By HARRY CLARKE
THERE was something for everyone at the annual bull sale for leading Santa Gertrudis stud Yarrawonga, but an incredibly strong overall market was highlighted when the first ten animals through the ring averaged $57,000.
Lot number 2, the 23-month-old old, 914kg Yarawonga Katmandu R236, fetched a staggering new Santa Gertrudis record of $150,000, smashing the previous record of $126,000.
He was purchased by Scott and Wendy Ferguson of Glen Oaks stud at Nobby.
Santa Gertrudis Breeders Association general manager Chris Todd said the bull “moved well, walked well, had great muscle, great top line, depth and weight, and had sire appeal all over him”.
There were a total of 159 bulls sold at Yarrawonga with 100 percent clearance, grossing $2,424,000 for the Bassingthwaighte family whose renowned stud is based south of Wallumbilla.
“When you put up over 150 bulls you worry whether you’ve got the buyers to cover that and they did that very easily,” said Chris Todd said.
“People get worried about all these high prices but there’s always a bull there for your budget. Yarrawonga do that well. There were heaps of bulls that made $5,000.”
The average price from the 62nd Yarrawonga bull sale was $15,245.
The second top price was Lot 1, Yarrawonga Krafty R6, which sold for $90,000 to Diamond H Santa Gertrudis stud at Chinchilla.
“If people come to an auction and they’re happy to sit through a sale they’ll get an opportunity to pick a bull in their budget,” Chris Todd said.
“Once all the studs have gone through and bought all their sires to improve their own genetics, then the commercial guys get in there.
“When you’re getting $1,400 to $2,000 for wiener, it’s all relative to the current market.”
For years the Santa Gertrudis record was $90,000 but already this year there have already been three bulls sold for $100,000.
Mr Todd said it remained to be seen whether soaring cattle prices would continue, but there’s expectation in the industry that demand isn’t going anywhere.
“We’ve now had three years of really good prices because our cattle numbers were down through that long drought and the demand for protein from Asia and other countries will keep it going,” he said.
