Buyers all in for sons of new US sire at sensational Bayview bull sale

A decision by Bayview Shorthorn stud to secure the Australian semen rights to United States sire Gilman's All in 6K paid off with the first sons turning plenty of heads..

Buyers lined up for these outcross genetics at the Thompson family's annual sale at their Naracoorte complex, with seven sons averaging.an outstanding $17,857.

The first of them through the ring- lot 7, Bayview Governor V124, was the $26,000 sale topper.

The 20 month old had tremendous curve bending data with a birth weight EPD of -0.4 -(top 10pc of the breed) but then high growth, marbling. fat and milk .

This culminated in an API index of 160.2- ranking in the top 1pc.

The 772kg, rich red bull had one of the highest EMA scans in the catalogue at 132 square centimetres

Elders Kingston SE's Nick Downward - who was at the sale on behalf of his clients the Lyon family, Blackmoor Pastoral, Blackford - said they were chasing the new bloodlines..

"He is a heap of bull for such a low birth weight with lots of growth and softness," he said.

Blackmoor Pastoral has been buying top end bulls for many years from Bayiew, paying to $18,000 in 2025.

The second highest priced bull was another All in 6K son, lot 9, Bayview Ideal V88 which sold for $22,000 to Delro-Alaman, Woolumbool.

The 21 month old also had an API index ranking in the top 1pc of the Shorthorn breed.

Stud principal Chris Thompson said All in 6K which sold for $110,000 was the stand out bull he and fellow breeder Sam Martin, Southcote stud, NSW, saw when they visited the US for an International Genetic Solutions conference in 2023.

"We looked for a bull that had qualities that a lot of those American genetics have got but also had the walking ability that we need for our clients," he said.

"He has done a tremendous job on the progeny we have seen so far and couldn't be happier.

"They are very good skin types and good commercially orientated cattle that I think people will be really happy with their progeny."

Buyers were spoilt for new genetics with the first sons of Ronelle Park Sparrow- the $40,000 sale topper from the 2023 Naracoorte Shorthorn bull sale- also selling well.

In an big improvement on last year the Thompson family sold all 42 of its bulls for a $12,381 average.

This average was up more than $1800 on last year when only 29 of 41 bulls sold.

A big factor in the total clearance was the recent rains in central Australia and northern SA, with four stations securing 21 bulls.

Huckitta Station, located 300kms north east of Alice Springs led the charge with eight bulls for a $10,750 average, paying to $16,000.

The Aboriginal-owned pastoral lease bought two bulls from Bayview at Alice Springs Show Sale last year, including the champion any other breed bull. They were back with a bigger order.

Huckitta Station's Alan Brown said they had received between 460mm and 580mm of rainfall in the past two weeks which is the biggest rains he has seen in his eight years.

Huckitta is predominately a Santa Gertrudis herd but selected red coated Shorthorns to be able to put together lines of steers to sell at Roma and Blackall in Qld.

"We try and keep back 12 to 18 decks for the (Alice Springs) show sale too," he said.

Long time Shorthorn supporters, Colin and Jill Greenfield, Billa Kalina Station via Woomera, also paid well above the sale average for their five picks. Their highest priced buy was lot 10 at $19,000.

The Oldfield family, Cowarie Pastoral Co, via the Birdsville Track, also bought five bulls for a $7600 average, with Nutrien Jamestown's Tom Allen and Grace Teate doing the bidding.

Mr Thompson said the family were "ecstatic" with the result and selling bulls to five states.

"It is really good when you put your faith in new genetics and then you have days like today, we have had a lot of support for our cattle," he said.

He said they had benefited from northern rains and it was pleasing to see such strong demand for Shorthorn cattle in pastoral areas, as well as the higher rainfall zone..

"They are obviously doing well out of our genetics and as long as we keep looking for our new sire lines hopefully they will keep following us and we will keep producing cattle of the calibre we are now," he said.

Mr Thompson said they were particularly proud how they prepared the bulls without over feeding them and for five years have had a 100 per cent pass rate in semen testing.

Nutrien SA stud stock manager and auctioneer Gordon Wood said it was a "tremendous sale".

"The sale started with a bang and kept going. It didn't reach any extraordinary heights today but it was a really solid sale with a lot of pastoral interest and southern inside country," he said.

"We saw it with the Poll Herefords too, the benefit of the northern rain, these stations have cows and with the rain they all need bulls."

Elders and Nutrien were joint selling agents.