Strong competition for lengthy, deep bulls at annual Coolie Angus sale
A particularly even line of bulls met with solid demand on a rainy day at the 13th annual Coolie Angus Bull Sale held on-property at Merriwa on Friday, August 21.
All 42 bulls offered found new homes on the day, averaging $11,667 per head and topping out at $26,000. While the result was down slightly on last year's sale where all 40 bulls sold to a top price of $24,000 to average $12,750, Coolie manager Jamie Edmonds said it had still been a "very good day" of selling.
"We were a bid or two away from averaging the same as we did last year. The top-price bulls sold to well-respected studs, and we'll take that over a higher average any day," Mr Edmonds said.
He said great feedback from clients was received on the draft, with many noting thickness, evenness and depth of the lots selected for the catalogue.
"We had a lot of new buyers active as well as clients who have been buying Coolie genetics for years. These buyers made the trip to the sale from northern NSW, the Central West and east to Gresford. We also sold one bull into Taroom, Queensland. Most were looking for cattle with plenty of length and depth."
Mr Edmonds said the two top-price bulls shared "outstanding phenotype, carried a bit of data with them and were both out of fantastic cows", but couldn't have been more different otherwise.
The high price bid of the sale came in lot 3, when Ian and Shelley Durkin, Mountain Valley Pastoral, Coolatai, secured the 918 kilogram Coolie Primeminister V159 for $26,000.
Mr Edmonds said this bull's dam, Millah Murrah Ela M6 has sold $400,000 worth of progeny to date.
"Another of her sons in this year's sale made $20,000. She's from the Reality line that has bred on and on for us. We're so happy to have her."
He said Primeminister V159 gained his "unbelievable temperament" from his dam.
"He's an incredibly long, very easy fleshing bull with fantastic locomotion to the way he travels."
Ian Durkin said it was his overall balance and style that attracted him to the bull, which had the highest eye muscle area (129 centimetres squared) and intramuscular fat measurements of the entire draft.
"Primeminister sons have bred well everywhere. Combine that with the Reality line on the dam side, and that's pedigree gold as far as I'm concerned," Mr Durkin said.
He cited his useful data, positive fats, good docility and scrotal measurement as other factors that played into his purchase of Primeminister V159.
"We went and looked at him earlier in the week and loved his mobility and softness. He's a thick-skinned bull, with plenty of meat in him, and he's really correct. He also had a brilliant temperament; he was quiet as a worm."
It was the first time that the Durkins had purchased a Coolie bull.
"Coolie produces good cattle, that we've admired for several years. We'd never been to the sale before, just due to not having the chance to. We saw this fella and had to have a look. Coolie produces a good, even line of cattle, with type and style; these are the herds we like to buy from."
He said semen will be collected from Primeminister V159 and then he'll go out with the cows in a couple of weeks' time.
"We look forward to seeing some lovely cows on the ground by him."
It was Brooksby Angus studmaster Stephen Collins who made the winning bid of the $24,000 second top-price bull on the day. He took home the 858kg Coolie Novak V186 in lot 8.
Mr Edmonds said Novak V186 was a well-put-together Peakes Novak son, whose dam, Millah Murrah Flower S121, was purchased for $100,000 at the last Millah Murrah female sale.
"Novak V186 and Primeminister V159 are two of the best bulls we have ever bred, and we are pleased to see them go into such well-respected programs."
Wilson Cattle Company was the volume buyer on the day. The Scone-based business bought four bulls to average $11,000. Also buying in bulk was Coolie's new neighbour Graham Coddington, who bought three bulls to average $13,333.
Mr Edmonds said he appreciated all the bidders and underbidders making the day what it was despite the damp conditions.
"We're very pleased with our continued support from repeat clients and excited by the new buyers operating this year."
