One of the youngest bulls in the catalogue tops Melville Park's auction

One of the youngest bulls in the catalogue achieved the top price at Melville Park Hereford stud's bull sale at Vasey.

Lot 26, Melville Bull U553, was one of many of the bulls that went to properties in south-west Victoria.

The top price of $19,000 exceeded last year's figure by $4000.

The stud sold 19 of the 39 bulls it offered for an average of $7166, which was only slightly down on 2024.

Repeat buyers Don and Sue Pratt, Dartmoor, bought the top-priced bull.

Melville Bull U553 (HPR) (PP) had Hereford Group Breedplan figures of a +5.9 kilograms birth weight and milk estimated breeding value of +27.

The May 2023-drop bull was sired by The Ranch Remington R028 (AI) (PP) and out of Melville Corisande R538 (HPR) (PP).

He had a 200-day growth of +52kg, a 400-day weight of +77kg and a 600-day weight of +110kg.

The bull had an eye muscle area of +2.9 square centimetres, a rib fat measurement of +2.2 millimetres and a rump of +3.0mm.

His intramuscular fat measured 1.7 per cent.

The Pratts also bought Lot 2, Melville Ubeaut U491 (P), for $7000.

Melville Park stud principal David Lyons said he was pleased with the sale, with the top-priced bull being one of the favourites.

"He was only a May-drop bull, too," he said.

"He was a bit younger than the others.

"He stood out."

Mr Lyons said he had retained semen from the bull, which he described as a commercial, not a stud, bull.

"The sale ended up better than I thought," he said.

"If we could sell half of what we offered, we would be doing very well."

Ms Pratt said she had been buying from Melville Park "for quite a few years".

She said they had been "really happy" with the bulls as they were quiet, and the stud had been good to deal with.

"We get the catalogue, and we pick out what we like by the figures," she said.

"But we always look as well and it was the look of this bull [that stood out]."

She said the bull would introduce new blood to their 130-head Hereford and black baldy cow and heifer herd.

"It's completely different to what we have here," she said.

They sell their calves at 10-18 months, and she said the bull would "keep everything ticking along".

Elders livestock agent Anthony Maguire, Casterton, said it had been a tough year for selling bulls.

"I don't think it was any worse than any other Hereford stud sales," Mr Maguire said.

"It was just a difficult time to try to sell that number of bulls."

He described the top-priced bull as having "a nice even frame, with excellent do-ability".

"He was good for hybrid vigour over Angus cows," he said.

Yavenvale Hereford stud, Adelong, NSW, purchased Lot 5, Melville Unity U510, for $17,000.

Volume buyers included Coorabil Pastoral Company, Coleraine, who picked up three bulls for $7000.

Beerik Partnership, Hamilton, and Dismal Swamp, Mount Gambier, SA, bought two bulls each.