Top-price Raff Angus bull to take Darling Downs stud in a new direction

It was an exciting day in the selling ring for buyers and the vendor alike at the 2026 Raff Angus 'Bulls with a Difference' sale in Drillham on Friday, August 14.

Clearing all 84 bulls offered, the stud achieved its second highest average ever of $15,369, with the sale grossing $1,291,000.

Four lots of semen straws were offered at the sale, all of which sold for a $1050 average, and one embryo lot was offered, which sold for $12,000.

Last year's sale, which marked the first year Tasmania-based Raff Angus had returned to the mainland since 2015, achieved 100 per cent clearance for the 85 bulls offered, a $13,812 average, and an overall gross of $1,174,000.

There was plenty of competition for the top-price bull, with lot 39, Raff Eyes Onyou W57 ultimately taking home the title, selling for $30,000 to Wesley and Amanda Lowein, Rowden Farm, Square Top, Kaimkillenbun.

The 18-month-old, 736 kilogram bull, sired by E G Eyes Onyou and out of Raff Doris P167, recorded 14mm of rump fat, 8mm of rib fat, and had an eye muscle area of 116 square centimetres.

In close competition and from the same sire, lot 38, Raff Eyes Onyou W56, sold for $29,000 to Charvel Grazing Company, Theodore, while lot 40, Raff Eyes Onyou W381, sold for $24,000 through StockLive to ALC Rural, Barcaldine.

Top-price buyers Wesley Lowein purchased the bull to begin a new era for his previously established Hereford stud, breeding Angus cattle to offer alongside his Herefords.

"Earlier on in the year, I bought some Glenavon registered females, and some Alumy Creek females, so that's the basis of our female line, and then today, I bought the Raff Angus bull," he said.

"He'll be our first stud sire; this is our first year of joining.

"We are just starting to calve now, we've got our first lot of calves on the ground now, and this will be our first joining."

When asked what prompted him to introduce Angus to his stud, Mr Lowein said he wanted to appeal to more buyers.

"Clients were chasing both bulls, so I just thought if I had them available, instead of going up the road or elsewhere, we could sell them," he said.

"If people want the Hereford or the black bull, they've got the option. If you can't beat them, join them.

"Eventually I will breed black bulls for myself, just out over the commercial Hereford cows and put the black bulls over them and breed black baldy steers and heifers."

Only purchasing one bull at the Raff sale, Mr Lowein said he had his eye on any of the bulls from the Eyes Onyou line.

"They were nearly peas in a pod, the whole Eyes Onyou line of bulls, the three in a row. You couldn't really fault them," he said.

"Overall, his figures probably averaged out a little better, but that's debatable.

"Nothing extreme in anything, but just good across the board.

"I only need the one sire at this stage. I'll probably dabble in a bit of semen and AI.

"We're definitely happy. He's a good bull, and we won't have to worry too much to try and get a good female line, because his mum's side is pretty good as well.

"We'll definitely be retaining some females and breed some females too."

He said he chose Raff Angus for his bull as they had caught his eye previously.

"I'd seen their cattle at shows, and I'd seen their catalogue and always liked their cattle," he said.

"They've always been successful at showing and have been in the industry long enough that you can trust their cow lines. I'm pretty happy with our purchase today."

Bulk buyers at the sale included Tinderry Pastoral Company, Quilpie, who purchased 10 head for an average of $11,600, and L and MA Blacklock, Julia Creek, who purchased nine head for an average of $14,444.

Raff Angus stud principal Andrew Raff said he was very happy with the day's results, saying they were a testament to the stud's goals of breeding consistent bulls.

"For us to turn up, sell 100pc, average just over $15,000 with a top of just $30,000 in the context that it's just double the average and not outrageous, it's very, very humbling for us," he said.

Mr Raff said this year's sale attracted both new and return buyers.

"I would expect there is potentially 30pc new buyers," he said.

"Whether that's got something to do with how we promote our Angus' as bulls with a difference, and whether we're capturing a new market with that.

"We're big on all facets within seedstock, with the performance, and the vaccination, and the semen testing, and the improved genetics.

"Our family's got a really cool business model moving forward."

• Selling agents: GDL interfaced with StockLive