'We couldn't believe it' strong buyer support pushes up Barana bull sale
Buyers looking for soft, well-balanced bulls were spoiled for choice on Friday, July 3, at the 26th annual Barana Angus and Simmental bull sale, held on property at Barana, Coolah.
Stronger than expected buyer support delivered a near-complete clearance, despite widespread concerns about seasonal conditions leading into the auction.
The Cook family sold19 of 20 bulls to a top price of $18,000, to average $9579.
Barana stud principal Peter Cook said the result of the sale exceeded expectations after many regular commercial clients had reduced breeding numbers in anticipation of dry conditions.
"We couldn't believe it," he said.
"A lot of the clients I'd spoken to over the previous three weeks had sold a lot of their cows and weren't looking for bulls, so it wasn't looking that bright but the result was very, very pleasing."
All eight Angus bulls offered sold, hitting a top of $18,000 to average $10,000, while 11 of 12 Simmental bulls topped at $14,000 three times across lots two, five, and six, averaging $9,272.
Guest vendor Wongalea also sold two of its three Simmental bull lots.
Top-priced bull of the sale, Barana Vesper V17, a black Angus bull sired by Pentire Rome R22 and from DSK SE Flower S5, sold for $18,000 to long-time clients Robert and Marilyn Flannery, Clarence Town.
"He was a bull that had a lot of presence," Mr Cook said.
"He was long and deep, always stood nice and square from behind, had a lovely soft skin, a great temperament and a strong sirey head."
The purchase also marked a change for the Flannery family, who have supported the Barana stud for more than 30 years.
"They've traditionally bought Simmental bulls from us, but this year they replaced a red Angus sire with an Angus bull from us."
Long-time clients Wirth Cattle Company, Glen Elgin, also bought two Angus bulls.
Three Simmental bulls shared the breed's top price of $14,000, with the Hewetson family, Mallanganee, buying Barana PTCPV088, and the Stevenson family, Springsure, Qld, purchasing Barana PTCPV063.
Volume buyer Don Allen, Mitchell, Qld, picked up the third of the top-priced Simmental bulls, Barana PTCPV086, along with fellow Simmental lots one and three.
Mr Allen is a return buyer to the stud and purchased the bulls via AuctionsPlus after spotting them on the platform.
"They're early maturing, free-moving, carry their weight well and I just thought they were a good buy."
Running 1800 head of Brahman and Simbrah-type breeders across 20,200 hectares, Mr Allen secured the bulls for $6000, $8000 and $14,000.
Mr Allen said Barana stud's cattle consistently deliver excellent weight gains with the flexibility to be sold into any market throughout the year.
The sale also attracted both repeat and new buyers from NSW and Queensland, with cattle also heading to the North Coast, Central Queensland and western districts.
Rounding out the sale, Barana sold Simmental heifers to a top of $5000, averaging $4333 with three semen packages in Lot 11 Barana Vantage V032, selling for an average of $225/straw.
Davidson Cameron and Company and Elders conducted the sale with Paul Dooley as auctioneer.
