Lunar stud over the moon with $10,000 Ultrablack

Brad and Briony Comisky would be justified in being 'over the moon' with the sale of their 11 bulls at Monday's Central Highlands Angus, Brangus and Ultrablack sale, recording 100 per cent clearance plus the top price of the sale and nearly the highest average of the participating vendors.

The Emerald couple's Lunar stud sold eight Brangus bulls but it was their three Ultrablack bulls that attracted the greatest competition.

From his vantage point at the top of the middle stand at the Ag-Grow site, Prairie breeder Clive Poole outbid all others to pay $10,000 for Lunar N89 and $9500 for Lunar N107.

Both were sired by Bulliac Knightrider K45, which Mr Comisky said was a bull that was very hard to fault. His other two progeny in the sale each brought $8000, helping the Lunar stud to a $6681 average.

Lunar N89 weighed 804kg, had P8 and rib measurements of 16 and 10mm, an eye muscle area of 121 square centimetres, and a scrotal circumference of 40cm.

Mr Poole, who described himself as one of the lucky ones in February's monsoon, runs a crossbred herd and said he had bought similar bulls before with good results, plus he found there was a good market for their progeny.

He returned north with Lunar Brangus bull N172 at $7500 as well, plus two Angus bulls from Callandoon, bought for $8000 and $9000, giving him an $8800 average for his five bulls.

The latter price, paid for Callandoon N48, was the top price for the McKinlay family's Springsure stud.

The 23-month-old with a heavy Dulverton, NSW, stud influence in his genetics, weighed in at 810kg and his EMA was 122sq cm.

Callandoon finished with a sale average of $6357 and Glen McKinlay, one of the sale's foundation vendors, described his sale as pretty good considering the conditions around.

"Grass is OK to the north thankfully," he said.

Read more: Central Highlands bull sale tops $15,500

Two studs recording a top price of $8000 were the Quinn family's Voewood at Calliope and Blackrock, operated by George and Cathy Hoare of Bluff.

Voewood Ned Kelly, a 22-month-old Brangus sire, was no steal for Carinyah Grazing at the Willows, weighing 806kg and sporting an EMA of 131sq cm.

Minutes later, the Barlow Cattle Co paid $8000 for Blackrock 21 (P), a 27-month-old Brangus, while Myola Partnership, Marlborough stumped up with the same money for a half-brother, Blackrock 25 (P/SC), recording an EMA of 140sq cm at 24 months.

Both were sired by Bonox 677. Blackrock's third bull failed to sell under the hammer but the stud finished with an $8000 average and 66pc clearance.

Brad Hanson sold 12 bulls in the sale ring, eight Ultrablack and one Angus under the Hanson's banner and three bulls under the Bullakeana brand.

The former had an average of $5889 and the latter $4833, or a combined average of $5625.

Mr Hanson said the very strong presence of repeat buyers had been pleasing to see, considering that a few indicated they were too concerned about the wind and possibility of fire to attend the sale.

His top price was $7500 for Hanson's Universe (SC), a 24-month Ultrablack, sired by Cluny Range Jailbait and sold to local buyer, FA and BC Spannagle.

He hit the scales at 943kg and had P8 and rib measurements of 28 and 15 plus a scrotal circumference of 44cm.

"Jailbait's son's averaged just over $9000 for us last year," Mr Hanson said. "This is our second year of his progeny; they're doing a very good job for us."

All eyes were on his only Angus bull, Hanson's Platinum Black P01, a three-quarter brother to Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15, sold last week for a national Angus record price of $160,000.

This one, 17 months old and weighing 735kg, made $6500, paid by the only NSW presence at the sale, Wallawong Angus, Gunnedah.

Apart from Mr Poole, Glen and Cheryl Connolly, Blanncourt, Georgetown also purchased five head at the sale, paying a top of $6000 for Hanson's Upgrade, an Ultrablack.

He also secured a Stewart Park Angus bull, a Callandoon Angus bull, a Bushlands Angus bull, and a Lunar Brangus bull, finishing with a $4500 average paid.

The Dyer family, Apsley Cattle Co, Alpha averaged $4500 for four bulls, two Brangus from Voewood, an Ultrablack from Hanson's and another from Beejay stud.

Pini Grazing, Nebo, shopped around, selecting an Angus bull from Callandoon, a Brangus from Voewood, an Ultrablack from Hanson's and a Brangus from Bullakeana, averaging $5700.

Lyra Park, Capella concentrated on Lunar genetics, buying two Brangus bulls and an Ultrablack bull there, plus an Angus bull from Callandoon, averaging $7000.

The Spannagle family paid an average of $7250 for four bulls, two Angus from Callandoon, an Ultrablack from Hanson's and a Brangus from Lunar.

Brad Comisky said the sale was starting to stamp a spot on the calendar because the mixture of breeds meant people could get what suited them.

"The sale's got a good reputation in a short time," he said.

The total list of vendors included Beejay, Blackrock, Bullakeana, Bushlands, Callandoon, Lunar, Stewart Park, and Voewood.

Selling agents were Hourn and Bishop, and Emerald Land and Cattle Co.