Quality genetics draw strong buyer support to winter bull sale at Dardanup
Quality genetics were up for grabs at the Little Meadows Angus winter bull sale last Friday, when the Golding family hosted its second annual winter fixture at its Crooked Brook-based property.
A strong line-up of 27 soft, smooth young bulls were presented, offering a broad range of buyers the chance to secure quality genetics, source bulls ahead of the traditional joining period or replace any bulls that had broken down.
The sale, conducted by the Elders South West team, attracted support both on-property and online through the AuctionsPlus platform, allowing buyers from across the State to participate in the bidding, whether that be from their own homes, or at the property, where they were able to inspect the bulls and watch the sale from the big screen.
Buyers were able to buy quality Little Meadows genetics at value for money, recording 15 of the 27 bulls offered selling to an improved clearance and average of $6533, up $1366 on last year's average.
Sale summary
- (under the hammer results)
- Offered: 27
- Sold: 15
- Top: $8500
- Gross: $98,000
- Average: $6533
In the 2025 inaugural sale, the stud offered and sold the same number of bulls and recorded a $5167 average.
Elders auctioneer and Donnybrook agent, Pearce Watling, said the offering gave buyers plenty of options.
"It was a positive result," Mr Watling said.
"The sale is still new so it's still growing, but I think it was a good result
"As a result, the sale was up on its averages and the number of bulls sold, it was great to see, I think the sale is starting to gain traction."
Mr Watling said it was a quality line-up of bulls.
"Well done to the Golding family, it's a credit to them," he said.
Paying the top price was returning Little Meadows client Kim Snowball, Napier, who travelled to the sale and secured the top-priced bull, Little Meadows Villion V320, for $8500.
The September 2024-drop sire was a soft, well-muscled Little Meadows Redemption R1 and Little Meadows Edwina Q58 son, and the youngest bull in the catalogue.
To match the impressive sire's phenotype were Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) ranking in the top three per cent for net feed intake (NFI-F) (-0.49), top 6pc for rump fat (+3.5) and calving ease daughters (DTRS) (+8.4), top 14pc for birthweight (BWT) (+1.8), top 16pc for direct calving ease (DIR) (+6.8) and rib fat (+3.5), and top 20pc for gestation length (GL) (-6.7) and mature cow height (MCH) (+9.7).
Mr Snowball has been purchasing from the stud for about six to seven years and said the bull was a standout.
"I was looking for a bull with calving ease and good growth," Mr Snowball said.
"He had plenty of growth considering he was the youngest bull in the sale.
"I generally look for bulls with a straight back, good feet and good overall conformation that I can breed good calves that I can hold back to breed from."
Mr Snowball looks for quiet bulls.
"I wanted a quiet sire and he is," he said.
"The bulls I have bought from the stud in the past have been quiet and well-tempered."
Mr Snowball runs a herd of 100 Angus breeders at his Napier property.
"I turn calves off in that 320 to 350 kilogram range through the Mt Barker saleyards to target an optimum number of markets," he said.
"I was pleased to support the stud, well done to the Golding family."
Achieving the $8000 second top price was lot 1 bull, Little Meadows Vernon V2.
The Milwillah Shane S23 son was bought by Mr Watling on behalf of Barreca Family Trust, Donnybrook.
The April 2024-drop bull has EBVs ranking it in the top 9pc for mature body condition (MBC) (+0.46), foot angle (FA) (+0.76), and leg angle (LA) (+0.84), top 10pc for claw set (CS) (+0.60), mature cow weight (MCW) in top 11pc (+134) and top 13pc for MCH (+10.3).
Two bulls sold at $7500, with both being knocked down to Mr Watling on behalf of returning clients Skaton Nominees, Brunswick, and Preston Brae Angus, Donnybrook.
The Brunswick account paid the $7500 sum for lot four bull, an April 2024-drop son of Milwillah Shane S23, Little Meadows Virgo V116.
Skaton Nominees rounded out its purchases with a second bull, this time paying $6000 for Texas Quantum Leap Q029 son, Little Meadows Volunteer V274.
Preston Brae Angus secured the remaining $7500 third top price sire, from lot 28.
Little Meadows Whitton W210 is a May 2025-drop son of Little Meadows Toreador T163.
Purchasing the most bulls was AD & RM Corker, Kirup.
The Kirup producers finished up with three bulls, paying an average of $6167 and a high of $6500 for lot 27 bull, Little Meadows Weipa W208.
The Corker family selected bulls for calving ease and good growth.
Little Meadows stud co-principal, Tony Golding, thanked buyers and onlookers for their support.
"It was great to see some old and new faces at the sale this year," Mr Golding said.
"On behalf of myself and the family we'd like to thank everyone for their support this year.
"It's much appreciated."
