Kenilworth's grey homozygous polled herd bull attracts top price at Gold City Brahman Sale at Charters Towers

Both commercial and seed-stock producers from across central and northern Queensland and even Northern Territory made the trip to the Dalrymple Saleyards to secure quality Brahman genetics.

At the fall of the hammer on Friday afternoon, 136 of the 153 bulls offered on the day sold for a clearance rate of 88 per cent, overall gross of $1,075,000 and average of $7904 per head - an increase of $1055 on last year's result.

The red contingent opened the sale to a strong response from the sizeable panel of buyers in attendance. Of the 72 red bull offered, 69 found new homes on the day for a 95 pc clearance, to average $8130.

A further run down of the catalogue saw 11 red herd bulls sold for a top of $14,000 and average of $8172, while 58 registered red sires sold to a top of $20,000 and averaged $8172.

After the last of the reds exited the ring, it was the greys time to shine, with 67 of the 83 bulls offered averaging $7671 for an 81pc clearance.

A total of 14 grey herd bulls sold for a top of $35,000 and average of $8642, while 53 registered grey bulls sold to a top of $26,000 and averaged $7415.

The 2022 sales' overall top price was reached late in the day when lot 192, Kenilworth 6695, attracted plenty of attention with Bill Mann of Hillgrove Pastoral, making the winning bid of $35,000.

Hillgrove Pastoral is located 84km north of Charters Towers, where Mr Mann said they run a nucleus-herd of Brahman cattle for commercial breeding and fattening.

Mr Mann said he's been buying Kenilworth bulls for a long time and knows the quality and quietness of their cattle.

"I'm very interested in polled bulls and I've got a nucleus herd that I've breed my own bulls just for my commercial herd.

"I've been selecting PP heifers and cows for quite a few years now and so my strategy is to go out and look for a good PP bull.

"Something that I believe is better than what I've already got and that's not hard if you go to Kenilworth."

Mr Mann said he was interested in all three of Kenilworths' homozygous polled bulls they offered on the day, but it was the top herd bull which ticked all the boxes.

"I was attracted to him most even just from the first photo online and he looked like a real Kenilworth bull," he said.

"He's not a huge bull, but he's nicely broad and he's got an outstanding hindquarters.

"He'll go back to Hillgrove where I've got another great sire from Lancefield, which I purchase back in November last year.

"This bull was more less a backup if anything goes wrong, but he'll still do the job."

The 35-month-old herd bull came from a multi sire paddock and was out of a Kenilworth pure bred female.

He weighed an impressive 906 kilograms, had an eye muscle area of 138 square centimetres, measured 44cm for scrotal and had rib and rump fat measurements of 15 and 11 millimetres respectively.

Kenilworth Brahmans vendors Kelvin and Margaret Maloney, together with Brad and Kelveen Hancock of Mount Coolon, Collinsville sold all five bulls they brought to the sale, to average $15,800.

Speaking on behalf of the stud, Mr Hancock said they were extremely happy with their overall sale result.

"You've always got high expectations heading into the sale, but whether it delivers or not, it depends on the day and these bulls of ours delivered in the end," he said

"You can never pick which bull is going to make the most money, it's always hard to tell, but we can't complain one bit, we done extremely well."

It was early on in the sale proceedings that the top priced red bull sold with lot 8, Somerview Adonis 3420, which was offered by Brian and Glenda Kirkwood, Somerview, Charters Towers, and purchased by Allan and Jeanette Williams of Riverside Pastoral Company, Nebo, for $20,000.

The 29-month-old polled scurred bull was sired by Palmvale Honky Tonk and out of Somerview Hope 2867.

He weighed 820kg, had an EMA of 135sqcm, measured 36.5cm for scrotal, had rib and rump fat measurements of 18 and 15mm respectively.

Somerview Brahmans scored a solid average on the day, with 10 of their red bulls selling to average $11,800/head.

The co-volume buyers for the sale were Allan and Jeanette Williams of Riverside Pastoral Company, Nebo, who purchased 12 bulls for $10,916/head, and local buyers Barrett Grazing, Charters Towers who also bought 12 head for $4833/head.

During the sale, more than 265 viewers from Queensland watched online via Elite Livestock Auctions, with 84 registered bidders in total and six bull purchases made.

Friday's sale was conducted by Ray White Geaney Kirkwood Livestock and Elders Stud Stock, and simulcast with Elite Livestock Auctions.