Sale average boost in full clearance at Keringa
DEFYING the trend of the season, Keringa stud has achieved a full clearance of their Angus bulls at Culburra on Monday and increased their sale average by nearly $1000.
The stud sold all 48 bulls on offer to $15,000 twice, averaging $9234.
This compares to last year when the stud sold 53 bulls from 60 offered, to $16,000, averaging $8360.
Keringa stud principal Trent Walker was elated after the sale, especially the clearance.
"To also experience a lift in average, considering the tough season, we are really pleased," he said.
The first bull to make $15,000 was lot 5, Keringa Ulsterman U30 - a 22-month-old sired by Millah Murrah Rector R53 - bought by return client Darren Jenke, the Lucindale property manager of Spinifex Pastoral.
Mr Jenke said the 836-kilogram autumn-drop bull, plus two others he bought for $8000 and $10,000, would be run with their heifers and first-calvers at Tintinara.
He said the top bull's intra-muscular fat (7.1) and low birthweight (+2.9) appealed. It also had figures of 10-millimetres rump and 7mm rib fat, and a staggering 132 square centimetre eye muscle area.
"He was just a nice, moderate type, without being too big, structurally correct with a nice topline," he said.
"Keringa bulls have performed well for us the past few years."
The second bull to make $15,000 was lot 12, Keringa Usain U16 - a 23mo weighing 914kg - bought by return clients Raw Family Trust, through Elders Mount Gambier.
Richard and Fred Wheaton bought the bull for increased growth, carcase figures and docility (+38), plus another at $8000 on behalf of the trust.
The top autumn-drop bull, sired by Millah Murrah Rembrandt R48 (a son of the well-known MM Paratrooper P15), had an impressive 127EMA, and was in the top 3-4 per cent on 200-day (+67), 400-day (+120) and 600-day (+155) growth rates.
It was also in the top 2pc for CWT at +98 and top 3pc for scrotal circumference at 45cm.
They would be run with second-calvers in their self-replacing herd at Wellington East, with the calves sold either over-the-hooks or at Naracoorte Livestock Exchange.
Kicking off the sale, the stud donated their first lot to worthy charities - the Mary Potter Foundation and the Black Dog Institute.
Keringa Universe U6 sold for $9000 to McPiggery, Lameroo, who also bought another bull - Keringa Roy U168 - at the sale's second highest price of $13,000.
Keringa Roy U168, sired by Taimate Roy R38, weighed 780kg at 18mo, and had figures of 10mm rump and 7mm rib fat, and 8.1IMF.
Also paying $13,000 for Keringa Unify U23 was online buyer Trevor Hall from Midway Cattle Company, Tas, who also paid $12,000 for Keringa Roy U146 to run in their Quarterway Angus stud at Scottsdale.
New client DJ&FL Carracher, through Elders Casterton, also bought a bull - Keringa Ulsterman U116 - at $13,000.
They were among a handful of new clients operating in the sale, that mainly came from the Upper South East and Western District in Vic.
The sale's biggest volume buyers were repeat clients Kangaringa Station, Keith, with 11 bulls to $11,000, averaging $9363, while Hillcrest Pastoral Company, Avenue Range, bought 10 bulls to $11,000, averaging $8700.
Libby Creek, buying on behalf of Hillcrest, said they bought mostly heifer bulls to go over Angus and Angus-cross cows and heifers on their Conka Park and Conka Downs properties.
"We chose bulls with thickness and muscle, softness, structural correctness, and that are easy doing," she said.
The sale was conducted by Platinum Livestock Keith and Elders Keith, with auctioneer Miles Pfitzner.
