Futurity Pastoral achieves full clearance with $60,000 Shorthorn topper at 2026 Baradine bull sale
Summary
Futurity Pastoral's 18th annual on-property bull sale at Glen Ayr, Baradine, drew buyers from South Australia's Adelaide Hills to Tasmania's King Island on Thursday, August 27, delivering full clearance of 103 Shorthorn and Charolais bulls to a top of $60,000 and an average of $15,773. A large ringside crowd and heavy AuctionsPlus activity fuelled competition from across eastern and central Australia. The $60,000 sale-topper, a March 2024-drop red Shorthorn, sold to a South Australian stud and carried a calving ease direct figure of +23.6, ranking in the top 1 per cent of the breed, milk of +20.7 and an all-purpose index of +131.41. Shorthorns set the pace, with 54 two-year-old bulls averaging $17,472 to the $60,000 top, while six yearlings averaged $8500 to a $12,000 top. The second-highest price of $47,500 went to a bull with a calving ease direct EPD of +22.2, top 2 per cent of the breed, a weaning weight of +50.4 and marbling of +0.31, ranking in the top 1 per cent, with an index of +153.57. Repeat and first-time buyers added depth: a central Queensland client running Brahman cows took six bulls to lift fat coverage for domestic markets, and a Charleville operation bought its first Shorthorns to strengthen a Droughtmaster herd. Marbling and weight-for-age drove other key selections. The Charolais offering held firm, with 29 two-year-olds averaging $15,344 to a $19,000 top and 14 yearlings averaging $12,928 to a $17,000 top. Buyers stretched from Tasmania through Victoria, South Australia and NSW to Queensland.
Key Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Bulls sold | 103 (full clearance) |
| Top price | $60,000 |
| Overall average | $15,773 |
| Shorthorn two-year-old average | $17,472 |
| Charolais two-year-old average | $15,344 |
| Second-top price | $47,500 |
| Sale-topper calving ease direct EPD | +23.6 |
| Charolais yearling average | $12,928 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What were the headline results of the 2026 Futurity Pastoral sale?
A1: The sale achieved full clearance of 103 bulls to a top of $60,000 and an average of $15,773. Buyers came from Tasmania through Victoria, South Australia and NSW to Queensland.
Q2: What figures did the $60,000 sale-topper carry?
A2: The March 2024-drop red Shorthorn recorded a calving ease direct figure of +23.6, ranking in the top 1 per cent of the breed, milk of +20.7 and an all-purpose index of +131.41. It was regarded as an ideal bull for heifers.
Q3: How did the Shorthorn offering perform?
A3: Fifty-four two-year-old Shorthorns sold to a top of $60,000 and averaged $17,472, while six yearlings averaged $8,500 to a $12,000 top. Shorthorns set the pace for the sale.
Q4: How did the Charolais offering perform?
A4: Twenty-nine two-year-old Charolais sold to a top of $19,000 and averaged $15,344. Fourteen yearlings averaged $12,928 to a $17,000 top.
Q5: What was notable about the second-top bull?
A5: The second-highest price of $47,500 was paid through AuctionsPlus for a bull carrying strong calving ease and marbling figures. It recorded a calving ease direct EPD of +22.2 in the top 2 per cent, a weaning weight of +50.4 and marbling of +0.31 in the top 1 per cent, with an all-purpose index of +153.57.
Q6: Why were some buyers introducing Shorthorn genetics?
A6: A central Queensland client running Brahman cows bought six bulls to produce flatter-backed progeny with greater fat coverage for domestic markets. A Charleville operation bought its first Shorthorns to add weight and finish to a Droughtmaster herd.
Q7: How far did buyers travel to the sale?
A7: Buyers came from as far afield as South Australia's Adelaide Hills and Tasmania's King Island. Strong AuctionsPlus activity added a geographic spread across eastern and central Australia.
