Repeat clients seek birthweight and marbling traits at Kunuma Angus
The hardy bulls of Kunuma Angus met strong demand on September 2, as buyers sought data-backed bulls with low birthweight and high marbling estimated breeding values.
Prices reached a high of $16,000 and averaged $9838, with the Cooma stud selling 37 of its 41 bulls at the rostrum and another three immediately after the auction.
Long-time Kunuma client John Jervois, Jervois Pastoral, Tumbarumba, purchased the top-priced bull, 24-month-old Kunuma U155, a son of $120,000 sire Te Mania Rhynie R1095 and Kunuma S44.
U155 was the first two-year-old son of Rhynie to be offered by Kunuma, and was suitable for heifers.
He was in the top two per cent of the Angus breed for birthweight, top 20pc for milk, top 8pc for fats, and top 11pc for intramuscular fat.
Mr Jervois targets the feedlot market, selling about 95pc of his steers to JBS at Yanco.
They're turned off at 400-450 kilograms, at 14-16 months.
"He ticked all the boxes for us on the maternal side, with calving ease, mature cow weight and the new Angus index of cow condition," Mr Jervois said.
"His growth is breed average, which we're happy with, but we liked his marbling and fat.
"We sell a fair few feeder steers, but the cows are on the farm 365 days of the year, so we concentrate on those maternal traits, along with positive fats."
Mr Jervois also purchased the first lot, Kunuma U27, for $12,000.
Two bulls - Kunuma U18 and Kunuma U169 - reached $15,000, going to Jackie Froehlich and Alex Pota, Burragate, and Phil Weston, Elm Valley Pty Ltd, Korumburra, Vic, respectively.
U18 was by Te Mania Qontemplate Q1149 from Kunuma N145, and U169 was another Rhynie son, from Kunuma S81.
Texas Nasa N121 son Kunuma U16 and Kunuma U50, by Kunuma S149, each sold for $13,000.
U16 was purchased by Kelvin Ingram, Bonang, Vic, and U50 was purchased by Gerard and Jo Mackay, Adaminaby.
Elm Valley was the volume buyer, taking home five bulls for an average of $10,000.
Online buyers Charles Hill, Karapiti, Quirindi and Frank Casella, Sandy Camp, Sale, Vic, each purchased four bulls, averaging $9500 and $8000 respectively.
Kunuma stud co-principal Mitch Lynch said he was pleased with the sale results and the spread of buyers.
"We had a lot of repeat buyers as well as new clients, with bulls going south to Tasmania, and up to Quirindi in northern NSW," Mr Lynch said.
"And we still have massive support from our Victorian clients, despite the drought, with more than a dozen bulls going there."
Mr Lynch said there was a strong focus on objective data in the draft, which, combined with the doability of the cattle, made for a good package for clients.
"A point of difference for us is the doability of our cattle, being the highest stud in Australia," Mr Lynch said.
"We get a lot of snow, so our clients can take our bulls back to Vic and Tas, and they'll do really well for them.
"A lot of buyers were looking for heifer bulls, and bulls with marbling.
"Marbling and carcase is an area we've focused on, with clients looking to get cattle into premium markets."
Nutrien Cooma conducted the sale with Matt Campion, Nutrien Stud Stock, auctioneering. AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.
