Full clearance at Mountain Valley with top Poll Hereford to new buyer

Low birthweight bulls and those with carcase traits were in demand at the annual Mountain Valley Poll Hereford and Angus sale at Coolatai on July 16, with a new buyer taking the top-priced lot.

There was a full clearance across both breeds, with 40 Poll Herefords selling to $30,000, averaging $12,350, and 41 Angus reaching $24,000 for an average $13,975.

All up, 81 lots averaged $13,173.

There was a full buyers' gallery and only one bull sold online, with studs active at the top end and commercial buyers from NSW and Queensland also making their mark.

Greg and Del Rees, The Ranch Poll Herefords, Tomingley, took home the top lot in Mountain Valley Uncalled For U081, by Quamby Plains Quantum Q506 and from Mountain Valley Fiesta N130.

The July 2023-drop bull weighed 936 kilograms and scanned 7.5 per cent intramuscular fat, 128 square centimetres eye muscle area, 17 millimetres and 9mm over the rump and rib, respectively, with a 40cm scrotal circumference.

He was the sole purchase for the stud, and marked the first time the Rees family had bought from Mountain Valley.

Greg Rees said the bull would be collected and used over stud females.

He favoured Uncalled For's soft skin and overall type, and the bull would also provide the stud with outcross genetics.

"He's got plenty of length in him, good feet, all the basics are right about him and he'll fit into our program well," Mr Rees said.

"Del studies the form of the bulls a lot and this bull is our type.

"Soft skin, easy doing, structurally correct and high-headed - that's what we really like."

The price was about expected, although the pair agreed they were prepared to pay more.

The second top-priced Hereford at $26,000 was Mountain Valley Underfire U106, who was the sole purchase for Kidman Poll Herefords, Dubbo.

Also by Quantum Q506 and out of Mountain Valley Prudence N055, the 956kg, August 2023-drop ranked in the top 10pc for growth traits, carcase weight and milk, along with the top 20pc for EMA.

He scanned the highest EMA of the draft at 134sq cm.

Other notable sales in the Hereford run included Mountain Valley Unchartered U074, which sold for $20,000 to South Westgrove Cattle Company, Injune, Qld.

The Yalgoo Ramp R260 son ranked in the top 5pc for 200-day growth and the top 10pc for 400- and 600-day.

The same outfit also paid $14,000 for Mountain Valley Unstoppable U130, another Yalgoo Ramp son, and $12,000 for Mountain Valley Unload U112, by Mountain Valley Schnitzel.

The Sparkes family of Hornet Bank Pastoral Company, Taroom, Qld, paid $20,000 for Mountain Valley Unbreakable U037.

By the New Zealand sire Tawanui Egloo - Mountain Valley offered the first and only Ego sons to be sold in Australia this season - the bull featured growth traits in the top 10pc.

Hornet Bank also paid $16,000 for Yarrandabbie Richard R004 son, Mountain Valley UFO U028, and $18,000 for the Angus bull, Mountain Valley Redouble U191, by Ben Nevis Redouble R9.

The top-priced Angus sold to repeat buyer Ian Darmody of Burbong Angus, Bungendore, via his agent Matt Campion, Nutrien Stud Stock.

Mr Darmody has now purchased four Angus bulls from Mountain Valley in three years and believed his latest acquisition, Mountain Valley Junior U316, was good value at $24,000.

The July-2023 drop, by Nampara Junior Q148 and from Mountain Valley Abigail P869 was an outcross for Burbong.

Mr Darmody favoured the bull's length and frame, along with very sound feet and a strong head.

"He's a very free-moving, soft bull," he said.

"As I saw him walking out, he can really stretch.

"He had good figures - he had a reasonable birthweight at +5.1.

"He still had really good IMF at +2.5. He suits my program to a tee."

The bull would be used over stud females, he said.

The equal second top-priced Angus at $22,000 was Mountain Valley Precidence U349, by Peakes Bowen Precidence Q760 and from Mountain Valley Jestress M233.

He sold to Kevin Cullen via AWN Squires, Inverell.

Mountain Valley Schooner U252, by Durkin Schooner S054, sold to Geoff Hartwig, Eidsvold, Qld, for $20,000.

The bull, who was from an unknown dam, had -4.5 gestation length and +3.8 birthweight.

The McGuigan family, Glenmorgan, Qld, paid $20,000 for Mountain Valley Redouble U396, another Ben Nevis Redouble son, and also selected Mountain Valley Circle 8, by Circle 8 R585, for $16,000.

Mountain Valley Junior U031, also by Nampara Junior Q148, sold for $20,000 to return buyer RMI Pty Ltd, Goondiwindi, Qld.

RMI also bought a further two bulls for $18,000 each.

Echo Grazing, Yass, was the main volume buyer, selecting a draft of six bulls across both breeds to average $12,667.

Ian Durkin, Mountain Valley, said there was a range of new and return buyers and he was thrilled with a full clearance.

"To average what we did, we just couldn't be happier," he said.

"There's always a few people chasing heifer bulls - they were strong.

"People were just chasing cattle with carcase and quality, a bit of power, but cattle that are sound."

Nutrien and AWN Squires conducted the sale with guest auctioneer Paul Dooley, Tamworth. AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.