Vegas proves $30,000 high roller at Goolagong's SE Angus bull sale

Goolagong Angus stud has worked hard to gain a foothold in the South East and this year it all came together selling 24 more bulls than last year.

At the same they also lifted their average by more than $1600.

At their fourth annual sale at Reedy Creek, Heath and Jenna, Brian and Diane Tiller notched up a total clearance of 64 bulls for an impressive $9406 average.

The sale high of $30,000 for lot 3, Goolagong Vegas V248, was also a new Angus stud record for Goolagong.

The Tiller family have been breeding Santa Gertrudis cattle for decades at their Warnertown base and diversified into Angus in 2014.

Prospective buyers swarmed around Vegas V248 prior to the sale so it was no surprise the eye appealing AI-bred son of Landfall Summit 944 found a new home at Sterita Park stud, Lucindale.

Sterita Park principal Nanni DiGiorgio said the 20-month-old's docility was impeccable with a great shape complemented by very good figures.

Vegas V248 ranked in the top three per cent for the claw set and the Angus index on the Trans Tasman Angus Cattle Evaluation, top 6pc for 600 day growth and top 9pc for carcase weight.

"If you have soundness and temperament you are three quarters of the way there (breeding cattle)," Mr DiGiorgio said.

"We have a lot of (Rennylea) 519 in our herd but he was too good to pass up - he is labrador quiet and so very, very sound so we expect he is going to do a very good job for us."

Heath said the bull, which was out of a top female Stoney Point Royal-Line R279, had been a "stand out" since weaning being "perfect footed" with calving ease, low birth weight and positive fat.

Another highly rated bull - lot 4 Goolagong Villain V307 - made the second highest price of $18,000.

The 20-month-old son of Paringa Statesman S115 weighed 802kg and was very structurally sound.

Villain ranked in the top six per cent for claw set and top 9pc for docility, along with top 15pc for 200 day growth.

Saltbush Ag, Lucindale ,was the buyer, putting together nine bulls for their South East properties and station country around Woomera for a $10,222 average.

Twenty-four bulls made $10,000 or more but half the catalogue was still knocked down between $6000 and $8000.

After recent rain across their seven stations, Williams Cattle Company, secured 11 bulls for a $7273 average, helping underpin the sale's success.

Wheal Leisure, Beachport, took home five bulls to a $12,000 high and averaged $10,800.

Heath said they had increased the numbers in their SE sale to give their clients a greater selection and attract a few more buyers.

"It has paid dividends today, it was great to get the support to get a total clearance," he said.

Saltbush Ag was also the lucky recipient of the nine month old heifer which Goolagong donated to be thank their clients for their valued support. It was drawn from the sale's bidders.

Nutrien SA stud stock auctioneer Richard Miller said it was a very pleasing result to see bulls heading from "30 inch rainfall to five inch rainfall" country.

He had high praise for the offering which were some of the youngest to be offered in SA Angus Week sales.

"They are unbelievable considering 2025 was a complete write off," Mr Miller said.

"A lot of these bulls were weaned as bull calves at 200 to 230 kgs at 5-6 months so the way they have come up and presented them is an absolute credit to them, bearing in mind there are another 95 bulls identical to these next Friday (at Warnertown sale).

"They are the right type of cattle, they are a higher growth bull with good skins and plenty of bone and growth and performance."

Nutrien conducted the sale.

After the sale the Tiller family served up their Methane Tamed Beef which is available at Windsor Meats in Adelaide and on the menu at several restaurants including Ondeen at Verdun.

HB Rural has been feeding the cattle in their feedlot a dried asparagopsis feed supplement from CH4 Global which cuts methane emissions by up to 90pc.

Another 95 Angus and 22 Sangus (Santa Gertrudis-Angus) bulls will be offered at Goolagong's Mid North sale at Warnertown on Friday.