Towers breeders on diversifying mission top Carabar's Blackall Angus sale

It might have been their first foray into buying Angus genetics, but the buyers of the top-priced bull at the Carabar stud's Blackall sale picked a potential sire that had caught the eye of long-term Angus buyers.

The Healing family, who operate Warrawee Pastoral 50km south east of Charters Towers, paid $12,000 for Carabar Gunsmoke U488, in order to begin diversifying their straight Brahman operation.

The 22-month-old bull sired by QHEG53 Carabar Gun Smoke G53, who carries Te Mania bloodlines, weighed 752kg, had an eye muscle area of 115 square centimetres, P8 and rib fat measurements of 12 and 9 millimetres respectively, intramuscular fat of 7.7 per cent, a scrotal circumference of 37cm, and semen morphology of 86pc.

His $12,000 price tag equalled the 2024 sale's top price, and helped this year's sale to a solid $7545 average at the fall of hammer.

That compares favourably to last year's $5488 average, as did the 87pc clearance rate of 33 bulls sold from 38 offered this time.

Last year, 66pc of the 66 bulls offered were sold, and Mr Hegarty said he was very happy with both the average price and clearance rate at this year's sale.

"We cut back on the number of bulls we brought up," the Meandarra-based stud principal said. "We know people are looking for frame up here, and four of the five bulls with Brangus genetics were sold."

The Charters Towers-based Healing family, overseen by John and Kayleen but led in the buying research and decision-making by daughter Kellie and husband Troy Pollard, and son Will Healing, wanted straight Angus bulls for their new venture.

Ms Healing said they'd run a straight Brahman herd for the export market for 50 years but were planning to diversify their operation by putting Gunsmoke and a second purchase, Carabar Ukraine U201, with 100 of their cows on some of their better Goldfields country.

"Kellie and Will wanted the Angus genetics for their weight gain, for the feedlot market," Ms Healing said. "Will's a helicopter pilot and has seen a lot of breeds and that's what he thought would suit the best."

She said they'd thoroughly interrogated the EBVs on offer, especially for ease of calving and weight gain statistics, but had liked the look of Gunsmoke before they did that.

"The fact that everyone else did too reassured us," she said.

They outlaid an average $10,000 for their two bulls.

The second-top priced bull, Carabar U370, 23 months, went to Blackall's Taylor Dennis Partnership for $11,000.

The 732kg bull had an EMA of 108sq cm, P8 and rib fat measurements of 12 and 7mm, IMF of 7.5pc, a scrotal circumference of 38cm, and morphology of 83pc.

The dozen bidders operating at the third annual sale, in person and online, ranged from repeat buyers at St George to Tambo, Charleville, Longreach and Clermont areas.

Casscord Pastoral, Ban Ban, Longreach, bought five bulls for an average $8400, and Sandover Pastoral Co, South Terrick, Blackall, finished the sale with six bulls, paying an average of $7333.

First-time buyers, Stew and Emma Taylor, Norwood, Blackall, came to buy two bulls and left with eight.

They cost an average $6375, and Mr Taylor said that being in Blackall made the bulls even more attractive for him.

The couple buy both Angus and Santa Gertridis bulls, and will be putting their latest Angus purchases over both heifers and crossbred cows.

"We supply every month to Woolworths so that's why we're looking for Angus bulls," he said.

• Selling agents - GDL, Elders, interfaced with AuctionsPlus