Good seasonal prospects prompt average and clearance lift at Longreach bull sale
Widespread rain across northern and western Queensland gave buyers the confidence to bid to $13,000 on four occasions at the Elders Outback Invitational Longreach Sale at Western Queensland Livestock Exchange on Tuesday, March 25.
Online bidding of the sale on StockLive ensured those bidders unable to leave their wet properties could still take part.
In total, 77 of 88 bulls sold, resulting in an average of $7591, 88 per cent clearance and gross of $583,000 for bulls from seven studs representing five breeds.
In 2024, 90 out of 110 lots sold for a clearance rate of 82 per cent, while an average of $6429 was achieved for a gross of $578,610.
The top price of $13,000 was achieved four times, twice for Rod Binny's Glenlea Charolais sires Glenlea Kowboy U825 and Glenlea JR U824, both aged 25 months and bought by Len and Sue Bode, Percol Plains, McKinlay.
The bulls were sired by Glenlea KOwboy Red Q405 and Glenlea Just Red, respectively.
Kowboy weighed 928 kilograms, had P8 and rib fat measurements of 10 and 6 millimetres, an eye muscle area of 144 square centimetres, and measured 41cm in the scrotum, while JR U824 weighed 893kg, measured an EMA of 139sq cm.
Glenlea Charolais cleared eight bulls for an average of $7875, while 19 of the 20 Charolais bulls on offer averaged $7421.
Three Charbray bulls sold to a top of $6000.
Darren Heggarty's Carabar Angus, Meandarra achieved a top of $13,000 for a draft of eight bulls, with the top price paid by McNamara Farming, Tara, for Carabar Qui Nella U100 PV.
He weighed 860kg, had P8 and rib fat measurements of 10 and 7 millimetres, an eye muscle area of 123 square centimetres, and measured 40.5cm in the scrotum.
The 26-month-old sire prospect was sired by Moogenilla Quinella Q33PV.
Stablemate Carabar Qui Nella U121V made $11,000.
Local stud Bendalla Santa Gertrudis at Strathmore, Longreach attracted significant interest for a draft of 17 sires, topped by the herd bull Bendalla U016 which sold for $13,000 to Ambo Grazing Co, Longreach.
The unregistered bull weighed 776kg and measured 37cm in the scrotum.
Bevan and Maree Pearse cleared their entire catalogue of 15 Bendalla bulls for an average of $7733.
Return Outback Invitational sale supporters, the Job family of Royalla Shorthorns at Yeoval, NSW, achieved 100pc clearance for their catalogue of 19 bulls which averaged $8263.
The top price of $12,000 was paid for Royalla U156 by Sunbury Pastoral at Isisford.
Stephen Hayward and Kellie Smith's K5X Angus stud at Allora achieved a top of $12,000 for K5X Unicorn U12.
Two commercial operations were among the top volume buyers of the day.
Fat Bullock Pty Ltf, Armagh, Jericho, took home 10 bulls at $7600 average, while WIllsdown Pastoral, Windosor Park, Boulia, also purchased 10 bulls at $6200 average.
Selling agent Andrew Meara from Elders said he was very happy with the clearance and sale average.
"It's lovely to see the widespread wet weather. It probably prevented a few buyers from coming to the sale, but they were on StockLive, so it was very satisfying to see the bulls average so well," Mr Meara said.
AAM regional manager, James Thompson, agreed the sale at WQLX was a success, and said producers welcomed the rain and the wet conditions.
"It's certainly looking at being a good season here," Mr Thompson said.
"The bull sale was a prime example, with all the bulls getting here early where they could be looked after pre-sale and post-sale."
- Selling agent: Elders, simulcast on Stocklive
