Fairview Black Simmentals sale defies dry conditions with strong results

Despite spreading drought conditions, the Fairview Black Simmentals' annual bull sale at Mungallala on August 19 wasn't adversely impacted, with eight of the first 10 bulls selling for more than $15,000.

The lack of some regular customers from south of the Warrego Highway in the helmsman arena for the on-property sale contributed to an average price slightly lower than last year - $8756, compared to $9146 in 2025 - but the top price was up and all 43 bulls offered were sold.

Last year the top price was $19,500 but this year, Augathella's Joe and Natalie Henry paid $21,500 for their pick of the yard, Fairview Vantage V48, both homozygous polled and black.

The Henrys topped the sale in 2023 as well, and have been a regular buyer of Fairview bulls, saying they were happy with what they were doing for their 1000-cow herd at Moorak.

"He'll go over our crossbred cows," Mr Henry said. "I thought he was a standout."

The 25-month-old bull weighed 810 kilograms, had P8 and rib fat measurements of 7 and 5 millimetres respectively, an eye muscle area of 131 square centimetres, and intramuscular fat of 5.8 per cent.

His scrotal circumference, 43 centimetres, was the largest of the draft, and his semen morphology was 85pc.

Stud principal Tony Horvath said his genetics made him one of the standouts in the current draft of bulls.

"We used him as a yearling over our heifers," he said, adding that despite being a heifer's first calf, he'd matched other young bulls, with more milk available, for growth.

"He also has a slicker coat, which suits the Queensland environment," he said. "He's probably one of the most balanced bulls we've bred."

The second-top-priced bull, Fairview Visual Impact V35, was sold to AR and TG Black, Cunnyanna, Dunkeld for $18,500, their sole purchase.

He was in the top 10pc for birth weight and top 1pc for maternal calving ease.

Although drought conditions meant some regular clients weren't in the buyer's market this year, Mr Horvath said they'd also benefited from four new buyers, some local and some from Taroom and Kingaroy.

"I think people are over over-conditioned bulls - people who follow our program do so because we don't do that," he said.

One of those is Yuleba's Golden Grazing, who were back for four more bulls this year, paying an average $16,750.

The bulls' longevity and value for money was a key factor for Richard Golden, who said they still had P-named 2020 Fairview bulls being productive.

"They're fit and surviving well," he said, explaining that they test all their bulls each year, and the four they bought were all they needed for replacement purposes.

"They're all you could ask for, and beautifully manageable, better than any we know," Mr Golden added.

Noogilla Cattle Co, Woodlands, Mitchell was the sale's top volume buyer, paying an average $5916 for six bulls, while WAS Pastoral at Boothulla, Cooladdi, bought five bulls for an average $8600.

• Selling agents: Elders, interfaced with AuctionsPlus