A $60,000 price tag seemed to be the magic number for buyers at the annual NCC Brahman bull sale at Inverrio.
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Breeders paid that amount four times for the Duaringa stud’s young sires on the way to a $16,856 sale average and 100 per cent clearance for the 122 bulls catalogued on the cool, overcast day.
With 50 more bulls offered than were available last year, it was a tremendous result for vendor, Brett Nobbs, the holder of the Australian Brahman breed and beef cattle record of $325,000, set at last year’s sale. It helped create an average of $26,914 then, and Mr Nobbs said a lot of people had gone away without bulls.
While some may have seen adding 50 extra bulls to this year’s catalogue as a risk, it meant that a lot of clients managed to buy bulls this time.
“There were a lot of affordable bulls today that probably weren’t there last year so I was particularly pleased to see people fill their orders today,” Mr Nobbs said.
He was also pleased to see new faces, including some respected cattlemen that haven’t purchased before.
Maintaining a $16,000 average while boosting numbers for sale was a fantastic outcome, according to Australian Brahman Breeders Association general manager, Anastasia Fanning.
“It just came down to big strong-bodied bulls with character – they sold well.
“The quality of bulls is there, no doubt about it, the Brahmans do very well in dry times and the commercial market is very strong.”
First to outlay the $60,000 top price were last year’s record-setters, Rodger and Lorena Jefferis, Elrose Brahmans, McKinlay, who purchased NCC Victory (IVF), sired by JDH Mr Elmo Manso out of El-Ja Vanity Fair Manso.
Weighing 786kg at 25 months of age, the grey Brahman had P8 and rib fat measurements of 13 and 9mm respectively, plus an eye muscle area of 134cm sq.
According to Mr Jefferis, Victory was an incredibly thick bull who stood with a “foot in each corner”.
It was the turn of fellow north western breeders, Drew and Annie Hacon, Cubbaroo Brahmans, Cloncurry to outlay $60,000 next, purchasing NCC Manafort (IVF), described as light red.
Also a JDH Mr Elmo son, out of El-Ja Marlissa Manso, Manafort was 894kg at 25 months, had P8 and rib measurements of 15 and 13mm, and an EMA of 146cm sq.
Manafort’s length and character, as well as his pedigree, impressed Mr Hacon, who said it was hard to buy a bull with a good head and the sire’s correctness appealed.
Just a few lots further on, bidding again stopped on $60,000, this time for a local Duaringa buyer, the Currant family of Riverlea Grazing P/L, who secured NCC Caine. The 23-month-old light red bull was by Carinya Tony out of NCC Miss Cindy, weighing 822kg.
He had an EMA of 144cm sq, and P8 and rib measurements of 11 and 8mm.
Finally, a partnership between Peter and Maria Chiesa, PM Pastoral, Ingham, and Gavin Scott and family, Rosetta, Collinsville, were the winning bidders on NCC Vallance (IVF) for $60,000. Also a light red sire, Vallance, by JDH Mr Elmo Manso out of El-Ja Vanity Fair Manso, was 842kg at 24 months and had an EMA of 145cm sq.
“Vallance comes from a pretty reliable cow family. It’s performed for a lot of years, and Elmo’s progeny have plenty of muscle in them,” Peter Chiesa said.
The top volume buyer was John Nelson, Herbert Hall Enterprises, Charters Towers, who selected 11 bulls for an average $10,800.
Agents: Queensland Rural, McCaffrey’s Australian Livestock Marketing.