Bowman Performance Genetics spring bull sale hits $36,000 top as Trigger sons drive strong Angus demand
Summary
High-profile studs and commercial producers drove the Bowman Performance Genetics spring bull sale to a $36,000 top, competing strongly for easy-calving Angus bulls. The Neerim South stud sold 38 of 46 two-year-old bulls to average $9842, following a March draft in which 49 of 60 Angus bulls sold to a top of $16,000 and averaged $8520. The spring offering was headlined by sons of prominent sires Millah Murrah Trigger and Woodhill Constock, attracting interest across Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. The $36,000 sale topper, a moderate birth weight Trigger son, ranked in the breed's top 1 per cent for net feed efficiency, top 3 per cent for eye muscle area and top 11 per cent for 600-day weight, and was secured by a stud buyer from Keith, South Australia. The second-top bull, another Trigger son, fetched $24,000 to a Winchelsea stud. Semen from the Trigger sire is reportedly becoming harder to secure, which was cited as a driver of demand, while improved feed efficiency was linked to faster finishing and reduced methane emissions. Commercial demand was led by first-time volume buyers who secured five bulls to a top of $12,000, with their draft averaging $9600. Sons of the newer Woodhill Constock sire were also highly sought, with 13 selling to a top of $13,000 for a total clearance. Other volume buyers each took three bulls to $8000. The stud, which sells about 100 bulls a year by auction, held this as its second spring sale in five years, alongside its regular annual autumn sales each March.
Key Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
|
Bulls sold |
38 of 46 |
| Average |
$9842 |
|
Top price |
$36,000 |
| Second-top price |
$24,000 |
|
March sale average |
$8520 |
|
March sale top price |
$16,000 |
|
Top bull net feed efficiency |
top 1 per cent |
| Constock sons top price |
$13,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What was the top price at the Bowman Performance Genetics spring sale?
The sale topped at $36,000 for a Trigger son, secured by a stud buyer from Keith, South Australia. A second Trigger son reached $24,000 to a Winchelsea stud.
What were the clearance and average?
The stud sold 38 of 46 two-year-old bulls at an average of $9842. The draft was headlined by sons of Millah Murrah Trigger and Woodhill Constock.
How did the spring result compare with the March sale?
In March, the stud sold 49 of 60 Angus bulls to a top of $16,000 and an average of $8520. The spring sale lifted both the top, to $36,000, and the average, to $9842.
What made the top bull stand out?
The moderate birth weight bull ranked in the breed's top 1 per cent for net feed efficiency, top 3 per cent for eye muscle area and top 11 per cent for 600-day weight. Improved feed efficiency was linked to faster finishing and reduced methane emissions.
Why were the Trigger sons in demand?
The draft was among the first outside the sire's home stud to offer Trigger sons, and semen from the sire is reportedly becoming harder to secure. High-profile studs competed at the top end of the catalogue.
How did the Woodhill Constock sons sell?
Sons of the newer Woodhill Constock sire were highly sought, with 13 selling to a top of $13,000 for a total clearance. Commercial buyers featured among their purchasers.
Who led commercial demand?
First-time volume buyers led commercial demand, securing five bulls to a top of $12,000 with their draft averaging $9600. Other volume buyers each took three bulls to $8000.
