Quarterway achieves near-total clearance of spring bulls amid dry winter

Quarterway Angus stud, Waterhouse, Tas, achieved a near-total clearance of bulls at its annual spring bull sale on Thursday, with 41 out of 43 bulls sold.

The sale recorded an average price of $8121, with the highest-priced Angus bull from the stud going to Tiree Trust, Flinders Island, Tas, for $14,000, which was slightly lower than the top price at the stud's last sale in March.

Several bulls will be going to large operations in Flinders Island, with Tiree Trust purchasing a total of five bulls, and Markarna Grazing and Koreen Pastoral purchasing four bulls each.

Multiple bulls also sold for the second-highest price of $11,000.

Quarterway stud co-principal Trevor Hall said there were buyers from across the state, with the most prominent being from Flinders Island and King Island, Tas.

Mr Hall said it had been a "good sale" despite drier-than-usual seasonal conditions.

"The season has been on a bit of a knife-edge down this way," he said.

"But I think the prices were pretty good.

"We ended up selling all of the cattle after the sale ended.

"It's the end of winter for us here, and we're not actually into spring yet."

The top bull, Lot 3, Quarter-Way United U200, was sired by Texas Reality P224 and out of Quarter-Way Payton P175, and recorded estimated breeding values of +3.9 kilograms birth weight, +43kg 200-day weight, +80kg 400-day weight, +106kg 600-day weight, +1.5 square centimetre eye muscle area and +1.4 per cent intramuscular fat.

Mr Hall said the top bull was a "good bull" and praised his shorter gestation period and "good depth".

Nutrien Tasmania livestock manager Cooper Lamprey said the clearance rate and prices made the sale a success.

"It was a good sale considering the tough season the bulls had been through," he said.

"But they've come through looking well, and have started to really put on weight.

"For the buyers, there was good value for money, but also a good, solid result for the vendors."