Solid support and repeat clients characterised the Fairview black Simmental bull sale, held on property north of Mungallala on Wednesday.
All 46 bulls offered were sold through the Helmsman system, resulting in a sale average of $8174 and a top price of $19,500.
While that was down on the 2022 sale high of a $26,000 top price and average of $13,896, stud principal Tony Horvath said they'd been expecting it to be a bit quieter, given that people were reducing herd numbers again.
Morven's Joe Henry set his sights on Fairview Swagger S20, along with a number of other prospective buyers.
After steadily climbing to $18,500 as the silent auction progressed, he secured the homozygous black and polled bull for $19,500.
The 24-month-old bull was the heaviest in the draft, spinning the scales to 906kg, and boasting an eye muscle area of 134sq cm, and P8 and rib fat measurements of 12 and 9mm respectively.
Mr Horvath said he ranked as one of the highest performing bulls for seven traits on Breedplan and had led his contemporary group in growth for age statistics.
"All the inquiry before the sale was for him," he said. "He has Canadian genetics through his sire LFE The Riddler."
His new owner said he was looking for black blends to go over his herd Brangus and Droughtmaster cows, and liked Swagger's frame, saying he would walk out well.
Mr Henry has attended all four sales at Fairview and purchased his first bull there last year.
The second top price of $15,000 was paid twice, by Grant and Jane Maudsley of Nalpa Downs, Mitchell, and by Bondstock Pty Ltd at Roma.
The Maudsleys purchased Fairview Sambuca S29, 24 months and weighing 808kg, and both homozygous black and polled.
The early maturing bull sired by Woonallee Pharoah P364 has P8 and rib fat measurements of 10 and 8mm respectively, and an EMA of 130sq cm.
His intramuscular fat measurement was 5.3pc.
Jane Maudsley said his figures had impressed them, and they were looking for bulls with good calving ease statistics, as well as having a good temperament.
"We've used 12 Fairview bulls in our program and we added another four today," she said. "We'll put them with Angus, Brangus and black Simmental females."
They also purchased a bull for $14,000. Their four buys averaged $10,250.
Bondstock Pty Ltd's top bull was Fairview Stand Out S77, 24 months and weighing 806kg.
His P8 and rib fat measurements were 11 and 8mm and his EMA was 129sq cm.
The homozygous polled bull was sired by Bonnydale Nukara and has 10 traits sitting in the top 20pc of the breed or better.
Roma's Baronga Cattle Co was the sale's volume buyer, finishing the sale with six bulls for an average of $5083.
Arm & Dagger Cattle Co, Khyber, Augathella outlaid an average $9250 for four bulls.
- Selling agent - Elders, simulcast with AuctionsPlus
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
