NSW and Queensland buyers seek all-round performance at Elite Poll Herefords
Repeat buyers made up the bulk of the purchasers chasing sires that can provide females with high levels of calving ease, at the 38th annual Elite Poll Herefords on-property sale, at Eulalia, Gundy, via Scone. on Thursday, September 4.
Buyers sought a combination of structural soundness, temperament, muscling, intramuscular fat, growth and milk, the stud's principal, Kay Payne, said.
Sold by Helmsman auction, 21 of 35 bulls offered sold to $13,000 to NSW and Queensland, averaging $7145, with eight withdrawn from the catalogue prior to the sale. This year's average was up on last year's result, by $392.
The sale topper, Elite Umpire U249, was bought by Kimberley Grange, Tamworth, who took home the popular son of Wirruna Paton P048, for their commercial beef enterprise after spirited competition from attendees and online buyers through AuctionsPlus.
Ms Payne said U249 is a stylish homozygous poll bull out of one of Elite's reliable and top-performing dams, N123.
"The appeal of U249 was his outstanding balanced performance profile, starting with top calving ease estimated breeding value (EBV) of +16.5 and +18.0 for calving ease daughters, plus low birth weight EBV of -0.8 to increase the number of live calves born.
U249 had a milk EBV of +26 and +73 for carcase weight EBV. Its growth EBVs were +37, +69, and +92 for 200-day, 400-day and 600-day, respectively.
His +7.7 eye muscle area EBV is within the top 5per cent of the breed, its + for 1.6 yield and +2.1 for IMF is in the top 5 per cent.
"His IMF data will see his progeny fit many top grids and feedlot specifications, so Kimberley Grange are thrilled to add him to their sire battery," Ms Payne said.
The second top-priced bull, U275, was bought by the Winter Poll Hereford Stud, Toowoomba, Qld for $12,000. They prevailed after a duel with a Victorian stud operating through AuctionsPlus and were pleased to secure him.
The bull is sired by Elite Trust Q66 and out of another top female, Elite Regina J216 N190.
Winter Pol Hereford stud's co-principal, Steve Sloss, said U275 will fit in well to their stud program for his outcross genetics, his low birth weight, top growth and amazing carcase attributes of +7.7 EMA and +1.9 IMF.
He said the stud wants to increase the IMF in the herd, so he was pleased with the top 10 pc IMF EBV of +1.9.
Other top sales included U228 for $11,000 to commercial producers, Tomlinson Agriculture Moree.
U228 was valued for his very high calving ease and low birth weight combined with high growth and milk.
Amazing muscle of +8.0 and top yield of +2.4 completed his value to this commercial enterprise.
Tomlinson Ag. also took home V042, whose performance mirrored that of U228.
U311 was snapped up at $10,000 by local buyer Robrick Lodge for the advantages of his EBV profile, which was very similar to the other high-priced bulls.
V2 was selected by long-term commercial client, Manna Station, Forbes, at $10,000. V2 carried the excellent and rare genetics shared by the other top-priced lots.
Stuart French said he values so highly the soundness, performance and excellent temperament of the Elite bulls he has selected over the years.
The Helmsman sale was conducted by Hunter Stock and Land and interfaced with AuctionsPlus.
