Dunlop Santas snapped up fast; total clearance, top price achieved twice

Commercial producers buoyed by strength in the cattle market and the promise of more to come bidded with fervour to make the 13^th annual Dunlop Santa Gertrudis one of the best.

The top price of $65,000 was hit twice, 93 of the 93 stud bulls sold to an average $18,827 and 21 of the 21 herd bulls offered averaged $17,190.

That delivered a sale total for 114 lots of $2,112,000 and an overall average of $18,562 at the on-property sale at Jingeri, Proston.

Underbidders were approaching Scott and Rebecca Dunlop post-sale to discuss additional offerings, such was the demand.

The sale was a significant lift on last year's result, which saw 120 of the 123 bulls on offer sell to a 98 per cent clearance, average $12,325 and top of $36,000.

The Hatton family's Diamond H Santa Gertrudis stud, Wandoan, and Andrew Bassingthwaighte Yarrawonga Cattle Co, Wallumbilla, purchased the first bull to make the top price of $65,000, Dunlop Zeppelin V340, a homozygous poll with exceptional weight-for-age performance.

SantaHat from Monto, purchased the other $65,000 bull, the 1005 kilogram Dunlop Zillmere V84 - the heaviest bull on offer, with an eye muscle area of 146 square centimetres.

Feeder steer producers Westmoor Pastoral Company, from Roma, were among the most active bidders, taking 23 bulls to an average $16,695 and helping to push the price of many more bulls up.

Represented by three generations, patriarch Jim West, Gordon and Sally West and young James West, Westmoor was primarily chasing fast growth sires.

The bulls will go over a herd of Hereford Santa Gertrudis breeders.

Only two days earlier, the Wests had sent seven decks of 18-month-old feeders to South Australia, average weight 515.56kg.

Jim West said investing in good genetics had combined nicely with two good oats seasons in a row to deliver that result.

So he was happy, and keen, to invest in good genetics again.

"We want more calves on the ground and calves that will grow fast," he said

"We've both increased our numbers of breeders and found ourselves in a year when we have a high number of older bulls to go, so we were in the market for a big number of bulls."

The second top price was $60,000, paid by the Pezet family of Charleville for Dunlop Zavros V88, the third lot offered.

Biloela bullock producer John Howard, Mountain View, paid $50,000 for the 850kg homozygous polled Dunlop Zakar V342.

Mr Howard said he was chasing a good maternal sire and had only picked out the one bull so was prepared to stay the course.

Hundreds turned out for the sale - some arriving by helicopter - with bidders coming from as far afield as Denniliquin and Narrabri in NSW through to Rockhampton, Clermont and Longreach.

Quilpie producer Ben Bodkin took nine bulls, via Stocklive, to an average $10,400 while the Perretts, Rolleston, took five bulls to an average $15,200.

Mr Dunlop said the spirited bidding and end result left him lost for words.

"The beef industry is a great place to be right now," he said.

• Selling agents: Nutrien Ag Solutions, GDL Stud Stock and Sheperdson and Boyd, simulcast on Stocklive.