New sire lines progeny in high demand at Injemira bull sale

Northern buyers showed their presence today at the Injemira annual Poll Hereford bull and commercial female production sale, held on property at Kiloran, Book Book.

Three new sire lines attracted the main attention of purchasers. The first son of New Zealand sire Matariki Neptune to be offered in Australia was purchased by Beefgen Australia Pty Ltd, Tamworth, for $40,000.

The 16-month-old bull out of Injemira First Day N063, was a maternal brother to the Australian record priced bull, Injemira Robert Redford Q287.

He weighed 792 kilograms and recorded an average daily gain of 1.77 kg per day.

He recorded eight estimated breeding values in the top 25 per cent of the breed with a 400-day weight figure of +81, placing him in the top 2pc, along with a milk figure of +26 and a 600-day weight value of +108, both ranking him in the top 5pc.

His 200-day and eye muscle area values of +2.5 and +5.5, respectively, ranked in the top 15pc, while his birthweight figure of +2.5 placed him in the top 25pc and his gestation length value of -2.2 placed him in the top 20pc.

Purchaser Geoff Birchnell said he had been keeping an eye on the Injerima program and appreciates what it had achieved.

"The bull appealed to us because first of all the pedigree that he sports being a maternal brother to Robert Redford, out of a very successful cow line, but he's also got some new outcross genetics in him through the sire line," he said.

"He also has a really good set of breeding values, and we just think that he is a complete bull, and he has some market appeal in the Australian market, but equally, so we plan on trying to market him into the US and North America.

"We just think he is the right type of bull to go in over there and represent what the Herefords in Australia have got to offer.

"I think for those foreign markets that we're going to send him to, I see that he combines some of the best of New Zealand and Australia and I just think that broadens the appeal of him and his just an outcross to those genetics over there.

"I've travelled to those places over there numerous times and know the cattle pretty well, and I just think this type of bull is complimentary to the style of cattle they are producing."

The second top-priced bull, Injemira Heidelberg U333, was purchased by Jarrah Genetics, Banana, Queensland, for $34,000.

Weighing 668 kilograms, the young sire also displayed EBVs ranking in the high percentiles with his EMA figure of +8.6 in the top 1pc, his intramuscular fat value of +2 put him in the top 5pc, along with a 200-day weight value of +45, placing him in the top 6pc.

His 400-day weight figure of +70 also placed him in the top 10pc along with his rib and rump fat values of +1.8 and +2.5, respectively, with a 600 day weight value of +97, ranking him in the top 15pc.

The program also purchased Injemira Neptune U154 for $30,000, as well as Injemira Richard U035 for $20,000.

Injemira Neptune U154, a full brother to the top-priced bull, weighed 765kg and displayed six traits in the top 10pc, including a milk figure in the top 1pc of +30 and a gestation length value of -5,8 in the top 2pc.

By Yarrandabbie Richard, U035 weighed 816kg and recorded an average daily gain of 1.4kg and displayed figures of +53 for 200-day and +82 for 400-day, ranking in the top 1pc, as well as a gestation length of -5.2, ranking him in the top 3pc.

Jarrah Genetics stud co-principal Sam Becker said the operation was chasing bulls with new genetics, with 80 per cent of the draft sired by new bulls to the Injemira program.

"We got a Yarranbabbie Richard son, a Matariki Neptune son and then a Days Q195 son and we were chasing those three bloodlines to put into our bull breeding program," he said.

"Those bulls to us all had the cow power behind them, they also had the shape and the carcase we were looking for, they were all very thick on top, all very slick coated for our Queensland conditions.

"We know this cow herd really well, these bulls always come up to Queensland and perform really well for us and breed true to type and that's why we keep coming back."

Mr Becker said the operation sold between 50 and 65 bulls a year and used a mix of artificial insemination as well as a walking sire. He planned to collect the bulls but also naturally join females to them.

"We still only get about 60pc in calf to artificial insemination, so we still need the physical bull to breed that high-quality bulls throughout the catalogue that we breed," he said.

"The Queensland markets, particularly in the organics, has identified the Hereford as a good British cross so we have been able to tap into that market a lot and it's certainly on the up in Queensland which is nice to see."

Overall, 66 of 77 bulls averaged $10,909.

Injemira stud principal Marc Greening said he was extremely happy with the standard of bulls on offer.

"We strive for excellence at Injemira and the uniformity of the whole draft I thought was great," he said.

"One thing that got me excited was we're bringing in new sire lines, and then we're achieving what we're wanting to achieve, which is a modern carcase, which is moderate with the ability to lay down fat with marbling, and structural integrity.

"The new sire lines have done that."

Mr Greening said he thought the sale was strong considering the current times, with about 60pc of the bulls heading to the western districts of Victoria and South Australia.

"It was wonderful to still get the support from there that we did," he said.

The sale was conducted by Elders Holbrook and Nutrien Wangeratta, with Paul Dooley, Tamworth, as guest auctioneer.

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