More punch: heifer bidding tops at $160,000 during elite Wagyu sale

A high-calibre heifer with propensity to marble caught the eye of newcomers to the Wagyu industry on Thursday, April 16, during the evening Elite Wagyu Sale in Brisbane.

A highlight of this week's annual Australian Wagyu Association conference, the bidding war underlined the strength of the top-end market when it came to unsurpassed genetics.

Muren Herrid and Jason Wen from the Gold Coast, Qld, laboratory Genomic Selection Pty Ltd topped the bids during a long volley of competing attempts to secure a Woodland Wagyu heifer for $160,000.

The sale offered 31 lots, including bulls, heifers, semen and embryos with eight heifers reaching reserve price and more to average $50,312, topping at $160,000.

The four bulls averaged $46,250 to top at $120,000. Semen lots averaged $997 a straw to reach $2100 while embryos averaged $1350 to make a top price of $2500.

The Genomic Selection team, buying through Andrew Malloy's MCC Rural Agencies, have bought property near Tenterfield and will begin to stock the country with progeny from their winning purchases.

Their new Woodland heifer, WDLF25W024, by Irongate Michifuku F126 Jnr M352 from Woodland Wagyu T003 by World K's Shigeshigetani 1593 presented with top 1 per cent breeding values for eye muscle area at +16.4, and marble score at +4.2 with top 5pc for marble fineness at +1.21.

Breeder Mick Bavea, with country at Ben Lomand, started in Wagyu cattle during the 2018-19 drought and sought the advice of legendary Angus and Wagyu breeder Loch Rogers, Door Key Wagyu, Guyra, who supplied seedstock and acted as a mentor.

"He is evolving for growth and we are trying to produce rounded animals that suit the fullblood and purebred market," Mr Bavea said.

"We are looking for Wagyu with a bit more punch. We know the first cross breeders are asking for that, with 90pc of a Wagyu carcase value in the 10pc of loin cuts.

"We are seeking to build on marble fineness, eye muscle area and heavier carcase weights. That's why this heifer went so well."

The team from Genomic Selection also bought the top-priced semen straws, a package of 10 for $2100 each, from Woodland Wagyu sire WDLF24V099 by Door Key S0089 from a Woodland granddaughter of Sumo Cattle Co Shikikan N211. They will use these in their embryo program.

Underbidder on the top selling lot was former Deniliquin dairy farmer Keith Hay, with new country at Stanthorpe, Qld, supporting an ambitious propagation of elite Wagyu genetics.

Mr Hay bought the 3D Genetics fullblood bull 3DWF25W0030 for $120,000 and was willing to pay more.

He plans to produce semen and embryos for the Wagyu breeder market.

The recessive-free high-indexing sire by Irongate Sunitoshige S332 from a 3D granddaughter of Capital Country Apex II presented with top 1pc breeding values for EMA at +14, MS 4, MF 1.45 and a scrotal circumference of +2.2.

His carcase weight figure of +66 was in the top 5pc, along with 200, 400 and 600-day growth.

This super sire's breeder-feeder index, fullblood terminal index and F1 terminal index figures were all in the top 1pc of the breed.

"I think he is the best bull in the world and he went cheap," said Mr Hay, who now lives in Victoria, owns 7200 hectares near Stanthorpe, managed by his son Alex, and agists country at Wodonga.

"I had more than that in my pocket."

As a former dairy farmer familiar with genomic selection, Mr Hay was highly complimentary about this sire's top 10pc 200 day maternal figure, formerly the milk EBV, which sat well with his marbling index and carcase weight predictions.

"As a dairy farmer and Friesian stud producer I know that milk in a calf equals free kilos of carcase weight," he said.

"The combination is unique. I believe he is the best bull ever offered."

Mr Hay began in Wagyu after the 2019 drought and even after COVID-19, only had five cows on the ground.

He now runs 288 Wagyu cows with 34 of those in the top 1pc class, the second highest stud for one percenters.

Employing an ambitious IVF embryo program he will have 1000 donors impregnated this year and plans to double that next year.

"I believe in genomics," he said. "And I prefer to take a punt on unique, unproven bulls.

"If you invest in a proven bull you are five years behind."

Mr Hay also paid $50,000 for a 3D Genetics fullblood heifer, 3DWF25W0206 with top 1pc MF and top 5pc MS and 200DM.

Breeder Joe Grose, 3D Genetics at Bukkulla via Inverell, said his focus was on selection for economically important traits with a keen eye on genetic diversity.

"The 3D program is not simply purchasing popular sires," Mr Grose said.

Top priced embryos selling for $2500 offered by Spur Wagyu, Taroom, Qld, from the Vytelle laboratory at Seventeen Mile Rocks, Qld, featured 3D genetics on the dam side by the $160,000 Carnana Station sire Goldfinger S7013, selling online to Chinchilla, Qld.

The sale was hosted by Ray White Dalby, with Lincoln McKinlay taking the bids while StockLive handled the online traffic.