MAGS sale hits $37,500 top price twice

In all 104 of the 126 Droughtmaster and Charmaster bulls offered sold for an 83 per cent clearance rate, an average of $8798 and a gross of $915,000, for the sale held at the Dalrymple Saleyards, Charters Towers, on Friday, November 10.

Breaking this down, 88 of the 110 Droughtmaster bulls (80pc) sold to average $9080 and gross $799,000, while all 16 Charmaster bulls sold to average $7250 and gross $116,000. At the fall of the hammer in 2022, 110 of the 122 bulls sold to average $13,614 and top at $60,000.

The selling started off hot when lot 1, the homozygous polled Lamont Vinny (PP) D3 reached $37,500. while in the very next lot, Lamont Volt D4 also snagged a $37,500 winning bid.

Offered by Mac and Gayle Shanns, Lamont stud, Cantaur Park, Clermont, these bulls topped the sale.

The 28-month-old, two-tooth homozygous polled Lamont Vinny D3 (Waringle Bones cross Lamont 643) weighed 922kg, with P8 and rib fat measurements of 15mm and 12mm, a 144cm square centimetre eye muscle area, a scrotal measurement of 44cm, intramuscular fat of 5.3pc, and motility and morphology scores of 85pc and 80pc.

The two-tooth, 28-month-old Lamont Volt D4 (Oasis Dundee cross Lamont 912) weighed 884kg, with P8 and rib fat measurements of 14mm and 10mm respectively, a 143cm square centimetre EMA, a scrotal measurement of 41cm, IMF of 6.1pc, and motility and morphology scores of 90pc and 78pc.

Both bulls were secured by Max Kelso, Coalbrook, Richmond, who also purchased the $50,000 top-priced bull of the 2020 sale.

"The MAGS vendors do a very good job of breeding bulls. I've been buying bulls out of the sale for quite some time so I know what to expect of them. Their bulls are a good fit for what we need," Mr Kelso said.

"I inspected Vinny and Volt pre-sale. They were in the same pen, happy to be with each other, chewing cud. Which gave me confidence about transporting them home," he said.

Third top-price honours went to Yaralla Wallace son, Lamont Vernon D5, in lot 99. He was snapped up by Terry and Catherine Piggott, Aldinga Pastoral Company, Rolleston, for $34,000.

Mr Piggot described the 23-month-old 776kg Vernon D5 as a "very quiet, well-bodied bull, with a good coat, strong carcase traits (142cm EMA), and a nice kind head".

"His high fertility, morphology (93pc) and motility (90pc) are also important to us. He'll be going in with a selection of our Aldinga stud heifers," he said.

"We hadn't bought a MAGS bull for a while, but we often attend the sale, and Vernon D5 is a bull that will fit in well with our cows."

Kylie Graham, Mungalla Droughtmasters, Farnham, Taroom, offered the $30,000 fourth highest-priced bull, Mungalla 4480 D4, in lot 19. He went to Eversleigh and Wallace Vale Droughtmaster stud principals, Roger and Jenny Underwood, Pine Hills, Wallumbilla.

The top price Charmaster bull, Lamont Eze 344 was purchased by long-time sale supporters Suttor Grazing Co, Collinsville, which was also the volume buyer on the day, taking home eight bulls at $10,500 per head.

Other volume buyers on the day were the Hansen family, Chesalon Grazing Company, Alpha, who bought six bulls at $5000 per head, while the Sparrow family, North Tullamore Pastoral, Alpha, averaged $6000 for their six purchases.

Sale coordinator Anthony Ball, Elders, said buyers from Roma, Atherton Tableland, Hughenden, and Dalrymple region were in attendance.

"In total, 53 of the bulls (42pc of the draft) were secured by commercial livestock producers who had purchased bulls from MAGS previously. Stud support was also strong, with 21 bulls (17pc) to return to stud duties," Mr Ball said.

"Considering the market and weather conditions, I thought it was a strong sale where the quality of cattle shone through," he said.

Gayle Shann said the MAGS vendors appreciated the buyers turning up in such a tough year.

"The strong stud presence was most appreciated as were all the buyers on the day. The MAGS vendors are committed to selling in the north, and we'll be back in Charters Towers in 2024, for the 23rd annual sale. We're here for the long haul," she said.