Black, white or red factor: you bet it was a solid result at Advance sale

Repeat buyers were quick to get the annual Advance bull sale underway at Roma on Monday, August 25, and their support was credited with the solid final result for both Angus and Charolais sides of the auction.

The overall result saw 76 bulls sold under the hammer from the 96 offered, giving vendors a $9680 average and a 79 per cent clearance rate.

This is slightly up on the 2024 sale outcome, which had a sale average of $9513 for 76 of 107 bulls sold, a clearance rate of 81pc.

This year's gross sale result of $732,000 was up marginally on last year's $723,000 as well.

Five south east Queensland studs sold on the day - K5X Angus and Advance Charolais from Allora; Acacia Angus from Killarney; Goondi Angus from Cambooya; and Brendale Charolais from Tallegalla - and it was an Advance Charolais bull offered by Stephen Haywood and Kellie Smith that once again brought the top money.

Brendan and Marnie Scheiwe, the stud that shares the Charolais side of the sale, paid $34,000 for Advance Ubet U13, a 23-month-old bull weighing a solid 1060kg.

He had P8 and rib fat measurements of 9 and 6 millimetres respectively, an eye muscle area of 150 square centimetres, intramuscular fat of 4.8pc, and a scrotal circumference of 45cm.

Ubet eclipsed the high of $24,000 paid for an Advance Charolais bull last year, and Brendan Scheiwe said it had been the first time the Brendale stud had ever bought an Advance bull in all the sales they'd shared.

They owned his sire, 4 Ways Phantom, who got injured.

"This bull is probably the best of his sons we've seen," Mr Scheiwe said. "He's long, thick, deep and he's a sire - he'll be going straight out to stud duties."

He said they had a lot of time for Ubet's dam, DSK Gylr River J119E, as well.

Brendale has purchased the last of the Advance stud cow herd, leaving Mr Hayward to concentrate on his K5X operations.

"We were extremely happy with the sale," Mr Scheiwe said. "There were a lot of repeat buyers, and that's what you aim for."

They recorded the second top Charolais price of $22,000 for Lockyer U2

Breaking the sale result down, 37 of 44 Charolais bulls were sold, an 84pc clearance, for a $9567 average price, while 39 of 52 Angus bulls sold, a 75pc clearance rate and an average price of $9692.

The top price of $20,000 for an Angus bull was reached three times, starting with the first bull in the catalogue, K5X Upturn U9, knocked down to the Bassingthwaighte family, Yarrawonga Cattle Co at Wallumbilla.

The 27-month bull weighed 1015kg, had P8 and rib fat measurements of 10 and 7mm, an EMA of 144sq cm, IMF of 6.4pc, and a scrotal circumference of 40cm.

Another K5X bull towards the end of the Angus half of the catalogue, K5X Unlock U61 sold for $20,000 to F & M Blackwell, Inverell.

Twenty-three months and 922kg, he had P8 and rib fat of 17 and 11mm, an EMA of 131sq cm, IMF of 7.3pc, and scrotal measuring 41cm.

The Blackwells also outlaid $20,000 for an Acacia Angus bull, Acacia U49.

Sired by DXTR725 Texas Iceman, he weighed in at 818kg at 24 months, had P8 and rib fat of 16 and 10mm, an EMA of 125sq cm, IMF of 7.2pc, and a scrotal circumference of 43mm.

After the Scheiwes and the Blackwells, it was Yarrawonga that posted the highest average price paid per head, selecting three Angus bulls in all for an average $14,666.

Augathella's SD & MJ Russell bought the highest number of bulls, seven of the Charolais offered, for an average $7428, and Shane Russell said it was statistics that they concentrated on.

"We've bought Charolais bulls here for a few years, and we look for a good 200-day average and lower birth weights," he said. "You've got to look after your breeders."

They have a Charolais cow herd and target the weaner market.

BV Rolfe, Roma, bought six bulls, a mix of Angus and Charolais, for an average price of $8000, while Charleville's KF and KM Rule and Alpha's Appleton Cattle Co each bought five bulls.

The Rules paid an average $8000 and Appletons paid $9200 on average.

Sale breakdown

K5X Angus - $263,000 gross; 23/33 sold - 70pc; $11,434 av; $20,000 top (twice).

Goondi Angus - $19,000 gross; 3/3 sold - 100pc; $6333 av; $7000 top.

Acacia Angus - $96,000 gross; 13/16 sold - 81pc; $7384 av; $20,000 top.

Advance Charolais - $54,000 gross; 4/5 sold - 80pc; $13,500 av; $34,000 top.

Brendale Charolais - $300,000 gross; 33/39 sold - 84pc; $9090.90 av; $22,000 top.

• Selling agent - Elders, interfaced with StockLive