HAZELDEAN continued its run of extremely solid Angus bull sales with another strong result at its annual on-property auction at Willalooka on Tuesday last week.
As it so often does, the stud recorded near-perfect clearance, selling 42 of the 43 bulls offered to $6500 averaging $4256.
The clearance and the average price were improvements on the 2013 result, the average rising more than $60 on last year.
In a further plus for principals Jim and Libby Litchfield and Guy and Sarah Cunningham, the top-price bull was purchased by a couple who returned to Hazeldean after an extended hiatus from the stud. Max and Briony Schleuniger, Akeringa Pastoral, Bray, outlaid $6500 late in the sale on lot 48 for Hazeldean Humblebrag, a 660-kilogram son of Rennylea Norc.
The bull's estimated breeding values were +2.1 on birthweight before exploding out to +90 and +110 on 400-day and 600-day weights respectively.
The Schleunigers also bid successfully on Hazeldean Hatfield, another Rennylea Norc son, paying $4500. He measured +2.9 on BWT and +109 on 600-day weight.
It was the birthweight and growth-rate figures that endeared the Schleunigers to the bulls they bought. "We bought the bulls to introduce new genetics to our 300-head herd of Shorthorn breeders," Mr Schleuniger said.
"We came back to Hazeldean to 'put a toe in the water' towards crossbreeding."
Two bulls were knocked down at $6000, the first at lot one bought by Charlie Bruce, Boonoonar Partners, Kingston, and the second bought by R&S Tregoweth, Lucindale.
Donald Brown & Co, Keppoch, outlaid $5500 on lot three and lot 35, both bulls either sired by or a grandson of Te Mania Berkley.
Also forking out $5500 for a bull was SA&GE Smith, Lucindale, on lot 10 in Hazeldean Hulky.
* Full report in Stock Journal, February 27, 2014 issue.
