Forest Hills Brangus sell to $15,000 at inaugural sale at Emerald

The story was not as buoyant for the 22 young unjoined registered females offered, with 50pc sold for an average of $2045, but Kellie Silvester said that being an extra tough year weatherwise, it had been hard to predict sale outcomes when they were making preparations.

"We are completely humbled by the result and all the support people have given us," she said.

The electricity in the air from storms building to the east translated to an electrifying atmosphere in the stands as the sale began, thanks to auctioneer Wayne York.

He exhorted Daniel and Pam Cormack, based at Johnny Cake Station, Collinsville, to a top price of $15,000 for Forest Hills Free Mover 1175 (P), one of few heterozygous polled bulls in the catalogue.

The son of Weona Calypso, who featured prominently through the sale, the 21-month-old weighed 808kg and had rump and rib fat measurements of 13mm and 9mm, with an eye muscle area of 124 sq cm.

A first-time buyer, Mr Cormack said he had been running a black Simmental herd and wanted to give the Brangus a try instead.

His brother Kyle and wife Jodie Cormack, Wavering Downs, Clermont were one of the sale's larger purchasers, buying seven bulls for an average of $5857.

Just pipping them with eight bulls for a top of $10,000 and an average of $7062 were Shane and Amanda Watts, Sonoma Grazing, Collinsville.

Mr Watts said they were in need of bulls for 1500 cows they were stocking a newly purchased property at Bowen with.

"They had been using Brangus bulls and we were impressed with the calves off the Brahman cows so we thought we would continue," he said. "They are suited to that coastal country and can go on a boat so we hedge our bets with them."

Also in the bulls' favour was that they had a higher Brahman content than other Brangus breeders, which also worked in the Watts' favour.

They were the losing bidders on another six bulls.

Mr Watts said they had also enjoyed supporting entrepreneurial people such as the Silvesters.

Another strong supporter was the Emerald-based Newies Family Trust who paid the equal second-top price of $12,000 on the way to buying three bulls in total for an average of $10,300.

Forest Hills Funky Town 1212 (P), with 56pc Brahman content, will bring them a scrotal circumference of 43.5cm, semen morphology of 92pc, and an EMA of 128sq cm.

The other bull sold for $12,000 was Forest Hills Fifty Shades 1098 (P), to JJ and WR Jansen, Riverview, Alpha.

The top priced female, Forest Hills Fancy Pants 1247 (P), sired by Kajarabie 994 (P), sold for $3500 to Black Label Angus, Tanderra, Springsure.

They were the main heifer purchasers, buying four of the 11 sold under the hammer.

Also based at Tanderra, the Godwin Cattle Co selected five bulls for an average price of $8800.

Buying one bull, Forest Hills Fair Dinkum 1168 (P), and two heifers, Forest Hills Frilly 1184 (P) and Forest Hills Fay 1194 (P), both sired by Weona Calypso, was the Bimbadeen Cattle Co, Eidsvold.

The $1250 paid by Paringa Pastoral, Capella, for Forest Hills Galaxie 1314 (P), an 11-month female, will be donated to RACQ Capricorn Helicopter Rescue as a mark of the Silvester's appreciation of the service during a family emergency in 2016.

Mr Silvester had contracted a rare and severe bacterial infection that turned life-threatening very quickly and was urgently flown from Emerald to the Rockhampton ICU.

Prior to the sale it was announced that Lleyton and Kimberley Young, Mt Wilkin Station, Clermont were the beneficiaries of a Forest Hills $500 credit voucher draw, which offset their purchase of Forest Hills Faithful 1040 (P), a 20-month heifer, bought for $1500.

Ms Silvester said moving forward they would likely continue to offer females at future sales.

"It was tough for them today but we did have a lot of enquiry," she said. "Because it's stayed dry, people found they couldn't handle them."