Discerning red and grey studmasters from across the country have recognised the Big Country Sale's extraordinary record of producing stud sires which have not only benefitted their herd, but have also made a significant positive impact to the bottom line of their operations.
Central and Southern Queensland studmasters' success with progeny from their early purchases at Big Country in the 1990s established an excellent reputation for the sale as a leading source of genetically strong sires.
Former Big Country Sale agent Ken McCaffrey remembers Huonfels Jacob Rio being purchased by the renowned C.Q. based Fairy Springs stud in the '90s, and he went on to be one of the leading red sires in the industry.
"More and more studmasters are working out Big Country is the sale to invest in sires, and the record shows you can buy them at reasonable prices," Mr McCaffrey said.
The exceptional value aspect of sire shopping at the sale is confirmed by a lengthy list of examples of studmasters selling high-priced and sale-topping progeny of their astute Big Country investments:
Cambil stud purchased Elrose Fair Play in 2013 for $22,000 and has sold his sons up to $140,000; Palmvale stud purchased Lanes Creek Sir Senator for $33,000 in 2017 and has sold his sons up to $140,000; Somerton stud purchased Lanes Creek Dolomite in 2016 for $35,000 and has sold his sons up to $85,000; Lanes Creek stud purchased Kenilworth 4899 in 2016 for $96,000 (a world record for a Brahman commercial herd bull) and has already achieved nearly $500,000 in sales for his progeny at auction, with commercial sons selling up to $34,000, $28,000, etc.
Bargain-priced, well-bred heifers sourced from Big Country are also playing their part in enhancing the sale's record for successful genetics, as Ooline M stud's recent $46,000 result at Brahman Week for red bull Ooline M El Chappy shows.
This bull is the first calf of a Lanes Creek heifer studmaster Megan Kent purchased at Big Country for $7000.
