Where are some of Australia's record-priced bulls now, and did they deliver?

Every year, top-priced bulls at stud sales across the country make headlines.

There have been some notable record price hitters in recent years, with hundreds of thousands of dollars put on the table to secure top genetics.

With such big money spent, did these top bulls deliver for their new owners?

Did the bulls go on to throw hundreds of quality calves, or did they break down in their early days of joining?

ACM Agri has taken a look at the heavy hitters.

Texas Iceman R725 - $225,000 and Texas Thunderstruck T383 - $360,000

Over the last four years, Robert MacKenzie, Macka's Beef, Salt Ash, bought two of the most expensive bulls Australia has ever seen, both bred by the well-known Texas Angus stud, Warialda, NSW.

In 2021, he picked up Texas Iceman R725 for $225,000, and in 2023, he followed this purchase with that of Texas Thunderstruck T383 for a whopping $360,000.

The latter remains a national all-breeds record price for a bull and made international headlines.

The sale price set a new benchmark for the Angus breed and for any yearling bull in the nation.

Mr MacKenzie's operation includes a 3500-head commercial Angus cow herd and growing stud operation of 500 breeders.

The farm produces beef in a paddock-to-plate system.

Having spent a total of almost $600,000 on the two bulls, ACM Agri asked Mr MacKenzie if he was still happy with the purchases, four and two years on, respectively.

"Looking back, it was a very smart purchase," he said.

"It was a big investment, but it was an investment to prove our commitment to breeding outstanding females."

Macka's Beef has recently sold heifers sired by or joined to both Iceman and Thunderstruck, to much demand.

Mr Mackenzie said about 1500 of his commercial Angus cows were joined to the older bull (Iceman) each year.

"His progeny stand out and are identical," he said.

A smaller portion of the herd has been joined to the younger $360,000 Thunderstruck, who had his first calves on the ground last spring and this autumn.

The bull was only a year old when purchased in 2023, so it is now only entering its prime.

"Seeing the progeny on the ground, we know we made the right decision," he said.

Mr MacKenzie said Macka's Beef was working to improve the traits of its cow herd, including areas such as fertility, short gestation length and lower birth weights.

He said the herd was improving 200 and 600-day weight gains, and breeding cattle suitable for both grass finishing and the feedlot.

He said all of these traits could only be improved with the best genetics, and they had searched all over Australia and further afield.

"We have to put our money where our mouth is and purchase those bulls when they show their head," he said.

"It shows the people that trust our brand that we are committed."

Currently, Iceman was at home at Salt Ash, resting after joining with cows last October.

He will soon go back into semen collection with Genetics Australia.

Mr MacKenzie said there was huge demand for his straws internationally, particularly in Ireland.

Thunderstruck is residing at Total Livestock Genetics, Camperdown, and his semen is available via Worldwide Sires.

Millah Murrah Rocket Man R38 - $280,000

In 2021, Millah Murrah Angus, Bathurst, NSW, set a then all-Australian breed record with the sale of its bull Millah Murrah Rocket Man R38 for a sizzling $280,000.

The bull was knocked down to Brooklana Angus stud principal Rodger Pryce, Dorrigo, NSW.

Mr Pryce said Rocket Man still held the outright Australian breed record, as when he purchased the bull, Millah Murrah did not retain a share.

He said this differed from some more recent record prices, where the stud that bred the bull retained a share or semen rights.

"As far as the other high prices are concerned, the original owner retained a share," he said.

The bull is a son of the $160,000 Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15, which was a previous record-holder, and was out of Millah Murrah Abigail P57.

Rocket Man sold with five traits within the top 5 per cent of the Angus breed, including 200, 400 and 600-day weight, mature cow weight and carcase weight.

Since his purchase, Mr Pryce said the top bull had "100pc" delivered.

He said bulls sired by Rocket Man had gone on to average more than $20,000 at sales.

Currently, the bull is leased to ABS for semen production, and Mr Pryce recently sold a 10pc share to 3 R Angus, Loomerah, NSW.

Mr Pryce said according to Angus Australia, there were more than 1500 registered calves from Rocket Man on the ground.

He currently has a 10-month-old son of the record breaker, Brooklana Anguish V6, which will soon enter production.

"We already have good interest overseas for his semen," he said.

Banquet Tom Cruise T220 - $230,000

In 2024, Banquet Angus stunned attendees at its annual bull sale by breaking the record for the highest-priced bull ever sold at a Victorian auction.

The Mortlake stud sold Banquet Tom Cruise T220 for $230,000, beating the previous record set by Te Mania Angus, Mortlake, of $130,000 in 2022.

Tom Cruise was picked up by a syndicate of buyers including Keith Kerridge, Bannaby Angus, Taralga, NSW, and Mick Pratt, Ballawinna Angus, Albany, WA.

Banquet bought back a share in the record-priced bull after the sale, and it currently remains at the stud's Mortlake property.

Mr Pratt said the bull's first progeny had hit the ground in Western Australia in recent weeks, with 22 calves, including 11 bulls, born.

He will have another 25 cows calve down with the bull's calves from mid-May.

"They calved down unassisted, no problems whatsoever," he said.

"They've hit the ground well.

"We're very, very happy and I'm very much looking forward to seeing how these progress."

Mr Pratt described Tom Cruise as a "game changer".

When it came to paying back the big sum spent to acquire the bull's genetics, he said it was a case of "playing the long game".

"I believe that won't be an issue," he said.

He felt the bull would have a major impact on the Angus breed in the years ahead.

Tom Cruise was not yet available via artificial insemination, as the owners wanted to keep his breeding exclusively for themselves for now.

"That's something that's maybe in discussion," Mr Pratt said.

"Yes, I would say that there'll be some available into the future."

Injemira Redford J006 Q287 - $160,000

In 2021, Injemira Redford J006 Q287 smashed the long-standing Australian Hereford bull price record.

The bull was sold by Injemira Beef Genetics, Book Book, NSW, to a syndicate of buyers including ABS Global Australia, Ardno Performance Livestock, Mount Gambier, SA, and Vielun Pastoral Company, Mudgee, NSW, for a sizzling $160,000.

The previous Hereford price record of $120,000 was set by Inverary Dominator D56 in 1986.

Ardno Performance Livestock stud co-principal Christine Comley said Redford was still "fit as a fiddle".

The bull will turn seven-years-old this spring and has sired thousands of Hereford calves across Australia and further afield.

Over the last few years, he has gone back and forth between South Australia and NSW, spending autumn joining at the Mount Gambier stud and spring joining in Mudgee.

Ms Comley said he arrived back to Ardno last month and would stay with the stud for the rest of his days.

"He'll have a lighter load now," she said.

"We'll look after him for the rest of his days."

There are 985 pedigree registered Hereford calves sired by Redford on the ground, and Ms Comley estimated there were as many as 10,000 commercial cattle sired by her bull globally.

She said the calves were all "very consistent", born small and early, with strong growth rates.

"He's paid for himself with his semen sales," she said.

Te Mania Reaves R574 - $130,000

In 2022, Te Mania Angus, Mortlake, set a then Victorian all-breeds bull price record with the sale of Te Mania Reaves R574 for $130,000.

The bull was bought by Shane and Jodie Foster, Boonaroo Angus stud, Comdale, near Casterton.

The bull was a son of the much-sought-after Te Mania Peru P1164.

Ms Foster said the bull was a "fantastic" purchase with "beautiful type".

Unfortunately, the sale-topper hurt himself in his first season and broke down.

"We've been using him for AI since," she said.

"We were really happy with him."

She said Boonaroo had acquired another Te Mania bull in 2023, two in 2024 and another this year.

She said the latest bull was sired by Te Mania Peru P1164, to replace Reaves.

"The Peru genetics are a good outcross across the entire breed," she said.

"They're very saleable for every market.

"They're just a really diverse type."