Two days, 640 lots, see the results from the Wirruna Poll Herefords female dispersal sale
It was a sad but proud moment for Ian and Diney Locke as the final hammer fell at the end of the Wirruna Poll Herefords female dispersal sale.
Held on-property near Holbrook on Wednesday, October 14, and Thursday, October 15, buyers from as far away as the United Kingdom bought cows with calves, heifers, embryo transfer (ET) calves and stud sires.
At the end of day one, the Locke family sold 114 of 129 cows with calves to a top of $30,000 and for an average of $6316.
A total of 179 from 191 yearling heifers hit a top of $30,000 and averaged $5156, and 28 of 31 ET calves sold to a top of $26,000 and for an average of $7714.
On day two, 269 of 276 cows with calves were sold to a top price of $22,000 twice and for an average of $7074. Overall, 383 cows with calves sold for an average of $6850.
Stud sires were also on offer with 12 of 13 sold to a top price of $57,000 and for an average of $18,252.
The top-priced cow with calf at-foot was Wirruna Last Day R006, which sold for $30,000 to Callaway Poll Hereford stud, Irvingdale, Queensland, and Talbalba Herefords, Millmerran, Qld.
The July 2020-drop cow, sired by Wirruna Justin J13 and from Wirruna Last Day P057, ranked in the top 3 per cent for calving ease-daughters at +16.2 for estimated breeding values (EBVs).
She also had figures within the top 10pc for gestation length (GL), mature cow weight (MCW), scrotal size (SS), days to calving (DtC) and carcase weight (CW) at -4.5, +98, +3.6, -6.4 and +72 respectively.
Her two-month-old calf was sired by Tobruk TopGun T17.
Callaway's Mark Duthie had visited in July and picked the cow for her "ideal skin and eyes".
Mr Duthie said she would go straight into the ET program of the stud, where they run about 120 stud cows.
A notable sale in the older cows with calves was Wirruna Madam T030, sold for $25,000 to Mawarra Genetics, Longford, Vic, and Holbrook.
The July 2022-drop cow ranked in the top 1pc for calving ease daughters, GL and intramuscular fat (IMF) with figures of +18.4, -7.1 and +2.7 respectively.
Buyer Peter Sykes, Mawarra, said they were chasing the family line.
"She's got great EBVs and is an outcross for our stud," he said.
"A big volume cow, really good udder, really good feet and legs, bred exceptionally well."
The two-month-old calf was by Tarcombe Sandman S088.
Mr Sykes said this was their first purchase from Wirruna, with the cow to be flushed and used as a donor in their stud program, where they run about 350 Poll Hereford breeders, alongside an Angus stud operation.
"We've been following the Wirruna program for a lot of years," he said.
The top-priced heifer was Wirruna Madam W498, bought by David and Maggie Kelly, Netherhall Herefords, Cumbria, United Kingdom, for $30,000.
The August 2025-drop heifer, by SHF Houston D287 and by Wirruna Madam T030, ranked in the top 1pc for 200-, 400- and 600-day growth with figures of +62, +105 and +140 respectively.
She also ranked in the top 2pc for MCW with a figure of +112 and top 3pc for GL with a figure of -5.5.
The Kellys made the trip to Australia to buy three yearling heifers, and shares in an ET calf on the first day of the sale.
Running a Poll Hereford stud where they calve about 300 a year in the UK, Mr Kelly said they were chasing females for their carcase, milk and easy calving.
The Kellys also bought shares in Wirruna Last Day S218, an ET calf by Birdwell New Standard 2912, for $14,000.
The syndicate included Tobruk Poll Herefords, Wagga Wagga, and commercial buyer Andrew Bell, Millicent, South Australia.
Tobruk's Damien Halloway said they had a long association with Wirruna and selected the calf on its maternal line, along with the carcase attributes the sire is known for, also to be an outcross for them.
The top-priced ET calf was Wirruna Janette U302, which sold for $16,000 to Days Whiteface, Bordertown, SA, and Talbalba Herefords, Millmerran, Qld.
The calf was by Birdwell New Standard 2912, with Wirruna Madam T030 the donor dam.
On the second day, the first cow with calf to reach the equal top-price of $22,000 was Wirruna Last Day V323, which sold to Kidman Poll Herefords, Dubbo.
The August 2024-drop cow, by Wirruna Smokin Joe S010 and from Wirruna Last Day R006, ranked in the top 1pc for 200-, 400- and 600-day growth with figures of +55, +101 and +145 respectively.
She also ranked in the top 1pc for MCW with a figure of +146, CWT at +104, and retail beef yield (RBY) with a figure of +3.0.
Her two-month-old calf was sired by Wirruna Union Jack U151.
The second cow with calf to reach $22,000 was Wirruna Clara V512, which sold to Yavenvale Herefords, Adelong, Waiohine Herefords, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, and Limehills Herefords, Central Otago, NZ.
The August 2024-drop cow, by Tobruk Southern Cross S15 and from Wirruna Clara R234, ranked in the top 1pc for rib and rump fat with figures of +3.0 and +4.6 respectively.
She also ranked in the 2pc for IMF with a figure of +2.5 and on the MSA production index with a value of $229.
Her two-month-old calf was by Wirruna Titus T167.
James Pearce, Yavenvale, said the cow was selected for her outstanding phenotype, udder quality and for her well balanced EBVs, along with being a new family line.
The top-priced stud sire was Wirruna Vantage V132, which sold for $57,000 to Talbalba Herefords, Millmerran, Qld.
The July 2024-drop bull, by Wirruna Steakout S457 and from Wirruna Doreen Q077, ranked in the top 1pc for 200- and 400-day growth, and CWT with figures of +52, +89 and +90.
He was in the top 2pc for 600-day growth with a figure of +122, top 4pc for MCW at +105 and on the Sustainability Production (SUP) Index with a value of $220, and top 5pc on the MSA index with a value of $214.
Steve Reid, Talbalba, said he was a big mobile bull with depth of body, good skin and a good data set across the board.
Mr Reid said the bull would go straight out to cows in November, as part of the stud operation where they run 290 breeders.
Wirruna Poll Herefords dispersal attendees
Pictures by Alexandra Bernard
Wirruna's Ian Locke said he was "very proud".
"It's been an occasion of split emotions - sadness to see the Herefords going but also a lot of pride in what we've done and the opportunity they will provide to new herds," he said.
The sale was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions with Tim Woodham and Peter Godbolt sharing the rostrum. AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.
