SALE SUMMARY
2016 2015
Offered 58 60
Sold 58 60
Top $10,000 $7000 (x2)
Av $5896 $4667
COOLANA’S SA autumn bull sale at The Basin sale complex, Willalooka, on Wednesday last week was a great success with a total clearance of 58 bulls for a $5896 average – up $1229 on last year.
The increased gallery included a vast majority of repeat clients plus a smattering of new buyers all actively competing for the top quality line-up of Angus bulls.
Spence Dix & Co auctioneers Jono Spence and Luke Schreiber had little trouble attracting bids from the 39 registered bidders who saw real value in the Gubbin family’s paddock reared bulls, renowned for their productivity, fertility and longevity.
There was no runaway top price to grab headlines and prop up the average, but rather the evenness of quality was the standout.
The prices reflected this with 73 per cent of the offering selling in the $5000 to $8000 price range. Buyers were prepared to bid to a higher value with the greater confidence in the beef industry but with the number of Angus bulls still available, they were not prepared to pay inflated values.
The $10,000 top price bull was bought by repeat clients Simon and Jack Rowe, Princess Royal Station, Burra.
The lot 2 bull, Coolana Equator F10-K615, was sired by Cluden Newry Equator F10. This bull had a great balance of Breedplan performance figures, highlighted by +116 for 600-day weight and +5.8 for eye muscle area. Despite still waiting for a decent rain in their station country, the Rowe family bought four bulls at a $7000 av.
Spence Dix & Co’s Meningie-based agent Mark O’Leary was very busy operating with the two volume buyers on the day.
Deb Macdonald, Moonee Hills, was the sale’s largest volume buyer with 13 bulls. These ranged from $5000 to the sale’s second-top price of $9000. She paid this for Coolana Fireball K602, an impressive and well balanced son of Dunoon Fireball F186. Moonee Hill’s 13 bulls averaged $6923.
Yalanda Pastoral manager Shaune Standley was Mr O’Leary’s other volume buyer, picking up seven bulls to a $6000 high and $5214 av.
Coolana co-principal Mark Gubbins said it was a “very pleasing result”.
“I made a statement here two years ago that we were on the cusp of a cattle boom as prices were high elsewhere all around the world,” he said.
“Due to the drought effects that boom took a little longer to kick in than we hoped, but despite some continuing seasonal constraints at present, the reality is that the beef industry is in the best place we have ever seen it.”
– IAN TURNER
