THE Shorthorn breed's staunch supporters raised their hands high on March 26 in support of the Naracoorte multi-vendor bull sale's move from a led to a more commercially orientated unled format.
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The long-running sale notched its highest average in three years, with 24 of 32 bulls from eight SA and Vic studs averaging a creditable $4833.
Bidding was spirited through most of the sale at the new venue - the Pathfinder sale complex - but the biggest high was saved for last.
In a rare turn of events the final bull in the catalogue, Eloora Darwin J08, offered by the Brook families, Eloora, Bulart, Vic, made the $10,500 top.
The two-year-old rich red bull was the highest-performer in the catalogue, tipping the scales at 994 kilograms.
He also had the biggest eye muscle area of 148 square centimetres with 12 millimetres rump fat and 8mm rib fat.
His Breedplan figures matched his impressive scans, in the top 1 per cent for the breed's northern maternal index at $64, top 5pc for domestic maternal index at $51, and top 10pc for export maternal index at $39.
Darwin was an AI son of Marellan Indestructible, used widely in the western Vic stud in the past five years and bred consistently.
"He has always been among the best of our bulls in the drop and stands out with his muscle pattern and softness," stud co-principal Dion Brook said.
AJ&PA McBride's operations manager Lindsay Breeding was the successful purchaser of Darwin for their bull breeding program at Nepowie Station, Woolumbool, Vic.
Nepowie supplies Shorthorn bulls to its four SE properties where their target market is turning off 450kg to 500kg feeder steers.
"He is a good easy-doing type with plenty of power and meat and a bit earlier maturing than we have had," Mr Breeding said.
"We wanted to put a bit more carcase into them, which he should do."
It was definitely the Brook families' day to shine, with Eloora topping the stud averages. Its five bulls averaged a tremendous $7600.
Also among their team was the $9000 second-top-price bull Eloora Daytona J09
The flush full brother to last year's Dubbo National grand champion had been used in the stud. The 976kg son of Sprys Patent's Ace G38 sold to Neville and Anne Nicolle, Riverside Holdings, Tintinara.
The Thompson family, Bayiew stud, Yorketown sold another standout - Bayview Oasis J59 to Telang Pastoral Co, Kingston, at $8000.
GM Butler & Sons, Lochaber, led the volume buyers list with three bulls to a $6500 high paid for a soft roan bull, Bundaleer Jaffa, from the Ashby family, Gulnare.
The catalogue featured a wide selection of the breed's leading genetics and many of the bulls were ranked in the top 10pc or better for a range of Breedplan traits with good mid-maturity pattern.
Despite the strong bidding there was outstanding value for money, with 13 bulls fetching between $3000 and $4000.
Catherine Miller
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
