Cree Santa Gertrudis bull sale clears 100pc, averages $16,985

Cree principals Shaun and Jo McGuigan were "lost for words" with the overwhelming support from buyers given at the sale, clearing every Santa bull offered against a backdrop of adverse seasonal conditions.

The overall sale results were well up on last year's figures, with a total of 67 Santa Gertrudis bulls sold, representing 100 per cent clearance, to a top of $40,000, averaging $16,985 and with an overall gross of $1,138,000.

Stu and Pat Leahy, Barram, Eidsvold, were the first to bid the top money, securing Cree Northerly R222 (PP) for $40,000.

A son of Cree Northerly N116, the 22-month-old entered the ring at 694 kilograms, had an eye muscle area of 120 square centimetres, rump and rib fats of 12 millimeters and 8mm, a scrotal circumference of 42cm and an intramuscular fat (IMF) measurement of 4.3 per cent.

Bidders set a frenetic pace as soon as the first bull entered the sale ring, with a polled bull by Benelkay Hercules H30 (P) attracting the second-top price of $36,000.

Purchased by the Greenup family at Rosevale Santa Gertrudis, Cree Hercules R022 (P) weighed 818kg, had an EMA of 133sq cm, scrotal circumference of 40cm and IMF of 4.5pc.

Sean Dillon, Surbiton Station, Alpha, secured the third top-priced Santa bull called Cree Morocco R152 (P) for $35,000.

The 24-month-old son of Cree Morocco M126 (P) weighed 802kg, had a scrotal circumference of 44cm, an eye muscle area of 132 square centimetres and P8 and rib fat of 12mm and 8mm respectively.

Volume buyers on the day included two repeat purchasers. Surbiton Station once again paid big money to secure Cree genetics, securing five bulls to a top of $35,000 and average of $21,000, while the Hetherington family at Baralaba secured five bulls to a top of $16,000 and average of $13,200.

Attracting over 60 registered bidders from central and south west Queensland, Cree co-principal Shaun McGuigan said most of the bulls went to repeat buyers with a strong Central Queensland contingent.

Read the full report in this week's Queensland Country Life print edition.

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