Autumn sales circuit clears $5.9 million in Hereford bulls to a top of $96,000

The autumn bull selling season got underway in February with a cracking top price of $96,000 and a significant slice of Hereford heritage going under the hammer with the dispersal of the Tummel stud.

A total of 593 Hereford bulls were sold in the season’s opening sales during February from 786 offered for a clearance of 75 per cent, gross of $5,929,488 and average of $9999.

The Pearce family, Yavenvale Poll Herefords, Adelong, NSW, marked their silver anniversary sale on February 14 with a top price of $96,000 in what was one of the largest offerings of Hereford bulls this autumn.

From the 135 bulls offered, 109 were sold for an 81 per cent clearance, a top price of $96,000 and average of $9486.

The top price bull, Yavenvale Trump Card T350 (AI) (PP), sold as Lot 66 over the phone to new clients Jacqui Baulch and children Tom and Indianna, Jaclinton Poll Herefords, Illowa, Victoria, with semen retained by Yavenvale for in-herd use.

By the New Zealand sire Limehills Streaker 150368 and out of a Tobruk Maverick daughter, the April 2022 drop bull ranked on BREEDPLAN top 1 per cent for milk at +31, top 2 per cent for IMF (intramuscular fat) at +2.5 and 400 day weight at +83, top 3% for 600 day weight at +112 and rump fat at +3.5, top 9 per cent for 200 day weight and top 15 per cent for EMA (eye muscle area).

“That bull really caught our eye in the flesh with really good sire appeal, and the pedigree with his mother being a great donor cow, plus his great data,” Tom Baulch said.

The second top price of $28,000 was outlaid by Barry Newcomen, Newcomen Herefords, Ensay, Vic, for Yavenvale Taylor Made T874 (AI) (PP), a new Herefords Australia Super Sire.

Injemira Patriarch T340 (PP), a 724kg October 2022 drop son of Bowen Patriarch P017, was knocked down for $75,000 at the Injemira Beef Genetics on-property sale at Book Book, NSW, on February 20, to Grace and Emily Elsom, Emigrace Poll Herefords, Warrabkook, Vic. It was the third top price in a row at Injemira for the sisters and their parents, David and Michelle.

Stud principal Marc Greening described the bull as having a strong data set combining excellent calving ease and carcase data with the highlight being muscle in the top 2 per cent of the breed.

The young sire had a birthweight EBV of +1.6, eye muscle area of +7.2 and IMF of +0.9.

The second top price at Injemira was $40,000 achieved twice for Injemira Patriarch T344 to Ardno Livestock Trust, Ob Flat, SA, and Injemira Heidelberg T343 to Willinga Pastoral, Wandoan, Qld. A total of 85 bulls were sold from the 90 offered for an average of $11,929.

Yarram Park Herefords, Willaura, topped at $50,000 on February 12 when Yarram Emperor T151 sold to a partnership of Newcomen Herefords, Ensay, Vic, and Amos Vale Herefords, Pinkett, NSW. Yarram Park sold 48 from 58 bulls for an average of $11,667.

The April 2022 drop bull weighed 826kg, was sired by Talbalba Emperor P043 and had an IMF of +1.6 per cent.

Ian and Diana Locke, Wirruna Poll Herefords, Holbrook, offered two Herefords Australia Super Sires in their autumn catalogue, with one lot, Wirruna Smokin Joe S010 (AI) (PP). The 1118kg Smokin Joe sold for $36,000 to Barry Newcomen, Newcomen Herefords, Ensay, Vic, while Wirruna Steakout S457 (PP) sold for $32,000.

Wirruna Shea S222 (AI) (PP), sired by Limehills Starter 160062 was purchased for the top price of $42,000 by Bendoc Park Herefords, Delegate, NSW. The young sire combined an EMA EBV of +7.9 with an IMF of +2.2, 600-day weight of +123, carcase weight of +96, and gestation length of -2.3. The two-and-a-half-year-old bull tipped the scales at 1048kg and had a scrotal circumference of 45cm. Wirruna retained 50 per cent semen rights in the bull. Of the 66 bulls offered, 52 sold for an average of $11,711.

“A great thing about the aspirational traits of the Super Sire program is it aligns with the objectives of Wirruna’s breeding program of high calving ease with curve bending growth, high fertility and strong carcase traits, particularly marbling,” Ian said.

Andy and Serena Klippel, Sugarloaf Creek Herefords, Corryong, topped at $28,000 and cleared 30 from 36 bulls to average $11,833 for their February on-property sale. Sugarloaf Top End T107 (H), a son of Sugarloaf Quality Q105, was sold for the top price to Allan Hewitt, Charvel Grazing Company, Theodore, Qld.

The Trovatello family, Glendan Park Herefords, Barfold, sold Glendan Park Top Shelf T175 for the top price of $20,000 to repeat buyer, the McClure family, Moree Partnership, Edenhope. A total of 29 bulls were cleared from the 39 offered for an average of $10,407.

Allan and Heather Morgan, Morganvale Poll Herefords, Willalooka, SA, sold 33 from 49 bulls to a top of $18,000 for Morganvale Tarcowie T112 and average of $8485. The top price bull was purchased by R and S Morgan, Warrnambool, Vic.

Alastair and Jayne Day, Allendale Poll Herefords, Bordertown, SA, cleared 37 from 39 bulls at their on-property sale to average $8457 and sold the top price bull, Allendale TDF Justice, for $17,000 to Craig and Robyn Gum, Kombali Farms, Pinnaroo, SA.

Lachy and Lou Day, Days Whiteface, Bordertown, SA, had a high clearance rate of 95 per cent at their on-property sale for 41 from 43 bulls. The top price of $16,000 was achieved three times for Days Milestone T047 bought by Mahwalloak East, Stockyard Hill, Days Limestone T094 to JM Childs Farming Trust, Kalangadoo, and Days Godfather T178 to Tom and Amy Honner, Minlacowie stud, Brentwood.

Howard and Allison Yelland, Glentrevor Herefords, Finley, topped at $16,500 for their February 12 bull sale for a son of Wirruna Noel N049, Glenrevor Noel T411. The bull ranked top 1 per cent for carcase weight, eye muscle area and all indexes.

James and Kate Luckock family, Ennerdale Poll Herefords, Dundonnell, Vic, topped at $16,500 for Ennerdale Regime (AI) (PP) selling to first time commercial clients Coryule Pastoral, Willowvale. The sale averaged $7020 for 27 bulls sold from 36.

David and Olwyn Lyons, Melville Park Hereford and Poll Herefords, Vasey, sold 22 bulls from 37 offered to a top of $15,000 for Melville Tipperary T487, bought by new client Trent Morris, South Hamilton, to average $7477.

Nathan and Amanda Clarke, Wongiwilli, Mount Gambier, kicked off the autumn sales in South Australia on February 9 with 15 bulls topping at $14,000 for Wongawilli Tuck, a son of Wirruna Qabita Q198.

Christine, Kent and Harry Comley, Ardno performance Livestock, Mount Gambier, SA, held their first on-property sale in February with 11 of 23 Hereford bulls selling to average $6909 and top at $13,000 for a son of Injemira Robert Redford Q287. Redford had been purchased by Ardno in partnership for $160,000 with ABS Australia, Jarrah Genetics and Vielun Pastoral.

Marking the stud’s 50th year, Ross and Blake Smith, Glenellerslie Poll Herefords, Adelong, sold bulls to a top $12,000 for the 806kg Glenellerslie Winks (H) to repeat buyers Laurie and Peter Forrest, Tintaldra, Vic.

Andrew and Ange Lyons, Wilkah Herefords, Vasey, Vic, topped at $10,000 for Wilkah Holyfield T003 and cleared 13 from 19 bulls offered under the hammer for an average of $6076.

The Western Australia Invitational All Breeds Bull Sale was interfaced with AuctionsPlus on February 27 with the O’Neill family, Annaghdowns stud, Hyden, offering three Hereford bulls and selling one for $5000.

In the female sales, Wirruna Poll Herefords sold a selection of 10 from 11 PTIC females as individual lots to average $4100 and 67 registered cows in group lots at their on-property sale. Wirruna Doreen P403 (P) topped the PTIC individual lots at $6500 while the group lots topped at $2200 for spring calving cows aged five to six years and average of $1904.

Truro Herefords and Poll Herefords, Bellata, sold eight stud females to average $3000 in February. All cows were PTIC to Warwick Court Roma R111.

The Comley family, Ardno Performance Livestock, sold 20 PTIC heifers, due to calve to Injemira Robert Redford Q287 within weeks, for $2625, at their on-property sale. Ian Macdonnell, Glenarm, bought the 20 weaner heifers, daughters of Robert Redford, for $1270.

Sugarloaf Creek Herefords sold 11 from 12 heifers to a top of $6500 for Sugarloaf Ladylike T183, an Ironbark Daybreak Q017 daughter purchased by Beggan Hill Herefords, Harden, and average of $3773 at their on-property sale.

Injemira Beef Genetics, Book Book, sold PTIC heifers, 22 to 23 months, at the on-property sale to average $2018 with Lake View Regen Ag, Currawang, purchasing 26 to a top of $2175. The heifers were due to calve from the first week of April and were joined to sons of record-breaking sire Injemira Robert Redford Q287.

The untimely death in 2023 of passionate Hereford breeder Chris Lisle resulted in the dispersal of his entire Tummel Hereford herd at the Tamworth Regional Livestock Exchange in conjunction with AuctionsPlus on February 28. Tummel membership with Herefords Australia began in 1958.

Overall, 206 lots averaged $2814 in an emotional and fitting end to one of the great studs in the breed with astute buyers from across Eastern Australia competing for the offering.

A total of 43 Stud horned cows and calves sold for a top price of $8250 for Mawarra Maritana 192 purchased by Truro Hereford and Poll Herefords, Bellata, and averaged $3293. Hereford PTIC heifers sold to a top price of $5500 for Tummel Diamond T232 purchased by Beggan Hill Herefords, Harden, and averaged $2432. A total of 43 stud polled cows and calves sold for a top price of $9250 for Mawarra Minerva 224 purchased by Sugarloaf Creek Herefords, Corryong, and averaged $3534. PTIC polled heifers sold for a top price of $5500 for Kidman Albia T081 purchased by Supple Whiteface, Guyra, and averaged $2750.

In the commercial females, 22 unjoined heifers sold to a top of $4750 and average of $2431, nine unjoined polled heifers topped at $4500 and averaged $2416, 54 horned cows topped at $2700 and averaged $1868. Seven Hereford bulls sold to a top price of $11,000.

Nine unjoined horned heifers sold to $1750, averaging $1527 while seven sires sold to $11,000 and averaged $6285. The semen dispersal resulted in straws topping at $146 per unit.

The final Tummel bull sale will be held on-property at Walcha on July 23.