Newcomen Herefords surge as prominent stud's closure attracts volume buyers
A veteran stud principal has captialised on the closure of one of the country's most well-known Hereford studs by securing a new volume buyer and a field of purchasers from outside eastern Victoria.
Newcomen Hereford stud principal Barry Newcomen, Ensay, sold 38 of 42 Hereford bulls at his 23rd annual on-property sale, recording an impressive 90 per cent clearance rate.
The stud recorded an average price of $5808, a $2705 jump on last year, while the top price was $15,500, $5000 higher than last year.
"It's a very good result with a lot of representative from a fairly wide area," Mr Newcomen said.
"We have some bulls going to Deniliquin, NSW, the north-east of Victoria, South and West Gippsland, South Australia, and of course a lot of bulls that will remain in the local district."
Among the volume buyers was Gavin Day, Emu Park, Deniliquin, NSW, who bought three bulls, including Lot 4 for $9000, Lot 7 for $13,000 and Lot 13 for $11,000.
"This is the first time we've bought bulls from Barry Newcomen and we've done so as a result of the closure of Yarram Park in the western district," Mr Day said.
"Barry has a good line-up of Yarram Park-sired bulls and that's really what led us to buying the bulls."
The three bulls he purchased were sired by Yarram Park and Valma bulls and out of Newcomen and Centennial cows.
The top-priced bull was knocked down to David Jeffreys, Driffield, who paid $15,500 for Lot 15 and $8000 for Lot 14.
The sale topper, Lot 15, Newcomen Victoria, was sired by Yavenvale Ripper R510 via artificial insemination and out of Newcomen Fancy S013.
The April 2024-drop bull recorded estimated breeding values of +5.1 kilograms birth weight, +5.0 scrotal circumference, +17 milk, +5.8 square centimetres eye muscle area and +0.9 rib.
The bull was in the top 1pc of the Hereford breed for scrotal circumference, and top 20pc for 400-day weight at +72kg.
Mr Jeffreys, who keeps a private profile, said the bulls would be joined to his commercial herd of breeders in the Latrobe Valley.
"We've been buying bulls at Newcomen for 20 years and they are some of the best bulls we have ever bought," he said.
"We run a Hereford herd and we run blacks over our first-calving heifers."
Another major prominent interstate buyer was Peter and Karen Altschwager, Tantanoola, SA, who operated on AuctionsPlus.
"We've bought bulls from Newcomen well before Yarram Park closed, but it was one of the reasons we opted to return an buy a few lots," Mr Altschwager said.
"We run a herd of horned Herefords and buying horned bulls with positive fat is nearly impossible to do in Australia now, and that was the real drawcard of coming to Barry's this year."
The Altschwagers bought two bulls online, including Lot 24, Newcomen Vienna, for $8000, and Lot 30, Newcomen Vermont, for $6000.
Mr Newcomen said the sale was underpinned by return buyers.
"Those buyers are very important because it shows they are satisfied with what they've bought before," he said.
"I think the cattle are getting better every year and I don't know how long I will go for, but we will be here next year and have a lot of good bulls in the wings."
A majority of the bulls sold at the sale remained in the high country, knocked down to graziers like Bernard and Brenda Flannagan, Omeo, who bought Lot 38, Newcomen Valdez, for $10,000.
Rhonda Treasure, Castleburn, returned and purchased two lots, including Lot 2, Newcomen Valleyfield, for $11,500, and Lot 16, Newcomen Velvet, for $6500.
One of the few bulls to leave the region was Lot 23, Newcomen Vladivostok, knocked down to first-time clients Malcolm and Di Towt, Yarra Glen.
Peter and Robyn Sandy, Tongio, bought the second top-priced bull of the sale, Lot 36, Newcomen Velocity, for $14,000, while WG & PM Connley, Benambra, and Turner Partnership, Bindi, bought single lots.
Omeo graziers Tania Crisp, Greg and Lisa Lee, brother and sister PJ and Cathy McCoy, Peter and Christine Faithfull, and AL Fitzgerald bought one bull each.
Peter and Sue Soutter, Benambra, E Gates, Bindi, Tony and Joanne Prendergast, Swifts Creek, and WJ Armit & Partners, Swifts Creek, were active and purchased a bull each during the auction.
