Nampara Angus averages $7185

Last year, stud principals Stuart and Natalie Hann set a spectacular $85,000 state record but in 2018 the result favoured both vendors and the more than 50 registered bidders.

The top end of the sale, held at Coles, near Lucindale, was strong with nine bulls making $10,000 or more but bidding intensity was missing in the mid range.

In the breakdown 62 of 67 growthy, easy doing bulls averaged $7185 with 17 bulls making $4000 to $5000.

The $16,000 sale high was paid for Lot 4, Nampara Conversion M78,  an outstanding AI bred son of US sire Silverias Conversion.

The 22 month old, 946 kilogram bull went to repeat buyer Greg Fisher, Clover Ridge Pastoral, Marcollat with his agent Laryn Gogel.

“He is a big volumed bull with a fair bit of thickness and positive fat so he ticks a few boxes for us,” Mr Gogel said.

It had a strong set of Breedplan figures including a 200 day growth of +55, 400 day growth of +101 and 600 day growth of +131.

Mr Gogel said Clover Ridge was focussed on both high 200 and 600 day growth.

It was looking to turn off 400 kg plus calves as quickly as possible, but also recognised the buyers of their weaners and feeder steers needed to take them onto heavier weights.

Clover Ridge also paid $11,000 for Lot 14, an AI bred son of Millah Murrah Hercules H250 –  the top priced bull at Millah Murrah’s 2014 sale.

Another son of Hercules with a good balance of estimated breeding values and tipping the scales at 974 kilograms made the $12,500 second highest price.

Lot 17, Nampara M22, was knocked down to another repeat buyer Ballantyne Ag, Millicent.

Nampara’s first sale progeny of Qld bred bull, Ascot Berkley, also impressed including Lot 67, Nampara M217, a July 2016 drop son which was elevated in the catalogue after Lot 8.

It made $11,500 to Mundaview Investments, Lucindale.

Mr Hann said it was a good result which enabled their clients to get into bulls at good value.

“Calf prices are not as good as last year so we expected it would be back,” he said.

“We are grateful to get a really solid average and see buyers who have bought bulls from us two, three and four years ago come back again after seeing the results in their calves .”

He was pleased with the evenness of the lineup and their  “trueness to type”

The bulls were on average 50kg plus heavier than the 2017 sale catalogue.

Western Vic buyers played a major part in Nampara Angus stud’s solid annual sale, with 12 bulls heading across the border.

Mark Storer, Casterton, Vic, secured four bulls for a $5250 average and Cleanview, also from Casterton, bought three bulls to $7000.

The stud’s decision to hold a Stock & Land Beef Week field day at Mortlake for the past seven years has paid off, building the profile of their stud.

The Hanns added another great advertisement for the commercial focus of their stud last month.

Nampara has built an outstanding reputation for selling top quality commercial females mated to their sale bulls in Naracoorte, but this year for the first time they sold 120 top quality, pregnancy tested in calf females at the Mortlake feature sale.

Also in the thick of the top end buying was KE Ball Grazing, Kempsey, NSW, who bought three bulls to a $12,000 high for Lot 40, Nampara Berkley M17 – another Ascot Berkley son.

Locally GM Butler & Sons, Lochaber, found good value with four bulls at $4000 each.

Twenty two of Nampara’s sale bulls had been used as yearlings over stud or commercial heifers but many were still pushing 900 kilograms. 

These bulls averaged $7432.

Elders auctioneer Ross Milne said the “better end” bulls sold to pretty good levels but the sale represented really good value in the $4000 to $6000 range.

“Most people that wanted a bull would have gone away and would have been very happy with what they got.”

Elders Mount Gambier conducted the sale.