Two-year-old bulls' 100pc clearance at Brooksby Angus, sale topper to Wandoan

A repeat buyer of 15 years bought one of three equal top-priced two-year-old bulls and added the top-priced yearling Angus bull to his tally at the Brooksby Angus sale on July 23.

In the two-year-old section of the sale, the Collins family offered and sold 39 Angus bulls to $18,000 three times for an average of $12,128.

In the Glenwarrah Herefords catalogue, the top price was $16,000 with nine of 14 bulls averaging $9444, while 14 of 16 yearling Angus bulls sold to $14,000, averaging $6500.

Glenwarrah and Brooksby co-principal, Steve Collins, said sale day morning kicked off with 25 millimetres of rain bucketing down as they drafted the sale bulls.

"We've had a great run this season. They've come up well; we believe they are a great draft," he said.

His confidence was realised with the first bull of the day selling for $18,000 with Jeff, Kym and Sophia Liddle, Wandoan, Queensland, continuing their 15-year association with these genetics.

They bought four bulls in the first 10 catalogued for an average of $12,500, and right at the end of the sale, they bought the top-priced yearling Angus bull for $14,000.

Brooksby Royal Gem U264, a 23-month-old weighing 948 kilograms, was sired by Booroomooka Royal Gem R196, from an Ayrvale Bartel E7 female.

Its estimated breeding values (EBVs) revealed a +5.5 for birthweight (BW), +20 for milk, +5 for eye muscle area (EMA) and +3.2 for intramuscular fat (IMF).

It also displayed positive growth data, with +56 for 200-day growth, +105 for 400-day and +145 for 600-day.

Mr Liddle said the family-run herd of about 800 breeders aimed to target the Angus heavy feeder market with the steer portion, while the heifer portion was finished for the domestic trade market.

At last year's Beef 24 in Rockhampton, Queensland, a draft of Liddle's heifers was judged the reserve champion grassfed heifer pen.

"It was a pretty busy time for us. I just drafted out three pens of heifers, and we ended up with one pen being the reserve champion," Mr Liddle said.

Mr Liddle's yearling Angus bull was Brooksby Reality V282, an 11-month-old weighing 602kg and sired by Te Mania Philosophers Stone P1557.

Its dam was Merridale Wilcoola P104, sired by Bushs Esy Decision 98.

Its data set included +3.2 for BW, +43 for 200-day, +81 for 400-day and +112 for 600-day growth, EMA of +7.9 and IMF of +3.5.

Gavin Strelitz, Goldsworth, Uralla, bought three yearling bulls to a top of $18,000, averaging $14,000, and a yearling bull for $5000.

Brooksby Paris U284, 876kg, a 23-month-old son of Merridale Paris P24, was from a Booroomooka New Day L457 female.

U284 had a BW of +5.6, EMA of +4.6, and its 200-day growth was +50, 400-day +85 and 600-day +118.

Young steers and heifers from the Goldsworth herd are among the sale-toppers at annual Armidale Weaner sales each autumn.

JY and AL Capel, Rocky Creek, via Narrabri, paid $18,000 for Brooksby Reality U367. The 22-month-old son of Te Mania Philosophers Stone P1557, weighed 826kg and was from a Talis Jermaine J802 female.

Its maternal data traits were solid with a BW of +4.1 and milk of +20. It had a +40 EBV for 200-day, +73 for 400-day and +102 for 600-day growth. Its EMA was +6.9 and IMF was +3.4.

Glenwarrah Maximus U029, by Battalion Maximus R084 out of a Lotus Marshall M102 female, was the top-priced Hereford bull.

The 23-month-old, 922kg, was bought by JW and DJ Freeman, Shady Acres, Tyringham.

It had a +6.1 BW and +25 for milk. Its 200-day growth EBV was +36, 400-day +57 and 600-day +88. It had an EMA of +5.2 and IMF of +1.3.

Another of the Maximus R084 sons, Glenwarrah Maximus U011, out of a Glentrevor Wallace H427 female, made $13,000. The buyer was Stuart Hay, La Palma Grazing, Taroom, Queensland. Mr Hay also bought two yearling Angus bulls for $6000 and $5000.

KR and SM Green, Inverness, Walcha, paid $10,000 for a two-year-old Angus bull, $6000 for a Hereford and $7000 for one of the yearling Angus bulls.

Armitage and Buckley, Armidale and Nutrien Ag Solutions, Armidale were selling agents.

The auctioneers were Tom Piddington and Luke Heagney, while AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.