Sale 'so solid, it's hard to find a highlight' for Lambert and Bredhauers

The number of bid cards taken up for the Lambert Charbray and Hereford bull sale at Blackall on September 1 mirrored last year's, but clearance rates and averages showed a marked difference.

According to the report supplied by the agents, the overall sale average this year was $8807.69 for 52 bulls, compared to last year's fall of hammer result of $7447 for 53 bulls.

On Monday, 29 of 30 Charbray bulls were sold for an average price of $9379.31, and all 23 Hereford bulls were sold, with one added to the tally following the sale's end, for an average $8080.

In 2024, 70pc of the bulls were sold, 20 of the 29 Charbrays, for an average of $7850, and 18 of the 24 Hereford bulls, for an average of $7000.

Last year's purchaser of the top-priced bull, Ben Avery, Banjo Grazing Co, Allandale, Blackall, a first-time client, was back again this year and again set the sale's top price of $22,000.

Mr Avery set his sights on Acton UB 45, a Charbray bull sired by Huntington Noddy and out of Acton Lady Roberts.

The 22.5 month poll bull weighed 904kg, had P8 and rib fat measurements of 12 and 10 millimetres respectively, an eye muscle area of 141 square centimetres, and intramuscular fat of 5.6pc.

Banjo Grazing Co bought one other Charbray bull, Acton U98, for $18,000.

Sired by Acton Razzle Dazzle, the 24.5 month old bull weighed 24.5kg, had P8 and rib fat statistics of 13 and 11mm, an EMA of 140sq cm, and IMF of 5.2pc.

Two Charbray bulls were sold for $20,000, Acton Ultralight, who went to the Clarenden Cattle Co of Blackall and Aramac, and Acton Unreal, bought by Western Head Trading, Glanworth, Tambo.

On the Hereford side of the sale, long-term supporters, Blackall's Hauff family were first out of the blocks when they entered the ring, securing Lambert Unstoppable for the top price of $16,000.

Last year they paid the top price of $14,000.

Unstoppable weighed 906kg at 24 months, had P8 and rib fat statistics of 12 and 9mm, EMA of 132sq cm, and IMF of 5.7pc.

A new buyer, Nebo's Tom Flohr of Wotonga Grazing at Nebo, topped the sale for volume buys, returning home with six bulls, four Herefords and two Charbrays, paying an average of $9000.

Mr Flohr said it had been their first run west, because they wanted to go back to Herefords for crossbreeding, and they thought the Lambert bulls would offer sires that had been raised to cope with tougher country.

He was dropping them off at their Moranbah country to go over Droughtmaster-Santa Gertrudis infused heifers, while the Charbray bulls have gone to Bacchus Downs at Valkyrie to be used over Blonde D'Aquitaine-Droughtmaster cross heifers.

"I thought they were good bulls, some really good stud sires there," he said.

The other main volume buyer was JM Allan and Son, Erne, Blackall, a long-term client, who finished the sale with five Charbray bulls for an average of $9000.

Steers they'd entered in the Lambert Infused sale earlier in the day, topping at 494.2c/kg, weighing 464kg to return $2295 per head, were first in the class for 380kg+ steers.

Stud principal Scott Bredhauer said the sale of 1058 steers and heifers from their bloodlines had been red hot.

"The sale reflects the results of purchasing the bulls they have, so that was good to see," he said.

"The way the market is, with a reasonable season and reasonable prices, it reflected later in our sale.

"It was hard to pick out a highlight, it was all so solid."

Two buyers, Western Head Grazing and Ewen Plains Grazing at Hughenden, had cattle in the store sale for the first time this year, and each won prizes.

Western Head collected blue ribbons for steer and heifer under 300kg, while Ewen Plains had the highest valued steer.

The Clarenden Cattle Co sold the highest valued heifer.

One stud, Roper Downs Charbray Stud, Middlemount, bought one bull for $12,000, and other bulls went to Longreach, Alpha, Barcaldine, Adavale, Cunnamulla and Western Australia.

• Selling agents - GDL, Nutrien, interfaced with AuctionsPlus