A $4.23 million gross, $34,145 average: Millah Murrah Angus surpasses the rest

In a sale that is firmly in a league of its own this season, Bathurst's Millah Murrah Angus has delivered a stellar result to gross $4.23 million at its annual on-property sale on September 4.

All 124 bulls sold to average $34,145, with five bulls selling for six-figure sums and four in a row making above $100,000.

Both stud and commercial buyers travelled from across the country and the stands were full half an hour before the auction kicked off.

The sale reached a $200,000 top and $40,735 average for 49 yearling bulls; the 18-month-olds sold to $150,000 and averaged $30,772 for the 57 offered; and 18 two-year-olds reached $40,000 to average $26,889.

Return buyer New Turee Pty Ltd, Cassilis, selected the top-priced bull for its Stradbroke Angus stud, and manager Trevor Nash said the yearling was the full package.

The top-priced bull - catalogued as Millah Murrah Vigour V414 but now called Millah Murrah Valentino V414 - was by Millah Murrah Trigger T308, who sold for $180,000 as a yearling at the stud's 2023 sale.

Mr Nash said New Turee bred bulls for its commercial program.

"There wasn't too much to fault in that bull," he said.

"Aside from numbers, he was correct and he looked like a sire.

"He stood square, he walks good, that's where it starts.

"I thought he was the best bull here."

He also favoured the bull's bloodlines, particularly the Millah Murrah Flower N30 line.

"We've been using Millah Murrah blood for a while now and if we could fold N30 back in through a grandson without being too close, it just keeps your consistency," he said.

The operation bought a draft of four in total, averaging $80,000.

Its other purchases included $60,000 and $32,000, respectively, for the 18-month-old Millah Murrah Vulcan V27, by Millah Murrah Quartz Q29, and Millah Murrah Vulcan V124, by Millah Murrah Kruse Time K400 and full brother to Quartz Q29.

New Turee also bought Millah Murrah Vee Eight V52, by Milwillah Ramjet R1029, for $28,000.

Selling for $160,000 was Millah Murrah Vigour V212, also by Millah Murrah Trigger T308.

The July 2024-drop was from Millah Murrah Flower R298 and sold to return buyer Macada Rural, Black Springs. V212 was catalogued as the lead-off yearling, weighing 722kg at 13 months.

The operation selected a draft of four in total to average $68,500.

Gundungarra Pastoral paid $150,000 for Millah Murrah Vulcan V105, another Quartz Q29 son.

Underbidder on the top lot was the Paterson family of Heart Angus, Timbumburi. The stud partnered with Urban Angus, Wallarobba, and Knowla Livestock, Gloucester, to secure Millah Murrah Vigour V330.

Chris Paterson, Heart Angus, said they were after a Trigger T308 son.

"Good, easy-doing, soft bull that had a bit of power in him," he said.

"He's got real good structure and goes back to a good cow."

Hill Top Farming, Mortlake, Vic, paid $120,000 for Millah Murrah Vigour V359, also by Trigger.

The Gill family of Alexander Downs, Merriwa, selected the $80,000 Millah Murrah Vancouver V325, by the $200,000 Millah Murrah Santiago S304, who topped the stud's 2023 sale.

Bassett Cattle Company, Roma, Qld, paid $60,000 for another Trigger son in Millah Murrah Vigour V240, while ABS Australia paid $54,000 for the Woodhill Comstock son, Millah Murrah Valour V431.

Other stud purchases included Boambee Angus, Seaham, who paid $42,000 for Millah Murrah Vector V1, by Millah Murrah Rector R53.

New River Angus, Ringarooma, Tas, paid $40,000 for another Rector R53 son in Millah Murrah Ulsterman U554, and $40,000 again for Millah Murrah Vancouver V302, by Santiago S304.

Coffin Creek Angus, Mudgee, secured Millah Murrah Viceroy V81, by Taimate Roy R38, for $40,000, and last year's top buyer, Shepwok Angus, Gibson, WA, paid $35,000 for Millah Murrah Vigour V469, a full brother to the $160,000 Millah Murrah Vigour V212 offered earlier.

The White family's Rosemount Pastoral, Newbridge, which was a substantial buyer in 2023, took home a draft of six to average $25,167.

Long-standing client, Green Hills Pastoral Co, Willow Tree took home five bulls, while first-time buyer Rob Davis, Red Grange, Lowther, bought four bulls to average $24,000.

Ross Thompson, Millah Murrah, said it would likely take a few days for the result to sink in.

It was the first time the stud had sold five bulls above $100,000 and the result far exceeded his expectations.

He said he was thrilled that 92 per cent of bulls went to repeat clients.

"They are getting very good premiums for the Millah Murrah bloodlines," he said.

"AuctionsPlus data we got last year that fell in our lap is just extraordinary - a couple of hundred dollars per head above the market of the day, for 50,000 head over the past five years.

"I think that's very powerful."

Auctioneer Paul Dooley, Tamworth, believed no other sale had five bulls sell above $100,00, let alone four in a row.

The sale was conducted by Elders with Paul Dooley, Tamworth, the guest auctioneer. AuctionsPlus and StockLive both provided the online interface.