'Meaty' bull sells for top price to repeat ACT client at The Glen Angus sale

A "thick and meaty" bull sold to a repeat ACT client at The Glen Angus' annual spring bull sale on Friday.

The Glen stud co-principals Mike and Joy Gadd, Walwa, offered up their traditional line-up of commercially-reared pedigree bulls for the stud's 55th sale.

Elders livestock agent Oliver Mason, Albury, NSW, said while selling conditions were tough due to the challenging season in the Upper Murray, the sale still delivered a "decent" average.

"Probably more than anything, it reflected the season," he said.

The stud sold 40 from the 63 Angus bulls offered for an average of $7113 and to a top of $11,500.

Another four of four Murray Grey bulls were sold for an average of $6000 and top of $6000.

Three of these were picked up by a repeat client from Western Australia.

Mr Mason said the sale was definitely impacted by the reduction in breeder numbers in the Upper Murray south-east Riverina over recent months.

He said there were less spring-calving herds looking for a new bull.

He said the sale saw mainly local support, with some bulls heading over the NSW border.

"There were enough of the locals there to do it," he said.

However, he said the bull sale didn't have some of its "usual suspects" present to buy.

The top-priced bull, Lot 19, The Glen Versatile V20, was sold to a repeat ACT client, Michael Blake, Mulleun Pty Ltd.

Mr Blake finished steers off grass for the grass-fed beef market.

The bull's figures and carcase made him suitable for such a herd.

The sale-topper was sired by Baldridge Versatile and out of The Glen Sugarmelon P96.

The February 2024-drop bull recorded TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation figures of +4.4 square centimetres eye muscle area, birth weight of +2.4 kilograms, 200-day weight of +61kg, 400-day weight of +111kg and a 600-day weight of +140kg.

Mr Mason said the bull was a "thick and meaty" sire with a good set of data.

"He was very big on carcase weight," he said.

He said the top bull was "well above average" for its carcase trait data.

He said this was reflective of the type of bull typically produced by The Glen operation.

Volume buyers at the sale were K&M Beirs & Sons, Welaregang, Tooma, NSW, and Phoines Pastoral Co, Casterton, who each purchased four bulls.

Mr Mason said the stud turned out "big, heavy carcase trait cattle" which suited their clients' systems.

He said the bulls were not pushed and were instead in their working clothes.

"They present them ready to go and ready to work," he said.

Mr Gadd said the stud only sold to commercial producers for this reason and insisted his stock were bred for the beef job, rather than the show ring.

"They're all commercial cattle," he said.

"Most of our clients are family farms."

He said more of the bulls had been sold after the sale.

Overall, and despite the tough season, he was happy with the result.

"We expected it to be tough but it was even a bit tougher," Mr Gadd said.

"There has been a mass exodus of breeding females exit the Upper Murray and south-east Riverina, resulting in less demand for bulls, and our clients have spent large amounts of money to purchase fodder, restricting the purchasing power for any bulls they may have required.

"We have already sold half a dozen of the passed in bulls since the sale and expect to sell more, particularly if it the forecast rains eventuate.

"We had a result like this in 2006 and that was also due to a run of tough seasons."