Poll Herefords lead demand in successful Alice Springs Show bull sale

The broad ribbon-winning Poll Hereford bull at Alice Springs Show also caught the eye of buyers at the multi-vendor sale the following day.

Lot 18, Days Oklahoma U013, which was the grand champion bull, made the sale's $16,000 top price with the Hayes family, Undoolya Holdings, putting in the winning bid.

Nicole Hayes said they were attracted to Oklahoma for the same qualities the judge saw, carcase merit and easy doing traits.

The May 2023-drop was by United States AI sire SHF Houston and out of Days Fancy S009.

The Hayes family hope the sale topper will be able to sire a magnificent line of steers, similar to the milk tooth and two tooths that topped Roe Creek sale at 454cents a kilogram last Thursday.

Undoolya secured its next two picks at $12,000 each - the sale's equal second highest price.

One of these was lot 14, from Days Whiteface stud, Bordertown, and the other was Minlacowie Unchartered offered by the Honner family, Brentwood.

"We had a great sale so we couldn't not continue to support the bull guys," Mrs Hayes said.

"There is a big correlation between the bulls we are buying and the success we are having, with the best pen at the yards and at the show."

Mrs Hayes said while they sometimes had to rely on online bidding at bull sales it was great to be able to visually assess the five bulls they bought.

"There is nothing better than seeing something in front of you, to have it walking around in front of you and see the way it moves and to see the temperament - these things you can't see online," she said.

"There is no freight either and it is great for the show to see how the bull breeders support it."

In a great result, there was a total clearance of 33 Poll Hereford, Shorthorn, Angus, Santa Gertrudis, Charolais and Droughtmaster bulls from nine vendors for a $7757 average.

This was a step up from 2024 where 24 of 27 bulls reached a $13,500 high and averaged $5820.

Overall Days Whiteface stud's six bulls averaged $10,333 which stud principal Lachy Day was rapt with.

"Because of the distance they have to walk structure is number one in the bulls we take up there, but then it is growth and carcase just like it is in the south," he said.

Lachie and Paddy Weir, Todd River Pastoral Co, Alice Springs, NT, were the other major Poll Hereford buyer securing five bulls from Days and Minlacowie studs for a $8200 average.

Chris & Anissa Thompson, Bayview stud, Yorketown, received $10,000 and $9000 for their two Shorthorn bulls, including the reserve grand champion bull. These sold to Huckatta Station.

Eagleson & Co Livestock and Realty's David Eagleson who conducted the sale said it was pleasing to see the vendors getting rewarded for bringing high quality bulls to the Northern Territory.

"They were really good bulls that were well presented under the conditions they were struggling with in the south and the pastoralists appreciated that," he said.

"The quality of the cattle in central Australia is very, very good so we are trying to promote that.

"They are not just station cattle, they are better than that and they (pastoralists) are prepared to pay for very good quality bulls."

Mr Eagleson - who is based at Murgon in Qld - said it was a great to have a full clearance in the multi-vendor sale considering the large number of bulls. He did acknowledge there were some breeds with less buying support.

"The Angus fellas had pretty much bought all their bulls and while they were a good run of bulls the vendors felt the pinch with all except two selling at the $6000 base," he said.

The Weir family, Sandover Pastoral Company was the bulk buyer with eight Angus bulls, which are destined for their Qld property.

Granite Ridge stud, Avenue Range, sold the $8000 highest priced Angus bull in their draft of four bulls.

The September 2023 drop, Granite Ridge U548, was bought by R&S Rural Contracting.

Another long-time Alice Springs vendor the Fogden family, Nangaringa stud, Loxton, sold their three Santa Gertrudis bulls to Steven Fogarty, Anningie Station, for a $7667 average.

The Fogdens' three Boulview Charolais sold at $6000 each, all heading to Kurundi Station.

Savannah Droughtmaster stud, Tennant Creek, NT sold its four bulls for a $7250 average with the top two heading to The Garden Station at $8000 each.