Pathfinder Angus stud's 30th SA bull sale impresses with high clearance
The Moyle family celebrated 40 years of breeding Angus cattle with a big crowd of largely repeat buyers from three states converging on Pathfinder's 30th annual SA sale at Naracoorte.
This helped them defy the lower clearance rates that some of the sales in the past week have seen.
They easily sold the most bulls for SA Angus Week with 124 of 131 lots finding homes for a credible $9790 average.
In comparison at Pathfinder's 2024 SA sale 126 of 128 bulls averaged $11,357.
The sale high of $20,000 was reached early in the sale at lot 3, Pathfinder Newly which was described by Nutrien stud stock auctioneers Gordon Wood and Richard Miller as a 'cracker' as it entered the sale ring.
The 854kg had plenty of volume and capacity and was backed with outstanding Breedplan data ranking in the top one to two percent for growth traits, top 3pc for milk and top 2pc for scrotal size.
The rising two-year-old was snapped up by Kelvin and Julie Bateman, Baroona, Casterton, Vic and their agent Nutrien Casterton's Andrew Harrison who have been buying from Pathfinder for at least 15 years.
"He has good depth, good width through the front shoulders and a bit of stretch about him which is what we are after," Mr Bateman said.
The sale topper was one of four bulls which Baroona bought for a $12,000 average.
Several other lots nearly reached the same high as the sale progressed including lot 48, Pathfinder New Ground U400 which was knocked down to Wooding Farms, Penola for the $19,000 second highest price.
The Landfall New Ground son had impressive low birth weight and calving ease figures - both in the top 2pc of the breed.
Long-time sale supporters the Woodard family, Peel Pastoral, Wrattonbully, bought six bulls for an average, including lot 37, Pathfinder Newly U271, at $18,000.
The Broad family, Old Canowie Cattle Co, Hallett, were the sale's biggest buyers with nine bulls between $6000 and $8000 and provided a start on many others.
Nonning Pastoral, Woolumbool, took home eight bulls for a $9375 average.
AuctionsPlus added to the sale's success with five active online bidders having 69 bids and securing 13 lots.
Some of the day's best buying came in the spring drop bulls late in the catalogue.
Of the 29 offered, 25 sold to an $11,000 high and averaged $7920.
The volume buyer of these was Kumara SE, Kalangadoo, who took home six bulls for a $7333 average.
Pathfinder stud's Elle Moyle said they were very pleased with the sale result.
"We really appreciate all the repeat buyers that have come back to support us this year," she said.
"We are really happy to see our bulls are doing well in all conditions, interstate and all across SA."
The bulls were a few kilograms lighter than usual due to the very dry past 18 months but Ms Moyle said they were pleased they were still able to present them entirely off grass and thereby likely have their bulls last longer in their clients' herds.
"We have been focused on positive fat for a while and when it comes to tough conditions that is where you see your heifers getting joined again and bulls holding condition," she said.
Mr Wood said the sale was really well supported by many repeat buyers.
"There were no big lofty heights with a $20,000 top so an average of nearly $10,000 for 124 bulls is a great result," he said.
Mr Wood said with such a large stud herd - 1600 Angus females- they were achieving predictability and consistency in their breeding program.
He noted that the catalogue was full of bulls with positive fat, high growth and big eye muscle area figures and the phenotype of the cattle matched this.
"They have that natural cover and doing ability and that is what every herd needs," he said.
Nutrien and TDC Livestock & Property conducted the sale.
"The bulls were outstanding, so consistent and temperament is a big, big thing in this herd, it is very good," TDC's Jamie Gray said.
Pathfinder stud will hold its Vic sale next Wednesday, February 26 at their Gazette property, near Penshurst with 125 bulls on offer.
