Interstate buyers dominate sales at Hazeldean Angus for 160th anniversary
Over a century of seedstock and breeding was marked at the Hazeldean Angus 2025 spring bull sale at Cooma, on Friday, September 5.
Marking 160 years of servicing buyers near and far, the sale drew a packed gallery and recorded a full clearance of 147 bulls to average $12,870, as buyers selected on balance, birthweight and explosive growth.
The top-priced bull, Hazeldean U559, sold for $34,000 to Cooneys Creek Beef, Jugiong, by Landfall New Ground TFAN90 and from Burdenda Japara Q636.
The 952-kilogram bull ranked in the top one per cent for gestational length with an estimated breeding value (EBV) of -10.5, and in the top 5pc for calving ease at +8.3. He was described by the vendor as a bull for stud breeders to consider.
Stud manager Bea Litchfield said the family nearly kept the bull for themselves after he was used in the spring 2024 joining.
"He is very much the whole package; he's a beautiful type with a really good set of figures," she said.
"This is probably the best lineup of bulls we've had in terms of the balance, both phenotypically and genetically, we're really pleased with how they presented today."
There was strong interstate support throughout the catalogue.
Boonoonar Partnership, Avenue Range, SA, purchased 10 bulls to average $11,000, while Treevalley Holdings, Marong, Vic, purchased Hazeldean U314 and Hazeldean U230 for $18,000 and $10,000, respectively.
Andrew and Katie Crowther, Arcadia Valley, were buying on behalf of their family at Earle Grazing, Mackunda Downs, Winton, Qld, after a last-minute request to stock up on heifer bulls landed in the nick of time.
Earle Grazing secured 13 bulls for an average of $9076, along with one bull for their own operation, AK Grazing, in Hazeldean U1479 for $18,000. At 908kg and from Hazeldean Q1229 and Hazeldean K794, the bull ranked in the top 5pc for eye muscle area (EMA) at +12.6 and carcase weight at +92.
"We buy from the [Hazeldean] northern sale, but we decided to join a lot more heifers ... we've been buying from them for years," Mr Crowther said.
"We're looking for a little bit of scale that will travel for western Queensland, low birthweight and good constitution so it'll hold up there. Birthweight is the main thing, not a particular size."
Mr Crowther said the goal across the board was to reap the rewards next season.
"They'll go into a cross-breeding program to increase the fertility," Mr Crowther said.
"The goal is to just get lots of little calves on the ground."
South across the border, Stuart Stagg, Glen-Shira, Tambor Creek, Vic, bought three bulls averaging $19,333.
"We're looking for the frame, we need bulls that will get around and do" he said.
"It's tough and cold here in Cooma, if they can do alright here, they won't break down in our country.
"[The bulls] will be straight out in the paddocks with the cows."
Strong local support also drew buyers from Braidwood, Cooma, Bombala, and Jindabyne.
JC and CA Braddock, Braidwood, purchased Hazeldean U371, by Landfall New Ground TFAN90 and from Hazeldean 21S1943 for $28,000. The bull ranked in the top 10pc for 400- and 600-day growth at +110 and +114, respectively.
Old Springfield Partnership, Springfield, purchased Hazeldean U1229 for $30,000, along with Hazeldean U2020 for $20,000 and Hazeldean U1456 for $18,000.
Sherwood Pastoral Co, Nimmitabel, also secured three bulls to an average of $13,333.
The sale was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions, Cooma, with auctioneers John Settree and Hamish McGeoch, and interfaced with AuctionsPlus.
