Polled Simbrah herd bull matches a registered Angus on price at Ag-Grow

A polled Simbrah herd bull from Queensland matched a registered Angus bull from NSW on price at $32,000 at this year's Ag-Grow Elite Bull Sale.

The 17-month-old medium red Simbrah, Gowrie Weston, was eighth last in the offering of 158 bulls while the 21 month-old Angus, DSK Ted Vesper was among the first of the Angus bulls to hit the ring midway through the sale.

Gowrie Weston was sold by Rhett and Alison Mobbs, Gowrie Simbrahs, Bell, and was purchased by the Clews Cattle Company, Alpha.

DSK Ted Vesper was sold by Helen Alexander and Chris Knox, DSK Angus, Coonabarabran, NSW, and was purchased online by LL and SD Bode, McKinlay.

Overall, while this year's sale did not set a record for the top price, it did better overall than last year, selling 137 bulls under the hammer of 158 offered for a clearance rate of 87 per cent, a gross of $1,774,000 and an average of $12,949.

In 2025, the top price for a Simmental bull was $46,000, 136 bulls of 182 selling for a clearance rate of 75pc, a gross of $1,504,000 and average of $11,058.

Mr Mobbs said the sale went well with all 10 of his Simbrah bulls selling for an average of $17,900.

The equal-top priced bull, Gowrie Weston, weighed in at 710kg, had a P8 and rib fat of 10mm and 6mm respectively, an eye muscle area of 120 square centimetres, a scrotal circumference of 35.5 centimetres, intramuscular fat of 5.2pc and a semen motility of 70pc.

Mr Mobbs said Gowrie Weston had 40 plus years of Gowrie genetics in him.

He said Len Bode had now bought their top bull at the Ag-Grow sale for three years in a row.

"And he buys the solid coloured bulls, not the red or the cream bulls ... so we must be doing something good for him (with our bulls)," he said.

Mr Mobbs and his father, Noel, started the Simbrah stud in 1984 at Gowrie Station, Charleville.

In 2019, Mr Mobbs with his wife Alison, set about reviving the stud at Bell after a hiatus.

Mr Mobbs said getting the equal top price told him he was on the right track with the genetics of his bulls.

"The people in the stands and on AuctionsPlus are the ones dictating how relevant your cattle are," he said.

When asked what he was aiming for, Mr Mobbs said fertility, weight for age, bone, temperament, structure, softness, a good skin type and polled.

He said they sold about 20 bulls a year as they were only small at this stage, but they were growing.

"The whole draft (at Ag-Grow) - there was two bulls at 17 months, one 16-month, and the rest were 18 months," he said.

"And their intramuscular fat was up there with good Angus cattle, 5.6pc for intramuscular for a Euro bull is pretty good.

"Simbrahs or Simmentals - they're very relevant, they've got a lot to offer," he said.

Mr Knox said he sold two Angus and two Charolais at this year's sale for an average of $22,750.

Weighing in at 934kg, the equal top-price bull, DSK Ted Vesper V58, had a P8 and rib fat of 19mm and 10mm respectively, an eye muscle area of 135 sq cm, a scrotal circumference of 43 cm, intramuscular fat of 7.9pc and a semen motility of 65pc.

Mr Knox said selling all four bulls and equalling the top price was worth the 13-hour drive up from NSW.

He said he used to come to the sale in the 1990s, but had a spell and had only been back at the Ag-Grow sale for the past three years, adding this year was their best since returning.

"We've based a lot of our (Angus) herd on Canadian genetics, we always look for cattle with the extra stretch and frame while maintaining the meat ... there's plenty of carcase in them and a quality carcase," he said.

Having bred Angus since 1988, Mr Knox said the top price bull was a big frame, stretchy bull and plenty of growth for age.

"And plenty of scope to breed long and productive cattle with good weight gains, which is what people are looking for," he said.

Mr Knox said he would be back next year with a few more bulls, mainly Charolais.

"We breed for Queensland-type Charolais, with plenty of length and stretch, and plenty of carcase and softness in the genetics," he said.

The couple sell about 80 to 90 bulls a year, mostly Angus.

Elders Qld/NT stud stock's Anthony Ball said this year's sale was exceptionally good and up on last year.

"I'd imagine there will be a lift in all breeds, especially the Euro cattle ... the Charolais and the Simmentals," he said.

"Herefords will have a lift, probably an extra $1500 on the Herefords ... I think the Angus breed would've had a lift of about 1500 bucks to two grand as well.

"Clearance wise, we're gonna be on par with last year, but we'll have a bigger gross and a bigger average across the board."

Mr Ball said the Ag-Grow sale was always a good pacesetter for the start of the year for bull sales.

He believed not one bull sold at Ag-Grow this year went to a stud with most of the money paid by commercial cattlemen, which showed the strength in the cattle market.

"Probably the one thing that stood out for me (at this sale) was there was no real bulk buys, the bulk buy might have only been about six bulls," he said.

"What it said was that the commercial cattleman seems to have a higher budget for less bulls, but a better article.

"And probably just watching the play of the ring, there seemed to be, I'm gonna take a guess and say 82pc of the buyers were not just operating on one breed, but maybe two breeds or three breeds."

Vendor averages (for individual prefixes that sold at least two animals under the hammer)

Rock View Lodge Charolais 1/2 $6000

Alpine Charolais 4/6 $7750

Calmview Charolais 4/4 $10,250

4 Ways Charolais 2/2 $18,000

Dynamite Charolais 2/2 $19,500

Moongool Charolais 3/3 $25,666

BP & MJ Scheiwe 4/4 $7250

GJ & JM Lollback 3/4 $10,000

TCW Livestock 4/4 $9250

HD Alexander & CR Knox 4/4 $22,750

PL & JS Donnelly 3/3 $18,333

Gunnadoo Charolais 2/2 $23,000

Warner & Co 4/4 $19,000

SG & AE Platzer 2/2 $8500

Cheyenne Charolais 4/4 $9250

Mountview Cattle Co 2/2 $9000

JB Simmentals 2/2 $6500

KBV Simmentals 13/13 $17,461

Woonallee Simmentals 2/2 $10,666

Cannon Dee Simmentals 2/6 $6000

Yerwal Estate 3/3 $9333

Double K Simmentals 3/4 $12,000

Elite Cattle Co 6/6 $18,833

Ellendale Simmentals 1/2 $6000

A&K Family Trust 3/3 $17,333

AJM Shorthorns 2/4 $8000

Diamond Angus 2/2 $28,000

SB Hayward and KL Smith 6/7 $11,000

Acacia Angus 3/4 $7333

Goondi Angus 7/9 $9142

Kilcoy Valinor 5/5 $15,200

Ross Pastoral 2/2 $10,000

Jackpot Angus 2/2 $14,000

4 Ways Charolais (Charolais cross Angus) 6/8 $7000

3HG Simbrahs 2/3 $10,000

Gowrie Simbrahs 10/10 $17,900

Truro Whiteface 3/4 $7333

• Selling agents: Elders interfaced with AuctionsPlus