty much straight away."
Claiming the honour of finishing the sale as the second-top price bull was Benjarra Roy 34, which was knocked down to Flame Tree Investments, Ellangowan, for $16,000.
The, polled, black-coloured, 22-month-old son of Five Star Canadian Club and out of Benjarra Heidi weighed 865kg, had P8 and rib fat measurements of 13mm and 10mm respectively and an EMA of 143cm.
Topping A.T Limousin stud's offering of bulls was one of the last in the catalogue, A.T Radioactive, which was the polled, black-coloured, 22-month-old son of A.T Lewis and out of Wyalla Flower Pedal that sold to Wrenco Produce, Stanthorpe, for $10,000.
Wrenco Produce was among the volume purchasers in attendance at Friday's sale, purchasing two bulls at an average of $7500, while Skew Queensland Pty Ltd, Charleville, purchased five bulls at an average of $7200 and RG Parker, Lismore, NSW, purchased two bulls at an average of $6000.
Helping drive the sale's success was online volume buyers such as the Russell family, Gowrie Station, Augathella, which purchased six bulls at an average of $6333 and GDL Rockhampton, which purchased six bulls on behalf of its clients at an average of $6666.
Benjarra Limousin stud principal Ben Passmore said it was pleasing to see bulls go to buyers from across the state and beyond.
"We were really pleased with the spread on the bulls this year," he said.
"It's always so nice to have returning buyers, who have had our bulls succeed for them before, come back for more as well as a lot of new buyers as well."
Friday's live-auction sale was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions Toowoomba with Colby Ede, Nutrien stud stock, Toowoomba, auctioneering.
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
