Buyers secure top picks at Green Triangle Murray Grey sale
A Western Vic stud breeder who has been following the two Western Flat studs involved in the Green Triangle Murray Grey sale for years picked the right year to attend and buy.
Rachel Crothers, Ronsard stud, Wangoom, who attended the 15th annual sale with her sister Sarah, said she had been keen to secure some of the SA bloodlines for her 25-year-old stud
Her pick, which was also the $7500 sale topper, was lot 9 - Beeamma Unique U10.
"I was looking for a heifer bull which he is, with good figures and a good temperament," Ms Crothers said.
The medium-framed two-year-old was sired by Carrsview Rafel R9 - a bull that Beeamma stud principals Denise and Anthony Fabris bought at a past Premier sale in Albury, NSW.
Unique U10 had a very low birth weight figure of +2.8 but also a carcase weight of +39. It had an eye muscle area of 120 square centimetres and weighed 742kg.
Sale hosts Geoff and Kate Buick sold the $7000 second highest priced bull in lot 4, Arki Undefeated U18.
The two-year-old, which was a son of Ayr Park Nugget N34, was snapped up by Glenton Poultry, Jervois, who operated online.
Overall, just six bulls sold from 25 offered by the Buick and Fabris families for a $6417 average. In comparison, last year 10 of 26 bulls averaged $7100.
The stud females which often enjoy greater demand than the bulls also took a hit with just one stud selling at $3500 out of six offered.
Geoff and Kate's daughter Georgina bought the stud heifer - lot 28, Arki Blue Ribbon S16 - as a foundation female for her Orchards Park stud.
The four-year-old daughter of Monterey Pharoah P28 had an outstanding seven-month-old heifer calf sired by Arki Safari S53. The cow had also been rejoined.
Georgina - who registered her stud a couple of weeks ago - plans to run Murray Greys and Greymans, having also bought a Greyman heifer a couple of weeks ago in Qld.
A pen of five commercial females, which were on the point of calving or had calves at foot, made $1700 each. These sold to DB&AM Slattery, Wannon, Vic.
Mr Buick said it was an "extremely tough day" but he said it was a reflection of the seasonal conditions across southern Australia.
"The industry is heading in the right direction and hopefully when it rains people will be chasing a few more bulls and commercial females," he said.
"Every day is a day closer to it raining."
Mr Buick said the Murray Grey breed's excellent temperament, along with their high yielding carcases and light coat colour, meant they should have a strong place in the beef industry.
"Research up north has found the coat colour of cattle is a big deal in weight gain in feedlots," he said.
Elders SA studstock manager and auctioneer Tony Wetherall said the sale result, unfortunately, followed the seasonal trend of many sales this season and was no reflection of the quality on offer.
He had high praise for the even lineup of 18 month old to two-year-old bulls from both studs, commending their good growth and good data.
"They are really soft, quiet cattle that are relevant to the commercial breeder," he said.
"Both Arki and Beamma (stud principals) are passionate about what they do with the Murray Greys, they invest into it, it is disappointing to see them not have the success they deserve."
