Stong commercial and stud interest at Meldon Park Simmental female sale

Commercial and seedstock producers from Queensland and New South Wales snapped up Simmental heifers on offer at Meldon Park's fourth annual female sale on Saturday, March 29, with the highest-priced heifer bound for stud duties at Ban Ban Springs.

Rod and Lis Skene, and family of Meldon Park Simmental stud, Cecil Plains, offered 32 purebred registered Simmental heifers alongside 10 unregistered heifers at the sale, which took place at the Passmore family's Benjarra Sale Complex in Ellangowan.

The sale attracted 23 registered bidders from across Queensland and New South Wales, with 11 successful purchasers by the end of the event.

Heifers sold as far north as Winton, Nebo, Alpha, Charleville, Bell, Yarraman, Ban Ban Springs, Toogoolawah, Limestone Ridges, and as far south as Scone in NSW.

All but one of the 32 registered heifers sold, achieving a clearance rate of 97 per cent with an average price of $4613, a top price of $7500 and gross of $143,000,

All 10 commercial heifers sold for a gross of $23,750 and average price of $2375, with the highest heifer reaching $2500.

Overall, 41 of 42 lots sold, representing a 98pc clearance rate, with an average price of $4067.

The sale heifers came from cow lines renowned for producing show champions, sale toppers, and high-quality replacement heifers.

The headline lot of the sale was lot 30, Meldon Park V20, a 13-month-old polled, unjoined heifer weighing 456 kilograms.

Sired by K.B.V. Prosecutor and out of Meldon Park Q63, the heifer was purchased by Jo Berrie of Sweetholme Simmentals, Ban Ban Springs, for $7500 via Eidsvold Livestock.

Sweetholme Simmentals acquired four heifers in total, at an average price of $5000.

Alpha's Kingston Grazing Company secured the second-highest-priced lot, Meldon Park U236, for $7000.

The 17-month-old pure polled, unjoined heifer weighed 456kg and was sired by Casa Toro Set The Standard S15 and out of Meldon Park N76.

Kingston Grazing Company also purchased lot 22, Meldon Park U246, for $6000.

The 17-month-old heifer, weighing 500kg, was sired by the same bull and out of Meldon Park Q20.

The top commercial pen, lot 36, consisting of five unregistered Simmental heifers, was purchased by MJ and CJ McQueen from Winton at $2500 a head, totalling $12,500.

They also bought the other pen of five commercial heifers, lot 37, at $2250 a head, amounting to $11,250.

The McQueens were the top volume buyers, spending a total of $23,750 for 10 commercial heifers at an average of $2375 a head.

Kingston Grazing Company of Alpha followed closely behind, purchasing six registered heifers at an average price of $5500.

• Selling agents: GDL, simulcast on Stocklive