Titanic rules the waves to hit $28,000 at the Dubbo Poll Hereford Sale

SEEDSTOCK and commercial buyers from four states pushed prices to $28,000 for bulls and $10,000 for females at the Dubbo Poll Hereford Sale.

Held at the Dubbo showground on June 4, the sale was interfaced with AuctionsPlus and drew 50 registered buyers from NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania.

In the live lots, 53 bulls were offered with 36 sold to a top of $28,000, gross of $302,000 and average of $8388.

In the females, six sold from the 10 offered to a top of $10,000, gross of $37,500 and average of $6250.

Nutrien Warrnambool bid on AuctionsPlus on behalf of an undisclosed buyer to secure the top price bull at $28,000, the senior champion Valley View Titanic T011 (PP), offered by Paul and Angela Durkin, Valley View Poll Herefords, Warialda, NSW.

Sired by Valley View Rubble R003 and out of Valley View Maritana P018, the 24-month-old weighed 934kg, scanned at 14 and 12mm, had a whopping eye muscle area of 141sqcm and a 41cm scrotal circumference.

Stephen and Jodi Peake, Bowen Pastoral Company, Gunnedah, NSW, were in the sale barn to outlay the second top price of $25,000 on yearling bull The Ranch Gunsmoke U012 in partnership with David and Olwyn Lyons, Melville Park Poll Herefords, Vasey, Vic.

Earlier judged as grand champion bull, Gunsmoke was the first son of the $120,000 The Ranch Remington R028 to be offered by vendors Greg and Del Rees, The Ranch Poll Herefords, Tomingley, NSW.

Mr Peake had seen the bull in the catalogue before the sale and had purchased his sire The Ranch Remington R028 in 2022.

Robert Hain, Gunyah Herefords, Cooma, NSW, bid over the phone to buy reserve senior champion bull Supple TNT (PP) for $18,000 from Ben and Leanne Rumbel, Supple Whiteface, Llangothlin, NSW.

Intermediate champion bull Supple Thimply Thuper (PP) was sold by Supple Whiteface for $14,000 to Ian and Shelley Durkin, Mountain Valley Poll Herefords, Coolatai, NSW, and Gary Clarke, Shangri-La Poll Herefords, Hagley, Tasmania.

Supple Whiteface also sold the Yalgoo Video M195 son Supple Touchdown (PP) for $14,000 to Thalabar Pastoral Company, Laggan, NSW.

The reserve intermediate champion Grathyln Trademark T058 (AI) (S) was sold by Grathlyn Pastoral Company, Hargraves, NSW, for $12,000 to Evesham Ag, Narrabri, NSW.

Repeat buyers Pat and Kerrie Bredhauer, Lambert Pastoral Company, Charleville, Qld, outlaid $10,000 for yearling bull Callaway R075 Uno U007 (PP) from Mark and Nikita Duthie, Callaway Poll Herefords, Irvingdale, Qld.

Good recent rainfall buoyed livestock and grain producers Rob and Nicole Logg, Bellarwi Pastoral Company, Barmedman, NSW, to pay $11,000 for JTR Texas T043 (AI) (PP) from Tim and Jemma Reid, JTR Cattle Company, Roslyn, NSW.

Mr and Mrs Logg have bought bulls in the past at Dubbo and consider it a good place for commercial producers to buy.

“We liked the bull for his above average figures, particularly for rib and rump fat, as we keep some females, and good scrotal circumference for fertility to improve our herd,” Mr Logg said.

The couple turns off steers and heifers at 12 months of age, and look for good early growth rates, milk and positive fat.

“We like the Hereford doability, fertility, temperament and longevity – we will stick with them. If you want to improve your herd you’ve got to be willing to spend a bit more,” Mr Logg said.

Nutrien Ag Solutions NSW stud stock manager John Settree said commercial buyers were active in the bulls priced from $6000-$11,000, and were selective on phenotype and BREEDPLAN data.

Mr Settree said the females presented well with new genetics and added another dimension to the event.

Dubbo Poll Hereford Show and Sale committee chairman Ben Rumbel said the sale represented good value buying for stud and commercial producers.

Incoming sale committee chair is Mark Duthie with Nikita Duthie as sale co-ordinator.

Selling agents were Nutrien Ag Solutions and Elders.