A $30,000 bull and a half-million-dollar sale for Emjay Wellcamp at Woolooga

Buyers from as far afield as Injune, Taroom, Yuleba, the North Burnett village of Mingo, Boonah, Toogoolawah, Goomeri, Tansey and Theebine snapped up bulls at the annual Emjay Wellcamp Charbray bull sale at Woolooga on Friday, July 24.

In doing so, they matched the upward price trend being recorded so far at sales for the spring selling season.

Overall, the sale resulted in 53 of 59 bulls sold through the ring, or a clearance rate of 89.8 per cent, for a gross of $511,000, and an average price paid of $9641.

Last year , the sale had a clearance rate of 92.2pc or 47 of 51 lots sold under the hammer, a gross of $409,000 and an average price of $8521.

This year's top price was where the sale excelled, when 23-month-old Wellcamp Veteran was sent into the ring at Woolooga early, commanding a lot of interest and resulting in $30,000 paid by Beaumont Grazing at Taroom.

The poll bull weighed 912 kilograms, had P8 and rib fat measurements of 11 and 10 millimetres respectively, an eye muscle area of 133 square centimetres, intramuscular fat of 4.7pc, and a scrotal circumference of 40 centimetres.

Wellcamp stud principal Anthony Curtis said Beaumont Grazing's Tanya and Randall Ziesemer hadn't bought from them for a while but added that they knew how to pick out a good bull.

"He's very soft, correct and polled," he said.

"He's by Marlegoo Quality and has Trifecta Power Pack on his dam side, who has bred some very good cattle for us.

"He was definitely our standout bull - for anyone serious about the breed, he's exactly what they're targeting, along with his honey colour and pink nose."

Mr Curtis said they were very happy overall with their results, which saw 19 of 20 bulls sold under the hammer for a clearance of 95pc, and an average of $9641.

The next highest price for the Westmar Charbray stud was $24,000, paid by Ethan Horrocks, Biloela, for the second bull into the ring, Wellcamp Vertical, two years old and weighing 924kg.

The dehorned bull's P8 and rib fat measurements were 11 and 8mm, his EMA was 132sq cm, his IMF was 4.9pc, and his scrotal was 41cm.

Michael and Lindy Connolly's breeding program for Emjay Charbrays is at Goomeri, and it was nearby Theebine buyer Rob Gowland, Sandalwood Cattle Company, who paid the top price of $22,000 for the Emjay stud.

Mr Connolly said he was a repeat buyer whose specialty was breeding weaners.

"Pretty much all our bulls went to repeat buyers," he said. "They know what our cattle do and keep coming back."

The Connollys sold 27 of the 31 Emjay bulls through the ring for an 87pc clearance, and an average price of $8963.

Mr Connolly said the sale had been a bit two-paced for them, with their best bulls selling especially well.

Of their first 15 lots, nine sold for $10,000 or more.

Rounding out the sale were eight bulls from the Celestial Charbray stud at Goomeri, resulting in seven sold under the hammer for an average $9571.

The top priced bull was the poll scurred Celestial Vasso, sold to the Bonisch Cattle Co at Injune for $14,000.

Aged 21 months and weighing 821kg, the heterozygous polled bull had P8 and rib fat measurements of 9 and 6mm, an EMA of 140sq cm, an IMF of 5.5pc, and a scrotal circumference of 37.5cm.

Stud principal Warren Smith said the sale had been one of their best for the number of bulls sold, with most of them going to new buyers.

"The top bull was a good soft, meaty type, with good weight-for-age measurements," he said.

Mr Smith commented that something along the lines of $3-$3.5m worth of bulls would be sold in the valley over two days.

"For a little ex-dairying place like Gympie, it's good for the economy," he said.

The Bonisches were the sale's volume buyers, finishing with six bulls for a total outlay of $57,000.

The Wilson Pork Co, Windera, made five purchases for a total of $25,000.

• Selling agents - Shepherdson & Boyd, Sullivan Livestock and Rural Services.