Boambee Angus records stunning average at second annual on-farm bull and female sale
Boambee Angus recorded a best-ever result during Friday's on-farm second annual bull and female sale with repeat and new clients bidding up to drive the average to new heights.
A full clearance of all bulls and female lots resulted in a $15,579 average for the 19 two-year-old bulls and $15,000 for 11 yearlings to bring the total bull average to $15,354 with a top bid of $24,000.
Five heifers pregnancy-tested-in-calf averaged $8000 to top at $12,000. Four lots of commercial heifers, 31 head, joined to Ben Nevis Soldier averaged $2795/hd to top at $3200 while seven lots of weaner heifers, unjoined, 63 head, averaged $1611 and reached $2000.
The sprawling stud on the Williams River at East Seaham, via Maitland, has imported a strong pedigree base in recent years and was rewarded on Friday, with stud manager Jamie Grosser saying to the buying crowd after the sale that he was "overwhelmed".
"We have had seven floods over our flats since January," he said as rain continued to fall. "This year threw everything at us."
The top-priced bull Boambee Valiant V42, artificially inseminated, by Texas Iceman R725 from a highly regarded Boambee daughter of Knowla Navigator N206, made $24,000 even with 200 semen straws retained by the stud for in-herd use. He was knocked down to Sutherland Cattle Co amidst rapid fire competition.
Weighing in at 687 kilograms at 18 months he measured 42 centimetres for scrotal circumference and recorded an overall daily weight gain of 1.2kg.
His estimated breeding values included calving ease daughters measuring in the top five per cent of the breed at +8.7; top 15pc gestation length at -7.1; top 20pc for eye muscle area at +9.3 and top 15pc "greater profitability" within the $A-L selection index at $411.
Repeat buyers Brett, Kirsty and Charli Sutherland, Orange Grove, chose their new sire for his softness and structure.
Calves by Valiant V42 will be sold through the Maitland weaner sales.
The family, who run 160 breeders, also purchased Boambee Vogue V30, by Wilks Regiment 9035 from Corry's Glen Ann Quarante T26, for $22,000.
The 18-month-old weighed 742kg with 41.3cm scrotal measurement and 1.3kg average daily weight gain.
His figures included top 5pc for 200-, 400- and 600-day growth with top 15pc for carcase weight and top 10pc for EMA. His profitability index came in at $448, in the top 5pc of the breed.
Father and son Angus beef enterprise, Daryl and Grant Ford from Ford Cattle Co, with country at Monkerai and Tea Gardens, were equal volume buyers, purchasing four sires to average $15,500 and top at $22,000 for the station-bred Boambee Up River U131, 20 months, by Boambee Sir Spice going back to Musgrave Avenger.
The youngest of the two-year-old draft, he weighed 764kg with a 42.5cm scrotal and a retail beef yield EBV in the top 5pc at +1.5pc.
The family operation, 60 years in the making, runs 3800 European-Union accredited commercial Angus breeders with heifers retained and steers sold to feedlot backgrounders as weaners. Feedback and data from the processing end help to drive their decisions.
"I'm a butcher by trade," said Daryl Ford. "We are always looking for the right bull and we liked these for their structure, their eye appeal and their EBVs."
Victoria Park Investments, with country at Tea Gardens and Camden, also bought four bulls to average $16,000 and top at $18,000 for Boambee Upgrade U111 by Dunoon Recharge R102 from Witherswood Kerry P0113 with EBVs that include top 5pc 400- and 600-day growth and $A-L profitability at $432.
First-time buyers BlackJack Pastoral Co at Lostock paid $22,000 for Boambee Ultracool U85 by Texas Iceman, also from Witherswood Kerry P0113 and also went home with a pen of six unjoined weaner heifers for $2000 each.
The sale was hosted by Bowe and Lidbury with Paul Dooley, Tamworth, guest auctioneer. AuctionsPlus picking up the online action.
