A family legacy realised as bull equals Rocky Brahman Sale record: day two wrap

It was deja vu at CQLX on day two of the Rockhampton Brahman Week Sale on Tuesday, October 6, as the sale's record top price of $210,000, last achieved in 2020, was equalled by the same buyer.

Continuing the strong precedent set on Monday, day two concluded with 412 of all 415 grey Brahman bulls offered selling for a 99 per cent clearance, a $13,208 average, and a $5,442,000 gross.

Into the red lots, 61 of the 63 bulls offered on day two sold, 97pc, for a $14,000 average, an $80,000 top, and an $854,000 gross.

It was an improvement on all fronts from last year's day two result, where the grey bulls concluded with 396 of 420 sold for 94pc clearance and an $11,492 average, and 76 of 80 red bulls clearing, 95pc, for a $13,486 average.

Overall to date, 473 of 478 bulls have sold, a 99pc clearance, for an average of $13,310 and an overall sale gross of $6,296,000.

Equalling the Rockhampton Brahman Week sale record, Yenda 1200 sold for $210,000 to Gavin Scott, Yacamunda Investments, Collinsville, just after 8.30am on Tuesday, October 6.

He was offered by Vicki and Scott Hayes, Yenda Cattle Co, Mundubbera, and consigned by Nutrien, with bidding opening at $50,000.

The 23-month-old, 956 kilogram polled bull recorded 13 millimetres of rump fat, 8mm of rib fat, an eye muscle area of 150 square centimetres, 5.4pc of intramuscular fat, and a scrotal circumference of 38.5cm.

Out of Yenda V Miss 880, his sire, Clukan Baobab 365/8 achieved the previous record $210,000 price when he sold in 2020, also to Gavin Scott of Yacamunda Investments.

His vendors Vicki and Scott Hayes were visibly emotional as the bull went under the hammer.

Speaking to Queensland Country Life after the sale, Ms Hayes said his sale cemented a family legacy and a lifetime of work.

"We're elated. Very happy," she said.

"It's good for the breed.

"We thought about keeping him to use for ourselves, and we didn't realise he was quite as good as he was until we got him up here.

"I've been coming here since I was a little kid; my dad bred Brahmans. He passed away five years ago, and my sisters and I split the stud and they still all breed Brahmans.

"We've taken over the Yenda prefix. This is the first year we've sold as Yenda, we usually sell as Yenda V.

"Dad was stud number 44, and it's been 65 years since he registered as a Brahman stud."

Nutrien stud stock agent Dane Pearce said it was the most expensive bull he had ever sold, and credited the Hayes for his quality.

"It's the highest I've got on a bull, so it's obviously exciting and very rewarding," he said.

"I'm just really happy for Scott and Vicki. It's the highest they've got in the ring and it's great for them."

Mr Pearce said Yenda 1200's sale marked high breed confidence, and said he was glad to see such a strong overall clearance achieved at the sixth Rockhampton Brahman Week Sale he's sold at.

"If the genetics are right and the bull's right, buyers will throw everything they've got behind that animal because they can see the future in the likes of that animal that was in the ring today," he said.

"We've seen horned bulls making money again, and a couple of really high-priced horned bulls, which people have got confidence in Brahmans and confidence in their genetics.

"The average is up. People are trying to buy better bulls, and they're really shopping on the better bulls."

The most expensive red bull of the day, Mt Callan Braveheart 135/25, offered by Scott and Coralie Sorley, Mt Callan stud, Bell, sold for $80,000 to Joe and Felicity Streeter, Fairy Springs Brahmans, Karinya, Theodore.

The 23-month-old, 742kg homozygous polled bull, sired by Mt Callan Vinnie 66/121 and out of Mt Callan 6/20, recorded 15mm of rump fat, 10mm of rib fat, an EMA of 134sq cm, an IMF of 6.4pc, and a scrotal circumference of 41.4cm.

Purchaser Felicity Streeter said the bull appealed to her for his fertility traits.

"He had very good fertility traits, and that's something we really want to keep in our cattle," she said.

"We think it's really important for any herd and any breed, so Brahmans are no exception."

Based on their home block, Karinya, Theodore, the Streeters run a 700-head stud herd and a 7000-head commercial herd over four properties on a combined 24,281 hectares (60,000 acres).

The Streeters said they would turn Mt Callan Braveheart 135/25 out for stud duties upon getting him home.

The Sorleys also achieved the second top red bull price of the day when they sold Mt Callan Bacardi 80/25 for $40,000 to Riverside.

This was the first year the Sorleys had sold at Brahman Week, and Mr Sorley said he was extremely happy with the day's results.

"My dad started in the 70s, and we're just starting to take over now," he said.

"This is my wife and I's first year selling at Brahman Week as the Mt Callan prefix.

"[The result] is going to take a lot of beating - it might be a fair while before we get that result again - but we'll certainly be trying to keep our standard up and above and beyond."

Read the day two vendor averages here.

• Selling agents: GDL, Nutrien, and Elders, interfaced with Stocklive.