Booragul achieves 100pc clearance as buyers chase maternal, docility traits
A turn in the season and demand for heifer bulls with strong maternal and docility traits has seen the 27th Booragul Angus annual on-property sale achieve 100 per cent clearance.
In the two-year-old bulls, all 57 sold to a top of $26,000 averaging $12,000 while 19 autumn-drop bulls sold to a top of $36,000, averaging $12,736.
Overall, the 76 bulls averaged $12,184.
The top-priced bull, Booragul True Blue W11, was bought by Liamena Angus, Dunedoo, for the $36,000 high.
That was up on last year's top price of $32,000.
The 654-kilogram autumn-drop calf was was by Allendale True Blue T3225.
The bull is in the top 4 per cent for the carcaseweight estimated breeding value (EBV) at +94.
Phil Redding made the trip to secure the bull, saying it stood out for its structural traits and eye muscle.
"He's got a got a really good data set. Good feet, good legs and he should produce a good, all-round calf," Mr Redding said.
Its birthweight EBV was +2.6, milk +123, maternal cow weight +112, with growth trait figures of +58 for 200-day weight, +107 for 400-day and +141 for 600-day weight.
It had an estimated eye muscle area (EMA) of +8.3, intramuscular fat (IMF) of +2.0 and retail beef yield (RBY) of +0.2.
The bull also had an Angus Breeding Index of $294 and an Angus Breeding Low Feed Cost Index of $489.
The second highest-priced bull, Booragul So Right V108, sold for $26,000 to the Reid Family Trust.
V108 was used extensively in the Booragul herd last spring before being offered for sale.
Agent and producer Andrew Pitman came from Moree to secure three bulls for his Moree operation, Mungie Bundie, as well as his Deepwater properties.
Mr Pitman bought Booragul Way Maker V177 for $8000, Booragul Moe for V124 for $14,000 and Booragul Missile V101 for $10,000, averaging $10,666.
The first-time buyer at Booragul said it was the docility traits of the bulls that stood out to him.
"They have such a wonderful temperament. There was not a bull that looked sideways at anybody that I saw throughout the day," Mr Pitman said.
"Apart from being a very attractive line of bulls with good figures, it was that temperament that really got me in."
Mr Pitman also secured bulls for a client.
Paspaley Pastoral Co, Coolah, bought five bulls to $14,000 for Booragul New Wave V143, averaging $11,200.
Stud stock agent Paul Dooley said demand was particularly strong for heifer bulls.
"I think a lot of people who may have sold a lot of cows earlier in the season have now bought heifers back because the season's turned around," he said.
"So no doubt there's a big push on the heifer bulls."
Booragul stud principal Tim Vincent said the result was overwhelming given the drought conditions they faced six weeks ago.
"The way things in the season have been since Christmas, we were naturally worried," he said.
"The massive cow sell-off in New England and the North-West since Christmas has been a major concern.
"I think a lot of our locals are pretty wounded. They don't have a lot of cows left but we had a really good crew of new people come in.
"They came from areas like the North-West, which we haven't done a lot of work in before and I think that was really positive."
The sale day was bittersweet with Mr Vincent's father passing unexpectedly earlier this week.
He said his dad would have been pleased with the result.
"Ironically he was only here on Monday helping us set up, and to lose him on Monday night was certainly a shock," Mr VIncent said.
"He loved this day, and today is his day."
The selling agents were Elders Hamilton Mortimer Narrabri and Pitman Deakin Moree with Paul Dooley the auctioneer. AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.
