Loyalty pays: four-decade relationship results in top price buy at Polldale

Long-term client support underpinned the Polldale Shorthorns bull and commercial female sale at Dubbo on Wednesday, August 26, with repeat buyers again backing the Williams family's Shorthorn genetics.

Michael Graham, Glen Lynne, Wambangalang, paid the $30,000 top price for Polldale Vanquish V184, continuing an association with Polldale genetics stretching back 40 years.

All up 22 of 33 bulls sold under the hammer, averaging $9565 and topping at $30,000, with more selling post-auction. A further 47 females grossed $114,900 to average $2445.

The September 2024-drop, 852-kilogram Polldale Vanquish V184 was a son of Futurity Tom Cat T306 and Polldale Flora Kate 36th.

Vanquish's Breedplan figures ranked him in the top 20 per cent for calving ease at +16.5, birthweight at +0.5 and All Purpose Index at +125.48, and the top 30pc for marbling and stayability.

Mr Graham said Vanquish's balance, muscling and cover had drawn him to the bull.

"He's just an overall good bull," he said.

"He's got good presence, good muscling, good fat cover."

Mr Graham said Vanquish would also introduce a slightly different bloodline to his herd.

He said the number of familiar faces at the sale reflected the relationship the Williams family had built with clients.

"There's a lot of repeat clients here," he said.

Stud principal Kim Williams described Vanquish as a complete bull with the combination of carcase attributes, cover and temperament.

"Beautiful head on him and temperament, good cover, very good cover," Mr Williams said.

"Very complete bull, depth of flank, depth of rib, not much wrong at all."

Mr Williams said buyers had been selective, but competition remained strong for the bulls they wanted.

"I think that's been a bit of a repeat theme this season," he said.

"You get a few passed in, but what's solid is really solid."

The second highest price of $22,000 was paid by Ken Laurie, Maudville, Gloucester, for Polldale Valiant V119.

The July 2024-drop, 868kg roan was another son of Futurity Tom Cat T306, out of Polldale Marjory 101st.

Valiant ranked in the top 3pc for birthweight at -1.9 and top 5pc for fat at 0.002, as well as the top 25pc for calving ease, docility, marbling and All Purpose Index at +122.19.

Terry Ashcroft secured Polldale Van Helsing V83, a son of Polldale Rarity for $18,000, which ranked in the top 3pc for fat.

RE and MA McDonald paid $18,000 for Polldale Velvet, a son of Futurity Trump T300 which ranked in the top 4pc for marbling, top 15pc for heifer pregnancy and top 20pc for fat and All Purpose Index.

The commercial female offering produced one of the biggest investments of the day, with Simon Hawkins, Willowan, Walgett, spending $93,600 across the bull and female drafts.

Mr Hawkins secured three drafts totalling 38 females as well as the $12,000 Polldale Virgil.

"Just a quality female line," Mr Hawkins said.

"We've been on Polldale blood for 35 years."

The purchases were also part of rebuilding cattle numbers.

"We are doing some restocking after the drought," he said.

Mr Hawkins invested $81,600 in the females, paying $2700 a head for 10 pregnancy-tested-in-calf, two-year-olds, $2100 for 14 unjoined heifers aged 14 to 16 months and $1800 for another 14 unjoined heifers aged 12 to 13 months.

Polldale Virgil was a son of Polldale Ramses R90 and ranked in the top 15pc for heifer pregnancy and marbling, and the top 30pc for mature calving ease and fat. Virgil was described by Mr Hawkins as an 'ideal heifer bull".

Another long-term buying family, Dan and Nadine Mattiske, Yarraville, Forbes, secured five bulls at an average of $6000 for their herd of about 430 Shorthorn females.

The couple have been buying Polldale genetics for more than 20 years.

Mr Mattiske said consistency kept them coming back.

"They're a pretty consistent lot," he said.

"We've been here for a fair while, it would have to be 20 years or more.

"The Williams family are a good family to do business with."

Two of the new sires will go over older cows in the main herd, while three will be used over second-calvers.

The Mattiskes were also selecting with their end market in mind, with the operation increasingly targeting grass-fed bullocks and placing greater emphasis on marbling.

"Our target market now is grass-fed bullocks," Mr Mattiske said.

"So we want to try and push that marbling as well.

"When you get out to bullocks, that's when the marbling starts showing up a bit."

The operation aims to take bullocks through to about two to 2.5 years of age, with irrigation country providing flexibility to finish cattle.

Mr Mattiske said strong early bidding had him wondering whether they would secure the number of bulls they needed.

"They jumped out the gate pretty good," he said.

"I thought I was in trouble here because we're trying to buy a few bulls."

They eventually secured five bulls around their target price.

"They're all good quality," he said.

"It's just there's some that are more exceptional than others."

Conditions near Forbes had also improved substantially after a difficult start to the year.

"The first few months of the year were pretty average," Mr Mattiske said.

"It's turned into a very good season."

Cindy and Gerald Fitzgerald, West Nombi, Mullaley, were also among the bull buyers.

Mrs Fitzgerald was succinct about what they wanted in their selection.

"Just something soft," she said.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions and Elders, with Paul Dooley as auctioneer and AuctionsPlus providing the online interface.