Paratrooper sails to top price honours at Vielun Pastoral Company sale
Spirited bidding drove the prices at Vielun Pastoral Company's fifth annual bull sale at Mudgee on Friday, July 1.
The top-priced Angus bull was Vielun Paratrooper U04, which sold for $24,000.
The 24-month-old Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15 son, out of Millah Murrah Agigail L164, weighed in at 850 kilograms and was purchased by repeat buyer David Carter, Yarraman North, Quirindi.
The big-framed bull displayed estimated breeding values of +66 200-day growth, +114 400-day growth and +148 600-day growth, ranking in the top 10 per cent for all growth traits.
Mr Carter had liked what he saw on paper and in person.
"Figures were reasonably impressive in the catalogue," Mr Carter said of the top-priced bull.
"But sometimes you have to come and have a look for yourself, so I did and I was still impressed.
"There was half a dozen other bulls I was impressed with as well, and we bid on them, but we got the one that we really wanted and was pushed a bit harder than I would have liked, but these things happen."
Mr Carter also purchased the 24-month-old, 750kg Vielun Brando for $12,000 to complete his draft.
Mr Carter has been impressed with the Vielun Pastoral Company stock.
"When your neighbours drive past and say your bulls look good, then you know you're on the right track" Mr Carter said.
The Carters run a mainly Angus commercial operation on 4000 acres, near Quirindi, with approximately 270 head, growing out their weaners for the 400-450kg feedlot market.
The top-priced poll Hereford was snapped up by Elders on behalf of Hornet Bank, Taroom, Qld.
The 24-month-old VP Red Thunder U057 weighed in at 800kg with an eye muscle area EBV of +6.5 and milk of +23.
A son of American poll Hereford Churchill Red Thunder 133J and out of VP Maratana S010, the red bull will be accompanied by the 24-month-old Injemira Robert Redford Q287 son, VP Redford U041.
U041 was purchased for $7000 to complete the draft for Hornet Bank.
The Cheetham family of Wallabadah and Gulgong joined forces to purchase, as auctioneer Paul Dooley put it, "a leg each" of the second top-priced poll Hereford bull VP Redford U141 for $12,000.
The 23-month-old bull had a calving ease data set in the top 1pc of the breed.
Tim Cheetham said the family liked the "overall softness of the bull, Redford genetics with low birthweight and a beautiful bull to breed black baldy calves".
The bull will share his time between Wallabadah and Gulgong, with 400 head of commercial Angus females.
The Angus draft averaged $13,077 with a full clearance of 13 bulls, while 12 of 27 poll Herefords averaged $7417
The stud also offered 73 Poll Hereford PTIC heifers to a top of $1900, with a full clearance and an average of $1868.
Sam Broinowski, Vielun Pastoral Company, was really happy with the results of the sale.
"The Angus bulls sold tremendously - better than expected. We have some work to do with our Herefords to get people to our sale - our genetics are right," he said.
The Broinowski family will return next year with extra Angus bulls and a similar number of poll Herefords.
Elders Bathurst and McDonald Lawson Carter, Mudgee, conducted the sale with Paul Dooley, Tamworth, as auctioneer. AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.
