Money in Moola: Brangus bull outperforms Angus at inaugural multi-breed sale
Bidders and spectators at Bunya Creek Angus' inaugural sale at Bell filled the grandstands and then some, to see Brangus bulls outprice their purebred Angus competitors.
The sale, conducted on behalf of Donald and Suzie Patch, took place at Donald's brother-in-law's property Valorbrook at Moola, near Bell.
The top-price bull, one of the Brangus lots offered, sold for $15,000, and won't travel far, with Mr Patch's brother-in-law and son - Valorbrook's owners Brett and Ashley Haager - securing both him and the second top-priced bull.
The top-priced bull - Bunya Creek U127- was 33 months old, and was sired by Bunya Creek S172 and out of Bunya Creek L48.
Bunya Creek U127 weighed 956 kilograms, scored 87 per cent morphology, had P8 and rib fat scans of 18 and 12 millimetres respectively, an eye muscle area of 133 square centimetres, intramuscular fat of 6.7pc, and a scrotal circumference of 42 centimetres.
Aussie Land & Livestock agent Justin Almond said the bull's Bunya Creek parentage may have contributed to his attraction.
"He's home-bred by Don's bulls - both by a Bunya Creek bull and out of a Bunya Creek cow - so the genetics go right back, and just a fantastic bull all around," Mr Almond said. "All his scans were fantastic, and his temperament is absolutely beautiful."
Brett Haager said as the buyer he had his eye on both the top and second top-priced bulls specifically, as he saw them as standouts, and paid particular attention to the age, temperament, and average daily gain of the ones he chose.
Mr Haager and his son own and operate Valorbrook, an 810ha Angus stud near Dalby, and bought the Brangus bulls to bring diversity into their Angus operation.
"We're getting into a crossing operation, so we've gone with two Brangus bulls," he said.
The sale saw 48 bulls offered overall, with 34 sold for a clearance rate of 70.8pc, and received an average price of $6588.23.
Individually, 40 Angus bulls were offered, 28 sold, for a clearance of 70pc, at an average price of $6071.40.
The top-price Angus bull - Bunya Creek V128 - was the final Angus bull offered and sold for $10,000 to AB Grazing.
The 29 month old bull was sired by Alpine 38 Special S021 and out of Bunya Creek N70.
He weighed 806 kilograms, scored 79pc morphology, had P8 and rib fat scans of 13 and 10mm respectively, an EMA of 118sq cm, IMF of 6.6pc, and a scrotal circumference of 39 centimetres.
Eight Brangus bulls were offered, and six sold, for a clearance of 75pc, resulting in an average price of $9000.
Mr Patch said he enjoyed hosting the event, as he usually sells his bulls privately, but that he felt the bidding was reserved.
"It was an exciting day, we had a great lead-up to it, and we enjoyed doing the sales," he said.
"I think people were a bit reserved, because there's enough people here to buy.
"It might be a bit early for people in the season, I think, [but] I can't pin it."
Mr Patch was not surprised at the popularity of the Brangus bulls in the catalogue, and which bulls specifically performed well.
"I thought the Brangus probably would perform better [than the Angus], and I knew some people were chasing them.
"I'm not surprised about that [bull receiving the top price] - I think it was his overall type, and how we came out, and just a nice, soft, well-made Brangus bull.
"I had him as the top bull - those three bulls that made the top three prices didn't surprise me at all."
Mr Patch said that while most of the bulls sold for a similar price to what he would receive when selling privately, the top two bulls outperformed that.
"What I was getting today for bulls is what they would sell for privately," he said. "Probably not those top two - I don't sell bulls for $15,000 in the paddock."
Aussie Land & Livestock agent Justin Almond said the sale had provided a good base from which to build moving forward.
"The first sale is always a tough one - it's a platform to build off," he said.
- Selling agents - Aussie Land & Livestock, simulcast with StockLive
