Paddock preparation pays off as Santa Gertrudis bulls hit $46k at Condobolin

The Hague family's Rockingham Santa Gertrudis stud had bulls heading as far as Tambo and Biloela, Qld, and Karawinna, Vic, at its 18th annual on-property sale at Tara Station, Condobolin, on Thursday, October 1.

Rockingham sold all 39 of its bulls to a $38,000 top, averaging $11,667. Its 25 classified bulls averaged $13,720 and 14 commercial bulls averaged $8000.

The catalogue included seven bulls from the Moxey family's Denngal stud. Those bulls sold to a $46,000 top, averaging $16,143.

All 46 bulls offered sold to a $46,000 top and a $12,348 average.

Denngal had the sale's top-price bull, $46,000 for Lot 27, Denngal Vaucluse V88, a 21-month-old son of Cardona Viking V107 and half-brother to Sydney Royal grand champion Denngal Romeo. Vaucluse was bought by Cyril Gauld, Moongana Santa Gertrudis, through GDL Dalby, Qld.

"He was just a beautifully balanced bull. Everything was in proportion and his structure was very good," Mr Moxey said.

"He wasn't the biggest eye muscle bull of our group, but he certainly had a good blend of muscle and fat cover and overall appeal."

Mr Moxey said Cardona Viking was also the sire of Denngal Viper V09, which achieved the top price of $32,000 at the Western Downs group sale at Dalby three weeks earlier.

The Denngal bulls were prepared on a dual-purpose wheat crop with no hand feeding.

Rockingham's top-price was $38,000 for Lot 4, Rockingham Voter V405, a 23-month-old classified son of Yulgilbar Penfold P226, bought by Ben Walker, Strathmore, Blackall, Qld, who has bought Rockingham bulls for the past couple of years.

"Out here the bulls have got to do it on their own, so what you see is what you get," Rockingham's Dean Hague said.

"He's just been a well fleshed, easy doing, dark, slick coated bull, really from day dot."

Voter weighed 778 kilograms, with a 1.08kg average daily gain, and scanned a 130 square centimetre eye muscle area, the largest in the Rockingham draft, with 5.2 per cent intramuscular fat.

"We don't believe in feeding cattle to make them look good," Mr Hague said. "We are in western NSW, so they have to do it on their own."

He said the stud selected for doing ability and the ability to lay down fat.

"They talk about premiums in cattle. Well, the real premium is the profit," he said.

Lansdowne Pastoral Company, Tambo, Qld, was the volume buyer, taking seven bulls through Charleville Property and Livestock at a $13,143 average, including Lot 8, Rockingham Validate V97, at $22,000.

Two bulls made $24,000 - Dangarfield Cattle Co, Taroom, Qld, bought Lot 2, Rockingham Venture V210, the first son of Dangarfield Funky Thang F171 offered for sale, and Nutrien Toowoomba bought Lot 10, Rockingham Versatile V13, one of three bulls it bought at an $18,000 average.

Budda Station Pastoral Co, Tilpa, a volume buyer last year, returned to take four bulls at a $9500 average, to $14,000. Davis Ag, through Elders Lake Cargelligo, bought three at a $10,000 average.

Ballatherie Pastoral Co, Hillston, bought two at an $11,000 average; the Worsnops of Besm, Thargomindah, Qld, two at $9000; and Graham Hillias, Tallangatta, Vic, two at $6000.

Several new buyers bid online, and two young buyers from Victoria came to the sale after following a Rockingham TikTok page started by Mr Hague's 12-year-old son, Sonny.

"I found out yesterday that Rockingham have a TikTok page I never knew about," Mr Hague said.

Denngal, run by Dennis, Gail and Greg Moxey, Jemalong, west of Forbes, has sold in the Rockingham sale since 2008. Its seven bulls averaged $16,143, more than double last year's $7714.

"If I started up another sale, it would be direct competition, and there's no need for that," Mr Moxey said.

"We've worked together very well over the years."

The sale also offered 199 Rockingham-infused commercial heifers, averaging $1554 for a $309,250 gross.

The Moxeys, who have recently purchased more country, paid the top of $2050 a head for 22 Rockingham Pastoral heifers, which Mr Moxey said were ready to mate for their autumn and winter calving program.

Mr Hague said the market had eased in recent months with the dry, but the heifers sold well, with some bought to feed and others going to restockers.

Mr Hague said it was a good result for buyers and sellers.

"Our top end bulls still made good money, but there were very viable bulls for people at the other end," he said.

"There was a bull for everyone's budget."

Jaydean, run by Dean and Jayde Hague, sold 38 heifers at a $1611 average, and Budda Station sold 62 to DK and KA Naughton, Lake Cargelligo, at $1100.

A one-eighth semen share in Rockingham Voltage V227 sold to DB and KA McMaster, Wollumboola, for $210 a straw, or $8400 for 40 straws.

Nutrien Russell, Cobar, conducted the sale, Brad Wilson was auctioneer and the online interface was AuctionsPlus.