Buyers from four states chase carcase and structure at Ironbark Hereford sale
A handy drop of 50 millimeters of rain settled the dust and high demand across four states for carcase traits boosted bids at the 53rd annual Ironbark Herefords bull sale at Barraba, on Friday, August 28.
Celebrating 93 years, the stud sold 94 of 118 bulls to a top of $40,000 and average of $10,952. Four bulls were also sold after the sale.
Those figures were up on last year, when 98 of the 110 bulls offered sold to a top of $20,000, and averaging $9346.
In his opening remarks, Adrian Spencer, Ironbark, said he was "very proud" of the draft of bulls with the line-up the best he had seen "in his time".
Across the bulls, the average weight was 818 kilograms with an average scrotal circumference of 43 centimeters.
The sale topper was Ironbark Stranger W113, by Wild Bear Stranger S007 out of Ironbark 1098Y Minnie K451, which sold to Sugarloaf Creek Herefords, Vic, through AuctionsPlus.
The 25-month-old weighed 674kg, with a scrotal circumference of 44cm and was described as having "exceptional rib depth" and "excellent carcase quality".
The bull had estimated breeding values including a rib fat of +1.4, an eye muscle area (EMA) of +7.1 and a 600-day weight of +91.
The second top-price of the day was Ironbark Stranger W095, also by Wild Bear Stranger S007, out of Ironbark K375 Miss Extra N315, which sold to the Wheeler family, Vic, for $25,000.
The bull tested for a rib fat of +0.7, EMA of +5.8 and a 600-day weight of +90.
Volume buyers across Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania were competitive bidders across the sale.
Return bulk buyers Lindsay and Richard Moffat, Eurombah, Qld, have been buying bulls from Ironbark for more than a decade, but have known the Spencers since their school days.
They loaded six bulls onto the truck, paying to a top of $11,000 and average of $9500.
Ms Moffat said she was looking for sires with a "good backline" and a "good head", and liked their conformation and quiet temperament.
"Good tail setting we've been told is very important for producing calves, so that they do not get stuck," she said.
"We're into Herefords, and there aren't many Hereford people left, and for a reasonable price we're getting good bulls."
Ms Moffat said the bulls did well on their return to the Queensland climate, where cattle bred in their European Union-accredited operation were in demand with Teys.
Another volume buyer, Golden Ag, Collarenebri, bought 12 bulls to a top of $12,000 and an average of $9333.
Gavin Zell, Golden Ag, said he wanted bulls with plenty of "structure" and "carcase" for their feeder steer operation, where they sell Hereford steers from 350 to 550kg, depending on the season.
"My family started with Herefords in 1976 and then we went on to incorporating Ironbark cattle and it's just the quality of the bulls that keeps us coming back," he said.
Mr Zell said he was seeing more interest coming back into the breed.
"We certainly are ... there's no doubt about the product at the end from the Herefords," he said.
Other repeat buyers included Hicks Herefords, Running Creek, Vic, which bought 11 bulls, all for $11,000.
Repeat buyers since 1973, Jamie and Edwina Bishop, Bando Station, Mullaley, bought three bulls to $14,000, averaging $8333.
Ironbark bull sale
Australian Food and Ag, Deniliquin, secured six nulls for a top of $15,000 and average $11,166.
Further south, Nara Pastoral Holdings, Tasmania, secured 10 bulls with two at $22,000 and an average of $12,500.
Adrian Spencer said he was pleased with the result.
:"It was a very strong sale and we've done very well," he said.
"Bulls went from Tasmania to Longreach in Queensland so they've gone over a wide area.
"It was a buyable sale too and the bulls weren't out of the reach of the commercial man and we had new people here this year too."
Mr Spencer said they put a lot of time into improving the carcase traits of their bulls, which he believed was paying off.
"We've got a feedlot on our operation so we feed a lot of our own commercial cattle and that's been a tremendous advantage to us and we've got all the data.
"Instead of being a stud that just sells bulls, we're selling a program."
The selling agents were Elders Stud Stock, Hart Rural Agencies, Nutrien Ag Solutions and George and Furhman. The auctioneers were Scott Cooper and Darren Perkins, and AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.
