Stellar support from a large panel of repeat and first-time buyers from Central, Western, North and Far North Queensland ensured an excellent result was achieved for the 32nd Wilangi Invitation Brahman Sale.
The bidding was fierce for producers looking to bolster their stud and/or commercial herds with the industry leading Grey Brahman genetics inherent to the 216 bulls offered by the Wilangi, Cambil, Lanes Creek, Viva, Wallace, Glengarry and Raglan studs on Friday, November 29, at the Dalrymple Saleyards, Charters Towers.
In all, 215 bulls sold to gross $1,648,500 and average $7665. The 70 Premier Select Sires grossed $834,500 to average $11,920, 68 registered bulls grossed $404,000 to average $5940, and 77 herd bulls grossed $410,000 to average $5325.
Sale coordinator, Ken McCaffrey, McCaffrey's Australian Livestock Marketing, said the result was "very pleasing".
"We basically achieved a full clearance of the draft, and the competitiveness of the bidding at the sale was a reflection on the strong quality of the offering," Mr McCaffrey said.
"The presentation of the lots through the sale also proved to be beneficial in regards to buyer appeal. We changed the catalogue up this year by interspersing groupings of herd bulls in between the registered sire drafts," he said.
"The result was aided by a high percentage of long-time sale supporters attending the sale this year, while we also enjoyed solid support from first-time buyers who've identified the sale as a place to shop for quality Grey Brahman bulls."
The Camm family, Cambil Brahmans, Proserpine, enjoyed a terrific day in the ring which reached a peak when the Lot 13, the 25-month-old Cambil Hemsworth 5455 (IVF) (P), was purchased for $72,500 by Michelle Lamb, Abbotsford, Biloela.
Lawson Camm said the son of Kenrol Darrocca 2761 (P) displays great depth of muscling, great flank, outstanding hindquarter, high weight performance and carcass values, and an excellent finish.
Ms Lamb said the 2019 Royal Brisbane Show Reserve Senior Champion Broadribbon winner instantly caught her eye when she was conducting her pre-sale inspection.
She said she was chasing good all-round bulls at the sale, while she continues to establish her pure Brahman herd, and was very happy with her sole purchase on the day.
"I have a few solid red and grey commercial bulls, but I'll be able to put him over anything," she said.
"I'm also hoping to sell semen from him, so I'll be sending him straight down to Rocky Repro."
Cambil DiCapri Manso scored the second highest price of $47,500 when Roger Landsberg, Trafalgar Pastoral Company, Charters Towers, made the winning bid on the 21-month-old JDH Clanton De Manso 313/8 (IMP) son in Lot 114.
Mr Landsberg was the underbidder on Hemsworth, earlier in the sale, but he said he'd taken a good look at both sire prospects pre-sale, and was very happy to be taking home his first Cambil bull.
"He has a lovely temperament, a tremendous carcass, good scrotal measurements and his fertility looks to be the goods," he said.
"He's a good young bull that will be going straight into our stud herd."
The Landsberg family bought three bulls all up at an average of $21,500 per head.
Hemsworth's full brother Cambil Jackman 5453 (P) was secured by David and Holly Stevens, Cremona Brahmans, Julia Creek, for the sales' third top price of $45,000.
Sharing the same high pedigree as his brother, Jackman went under the hammer after being named Junior Champion Bull in the Brahman ring at the The Royal Brisbane Show this year, and Mr Stevens said he'd had an eye on the magnificent poll sire prospect since he had seen him in Rockhampton during Beef Australia 2018.
"He's a good, loose, beefy, poll," he said.
"We've previously bought Cambil bulls and heifers which have all performed well for us.
"We'll be putting him in with our poll stud cows to bolster the poll blood in the progeny."
The Stevens family took home nine bulls in total at an average of $10,389 to further their efforts in replacing the bulls they lost during the floods in February of this year.
All 25 bulls in the Cambil draft found new homes and Lawson Camm said it had been a very satisfying sale result considering the ongoing dry climatic conditions and the floods and fires many producers have, and in many cases, are still facing.
"Considering those surrounding circumstances, I think it demonstrates the strength of the sale and the demand for the Brahman breed due to their ability to handle the conditions we're contending with, and also for their value in the live export trade."
All vendors fared well at the sale.
The Angel family, Glengarry Brahmans, Kunwarara, sold 20 bulls while reaching a top of $16,000 twice, and the Davison family, Viva Brahmans, Middlemount, sold 26 bulls. The Davison's sale high of $30,000 came when Harry and Sue Shann, Suttor Grazing, Myall Springs, Collinsville, purchased Lot 4, Viva Garth 1417 (P).
The Hughes family, Lanes Creek Brahmans, Georgetown, sold 22 bulls. Their NCC El Toro son Lanes Creek Emperor 2110 was secured by fellow sale vendors Stewart and Kerry Wallace, Wallace Cattle Co, Marlborough, for $20,000.
The Wallace family solid 22 bulls, and their Lot 51 offering, Wallace Mr Rebel 42/18 topped their draft at $22,000 when he was snapped up by Mick Clark, Ibis Creek Pastoral, Mt Coolon. The Wallace's also sold the top price herd bull when Lachlan Mace, Red Ridge Grazing Company, Shoalwater Bay, bought a Wallace Mr Nashville son in Lot 153 for $11,000.
The Olive family, Raglan Brahmans, Raglan, sold 35 bulls, with Lot 93 bull Raglan Mr Gunzler 2907 being the highlight of their draft, selling to T and C Walker for $13,000.
Sale hosts, the White family, Wilangi Brahmans, Marlborough, sold 65 bulls in total. Wilangi R Geronimo 7709, topped their draft at $14,000 when the 27-month-old son of Palmal Discovery 6796 was purchased by Dan and Sally Beauchamp, Bumble Creek Brahmans, Toolakea.
The Beauchamp's will also be enjoying a lovely holiday experience in the near future with "a few old mates," according to Mr Beauchamp, after they made the winning bid of $3100 on the package which was offered after Lot 67 during the sale. All proceeds from this charity auction are being sent to BlazeAid to assist with Northern Flood Remedial Assistance.
Dan Condon, Strathmore Station Trust, Collinsville, topped the volume buyers list by picking up 12 bulls for a tidy average of $6167, while Eric and Lyn Slack-Smith, Gladevale, Richmond, purchased 10 head for a $4300 average.
Pip Knuth, Burdekin Downs Pastoral Company, Charters Towers, bought nine bulls at an average of $6056, and Suttor Grazing, purchased eight bulls in total at an average of $11,313.
Carol Ross, Starbright, Charters Towers, bought eight bulls for an average price of $6688, while the Braes family, Haven Downs, Winton, also took home eight bulls at an average of $4813.
Mr McCaffrey said as the season has gone on since the start of Spring, conditions have only gotten drier.
"Due to these conditions, it was very gratifying to see these great prices being paid considering we're two months further into the dry now from when the Rockhampton Brahman Week Sale was held."
Agents: McCaffrey's Australian Livestock Marketing and Queensland Rural.
