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$17,000 top for Simmental at Mt Barker Saleyards

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Bob GarnantCountryman
Naracoopa Black Simmental stud co-principal Kevin Hard with his $17,000 record top-priced bull.
Camera IconNaracoopa Black Simmental stud co-principal Kevin Hard with his $17,000 record top-priced bull. Credit: Countryman

A Denmark Simmental stud set a sizzling record pace with a $17,000 top price at the first bull sale of the year held last week at the Mt Barker Saleyards complex.

The 895kg Black Simmental bull, Naracoopa Qualify Q005, was offered at the annual Nutrien Livestock Great Southern Blue Ribbon All Breeds Bull Sale, where 48 bulls were catalogued and 46 sold — a good start to the selling season.

The average price of $6087 was up $1317 on last year’s sale, when 51 bulls sold for an average price of $4770.

Naracoopa stud co-principal Kevin Hard said his ET-bred bull was by Webb Tank K090 that also sired Qualify’s full brother that topped the 2019 sale at $16,500.

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“We have had 10 ET sons of Webb Tank and they have been very consistent,” he said.

The buyer was Andrew Hann, of Greendale Simmental stud in Esperance.

He had previously bought traditional Simmental bulls from Naracoopa.

“I bought red bulls in the past, but this was my first Black Simmental from Naracoopa,” he said.

“The bull has good length and is not too high off the ground.”

Mr Hann runs a red and black Simmental stud and also has a herd of 500 commercial breeders in a mix of Simmentals and Angus to produce first-cross calves earmarked for a feedlot.

With the $11,000 top-priced Angus bull, Ponderosa Admiral Q18, was Elders Mt Barker agent Dean Wallinger, buyers Wayne and Serena Matthews, of Kangarabbi Farms, in Narrikup, and Ponderosa Angus stud co-principal Greg Brown, of Green Valley.
Camera IconWith the $11,000 top-priced Angus bull, Ponderosa Admiral Q18, was Elders Mt Barker agent Dean Wallinger, buyers Wayne and Serena Matthews, of Kangarabbi Farms, in Narrikup, and Ponderosa Angus stud co-principal Greg Brown, of Green Valley. Credit: Countryman

Also selling well, traditional Simmental bulls reached a top of $9500 with Naracoopa Quantum Q032 secured by repeat buyer R & P Thornton, of Denmark, while polled bull, Naracoopa Quentin Q025, sold for $9000 to Thornton Farms, in Denmark.

Naracoopa offered and sold seven bulls averaging $8715, up $3242 on last year when the stud sold nine bulls for an average price of $5473. Also in the Simmental offering, WA College of Agriculture — Denmark’s Inlet stud offered and sold three bulls to a top of $8500 for Inlet Views Quenda Q77 that sold to JW Dennis, of Mt Barker.

The sale’s $11,000 second top-price bull, Ponderosa Admiral Q18 SV, a 10-month-old Angus bull, kicked off the Angus catalogue of 25 bulls from three studs.

The first Angus, offered by Ponderosa stud co-principal Greg Brown, of Green Valley, was sired by Koojan Hills Admiral K166 SV. This bull was secured by Narrikup cattle producer Wayne Matthews, of Kangarabbi Farms.

Mr Matthews said he was a repeat buyer of Ponderosa bulls and was selecting on the bull’s merit to breed quality replacement heifers.

“We will put the new bull to work in our herd of 500 pure Angus commercial breeders,” he said.

Mr Brown said he was pleased to top the Angus catalogue.

He offered three bulls that all sold for an average price of $7834, the second-best stud average of the sale.

Mason Valley Angus stud, of Youngs Siding, offered and sold 16 bulls to a second-best Angus top of $9500 and average price of $5657.

Mason Valley stud co-principal Darren Burrow said his sale topper, Mason Valley Onyx Q56 SV, carried a heap of volume and muscle.

Esperance cattle breeder Andrew Hann, with farm worker Rachel Tonkin, paid the top-price for a Naracoopa Black Simmental bull at the Nutrien Livestock All Breeds sale at Mt Barker.
Camera IconEsperance cattle breeder Andrew Hann, with farm worker Rachel Tonkin, paid the top-price for a Naracoopa Black Simmental bull at the Nutrien Livestock All Breeds sale at Mt Barker. Credit: Countryman

“The bull’s sire, Black Onyx 5Q11, is renowned for his low birth weights and rapid growth,” he said.

The Onyx son, with its low Estimated Breeding Value of +3.6 for birth weight, sold to the James family, of Stockdale Partners, in Hyden.

Two Quicksilver Charolais bulls were sold for the stud’s equal $6500 top-price with Graham Ayres, of Bornholm, taking the pair.

Mr Ayers, a repeat buyer of Quicksilver bulls, runs a 250-head cross-bred herd and sells calves mainly to the saleyards.

“We are having an awesome season,” he said.

Nutrien Livestock auctioneer Michael Altus said the bull sale had good support with repeat buyers and a few new ones.

“It was a good clearance and reflected the buoyant beef cattle industry,” he said.

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