Live export suppliers push Ponderosa Brahman bulls to improved average at Katherine

The chase for structure and resilience to handle northern conditions, fertility to put high numbers of calves on the ground and daily weight gains in a feedlot underpinned bidding at the 25th Ponderosa Brahman Bull Sale in Katherine.

A total of 141 of 147 bulls sold to a top of $15,000 and average of $4299. The final six bulls sold post-sale to a $3000 average.

Buyers from the Northern Territory and Western Australia bought in bulk for live export cattle supply and all spoke about those top three needs.

Paul and Debbie Herrod's Ponderosa Brahman Stud near Larrimah supplied the top-priced bull, Ponderosa 620, which went to Ian and Laura Hoare, Elsey Station at Katherine.

Ponderosa sold 66 of 66 bulls, averaging $4879, which was up significantly on last year's average of $3700.

The best average Ponderosa has recorded was $6200 for 80 bulls but Mr Herrod said the 2025 event was among the top results ever. He was particularly happy with the clearance rate, saying it had been several years since a 100 per cent clearance was achieved.

The bull will go into an Elsey Station breeding group to produce herd bulls.

Mrs Hoare said it was his temperament that was the first attraction.

"But he's also a good, square, even and soft bull - you look at him and want to eat him," she said.

"He's wide behind the hump, has a good straight back and is built for travelling - that's everything we require."

The Hoares have been buying from Ponderosa for 20 years, citing the study's daily weight gain figures of close to 2 kilograms as a key reason.

Volume buyer Russel Richter, Heytesbury Pastoral which runs six properties in the NT and WA, took 18 bulls to a top of $4500 and an average $3583. Most were from Ponderosa.

Heytesbury will sell around 33,000 head of live-ex cattle and 7000 cows into the southern domestic market this year.

Mr Richter said conformation and structure was the primary buying criteria, with cattle needing the ability to walk 40 kilometres at a time.

Weight gain and fertility was also a must and polled bulls were desired but the other factors could not be compromised, he said.

Two Queensland studs made the 3000-plus kilometre journey to offer bulls, with Pam and Alastair Davison's Viva Brahmans from Middlemount selling 35 of 35 bulls to an average $3671 and top of $6500.

The top-priced bull went to Mark and Danielle Savage, Suplejack Downs near Katherine. The Savages took seven bulls overall to a $4200 average.

Ironically it was the 190mm deluge that Katherine received several nights before the sale that saw the Savages attend the sale as they couldn't get home.

Andrew and Roxanne Olive's Raglan Brahmans at Raglan sold 46 of 46 bulls to a top of $7750 and average $3946.

In a further breakdown, 66 of the bulls sold were registered and they averaged $4879 while 81 were purebred and they averaged $3827.

The sale was conducted by GDL, Elders and AG Land and Livestock.