Big Country reaches $55k for red bulls

The prospect of good grass growth from recent rain across the north had buyers in good spirits as Matt and Janelle McCamley, Lancefield M Brahmans, Dululu, stole the show, taking top honors at $55,000.

At the conclusion of selling, 100 red Brahman bulls sold to average $10,490 for a gross of $1,049,000 and 85 per cent clearance rate.

The theme of the day from most buyers was they were chasing either polled bulls, herd bulls to run in their commercial operations or breed herd bulls for commercial clients.

The top bull was Lancefield M Reece 7792, by the Lancefield M Rolex sire that was highly sought after and bought by Lachlan and Penny Thomson, Kallanda, for $55,000 in a draft of five bulls averaging $20,600.

Mr Thomson paid the top dollar for the two-year-old sire, for his temperament, depth of hindquarter, bone and capacity to breed steers and bullocks for various markets.

Mr Thomson said they were chasing a polled bull, but wanted to retain the good bone and carcase they were traditionally used to in their horned herd.

"This fella was a rare find, he had the balance of the bone, carcase, great temperament, depth of hindquarter and width across the pins in a polled package," he said.

The Thomsons run 1200 breeders, selling feeder steers when the market suits and the country allows them to and they also grow bullocks out to 320 kilograms dressed and sell direct to works and packaged for Vietnam.

"We are EU accredited which helps us hit most markets and get our cattle in when numbers are tight at feedlots and processors," he said.

The second top bull, Gipsy Plains Hartlee 9544/22, was a homozygous poll bull by the Y3K Billionaire and snapped up for $40,000 by Noel Sorely, Mt Callan Brahmans, Dalby.

Mr Sorley said he wanted a bull that could breed top end herd bulls, as commercial clients were demanding a higher quality article these days in their herd sires.

"This fella is a herd bull but we will run him with stud cows and aim to see if we can register him with ABBA," he said.

Mr Sorley was a first time buyer of the Gipsy Plains genetics and thought he was a standout as a two-year-old bull with so much bone and hindquarter for his age, matched with a super quiet temperament and a strength of spine "you don't see that often in a young bull".

Somerton Brahmans sold their top sire for $38,000 to a partnership of buyers including Triple E Brahmans, Prairie, XMS Brahmans, Ingham, Midway stud, Ingham and Badilla stud, Ingham.

The bull was Somerton Oliver, a son of Lanes Creek Dolomite 1555.

A plethora of bulls followed closely behind with Lancefield M selling a second bull to Patrick Sharpe, Sharpe Brahmans, Guluguba, for $36,000, while Palmal Brahmans sold their top sire to the Brian and Glenda Kirwood, Somerview Brahmans, Charters Towers for $36,000 and the Faint family of Karmoo Brahmans, Clermont, snapped up the top Garglen Brahmans sire Garglen X2184 for $36,000 through the Stocklive online bidding platform.

Volume buyers included Ken Marsterson, Craigs Pocket Station, Mt Garnet, heading more towards the Burdekin, who secured six bulls for a $5835 average.

Mr Marsterson said he was chasing good red bulls that can breed top end bullocks.

"We run 1600 commercial cows and breed bullocks at four to five years of age weigh 700kg liveweight and are sold to either Teys in Rockhampton or JBS in Townsville, depending who has the best price at the time," he said.

He said he needed good bulls with bone and length to breed bullocks - simple as that.

Lindy Fry, Arafura Cattle Co, Lassy Creek, has properties in the gulf country and also at Hughenden, has supported the Big Country sale for decades according to Ken McCaffrey.

Mrs Fry was chasing paddock bulls for their operation and secured four bulls at a $8250 average with a couple of grey bulls.

"We buy the occasional grey bull as we need them in the gulf country as they are easier to spot from a helicopter, whereas the reds hide in under the trees and are harder to spot," she said.

Wrapping up the red Brahman bull catalogue, the top performers were Lancefield M averaging seven bulls at $21,430, Somerton averaging $17,665 for three, Palmal averaged $17,335 for their three, Rockley sold eight for $12,875 each and Lanes Creek cleared 11 in a strong draft, averaging $18,820.

After day one last year 136 red bulls sold to gross $2,001,000 for a clearance rate of 94 per cent to average $14,731.

The sale was conducted by Queensland Rural.