Two sires share the top-priced honours in eighth annual southern sale
After a challenging sale in 2025, the Johnson families experienced a much-improved result this year at its eighth annual Bannitup and Naranda Angus bull sale at Esperance last week.
On the back of a better season in the area and producers looking to join more females compared to last year, there was great demand from buyers.
The bulls in the catalogue featured both new and old bloodlines to the stud, giving buyers plenty of choice if they were looking for a new sire, while the Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) of the two teams were noteworthy and worth inspection.
Increased competition meant by the end of the sale all the important figures - number of bulls sold, gross and average - were up compared to last year.
Under the hammer of the Nutrien Livestock selling team, the two studs cleared 24 of the 41 bulls offered to a top of $10,000 twice and average of $6833.
Last year the studs offered 55 bulls and sold 17 under the hammer to a top of $8000 and average of $5471.
This meant combined, the studs sold an additional seven bulls this year, while the gross was up $71,000 and the average lifted $1362.
Chatley Livestock, Nutrien Livestock Esperance agent, Darren Chatley, said it was pleasing to see the Johnson family have a strong sale compared to last year.
"The bulls presented in good condition for the sale after a more favourable season in the area," Mr Chatley said.
"After a disappointing sale result last year, the clearance and prices were certainly better this year, so everyone is much happier with the result.
"There was a larger crowd in attendance compared to last year and buyers were prepared to pay good values for quality bulls this year.
"We are experiencing a much better season in the region compared to the past couple and as a result there was a greater demand for bulls as producers are increasing their joining numbers slightly this year with the better season."
Bannitup
The Bannitup stud owned by Andrew and Khumo Johnson, had the largest percentage of bulls in the sale, going under the hammer first.
When the last Bannitup bull left the ring, 15 of the 25 bulls offered had sold to a top price of $10,000 twice and an average of $7033, which was up $1604 on last year.
Last year the stud offered 38 bulls and sold seven to a top of $8000 and an average of $5429.
The first bull in the Bannitup line-up to hit the sale's $10,000 top price was Bannitup Goalkeeper V86 in lot three.
After some spirited bidding on the upstanding, late April 2024-drop bull, it was finally knocked down to Ryan Willing, Esperance.
Goalkeeper V86, is by Baldridge Goalkeeper and it ranks in the top five per cent of the breed for scrotal size (SS) and docility (DOC), as well top 10pc for 400-day weight and top 20pc for ease of calving daughters (DTRS), gestation length (GL), 200 and 600-day weight and mature cow height (MCH).
It also has index values of +$234 for $A index (top 21pc) and +$402 for $A-L index top 15pc.
The second bull in the Bannitup team to make $10,000 was Bannitup S143 V7 in lot six, when it was knocked down to CS & LD Lowe, Esperance.
The late March 2024-drop bull is by Rennylea S143 and is in the top 5pc for GL, 400-day weight, eye muscle area (EMA) and retail beef yield (RBY), while it is in the top 10pc for 600-day weight, DOC, carcase weight (CWT) and foot angle.
In terms of its indexes it ranks in the top 3pc for the Angus Breeding Low Feed Cost ($A-L) with a figure of +$444 and top 7pc for the Angus Breeding ($A) with +$256.
Esperance-based Propasco Investments Pty Ltd, was also a strong supporter of the Bannitup offering purchasing three bulls to the sale's $9500 second top price and an average of $7000.
At $9500, Prospasco Investments purchased a Baldridge Goalkeeper son, Bannitup Goalkeeper V132.
Goalkeeper V132 ranks in the top 5pc for milk and CWT as well as top 10pc for 600-day weight and top 15pc for 200 and 400-day weight.
Others to purchase at the top end in the Bannitup catalogue were return buyers Wes Graham, WJ & FJ Graham, Esperance and I & C McCallum, Esperance.
Mr Graham purchased two bulls at an average of $7500 and to a top of $9000 paid for a Baldridge Goalkeeper son, in the top 5pc for EMA and the $A index, as well as top 10pc for 400-day weight and the $A-L index.
The McCallums purchased one sire from the line-up at $9000 which was by Baldridge Goalkeeper and in the top 5pc for DOC and both the $A and $A-L indexes.
Along with Prospaco Investments and Mr Graham, there were two other buyers to secure multiple bulls from Bannitup and they were BM & CD Scheer, Esperance, purchased two bulls at $8000 and $6000 and regular buyers Sanderson Bros, Grass Patch, went home with two sires also at $6000 and $5000.
Naranda
This year Naranda stud principals David and Dale Johnson offered 16 bulls and sold nine under the hammer to a high of $8500 twice and an average of $6500, which was up $1000 on last year.
In comparison, last year the stud offered 17 bulls and sold 10 to a high of $7000 twice and an average of $5500.
Leading the way in the Naranda offering and selling for the stud's $8500 top price was Naranda V54 in lot 11 when it was knocked down to I & C McCallum.
The AI-bred V54 is by Rennylea R1169 and ranks in top 5pc for milk, CWT, EMA as well as the $A and $A-L indexes, while it is in the top 10pc for 600-day weight and RBY.
The next highest price in the Naranda offering was $7000 and it was achieved twice.
The first to pay it was BM & CD Scheer, which bid to $7000 for Naranda V28, which is by Rennylea S143 and is in the top 5pc for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, mature cow weight, CWT, net feed efficiency and leg angle.
The Scheers also purchased a second bull from the Naranda team at $6000.
The other buyer to go to $7000 in the Naranda team was CS & LD Lowe.
At $7000 the Lowes purchased an AI-bred, Rennylea R1169 son, Naranda V50, which is in the top 5pc for 400 and 600-day weights, CWT and EMA, as well as the $A and $A-L indexes.
Another buyer to support the Naranda offering buying two bulls both at $6000 was return buyer SA & BE Eime, Esperance.
