THE end result of the 13th annual Monty Atkinson Genetics Droughtmaster Sale (MAGS) held at the Dalrymple Saleyards, Charters Towers, surpassed expectations considering many predicting pre-sale that selling would be even tougher than 2013 after another year with little rain.
A total of 53 Registered bulls sold to a top of $7,500 for a sale gross of $218,500 and a $4123 per head average, while the 11 herd bulls sold also topped at $7,500 to total $45,000 with a $4091 average. Overall 64 bulls sold for a sale gross of $263,500 to average $4117 with a 91 per cent clearance.
Even though buyer numbers were down at the sale in comparison to the previous year, those that did attend were very active with several bidders taking home some sizeable drafts.
The sale hit a peak of $7,500 three times involving the same vendor and buyer combination. Sue and Harry Shann, Suttor Grazing Co Pty Ltd, Myall Springs, Collinsville, purchased Lamont 554 (P) for $7500 in Lot 22 from vendors Mac and Gayle Shann, Lamont Stud, Cantaur Park, Clermont. They later purchased Lot 44 Lamont Macca 410 (P) and capped the sale by purchasing the last bull of the sale Lot 80 a Charolais-cross herd bull Lamont 543 (P).
Sue Shann said they’d had their eyes on the Lot 22 bull for a long-time before the pre-sale inspection.
“We’ve watched him grow up from when he was a calf, and we’ve always admired his depth, and beautiful placid nature,” she said.
“Our operation is situated in some rough country, so we need bulls that stand up well, and the four bulls we purchased definitely fit the bill.”
The shared sentiment amongst the vendors, Mac and Gayle Shann, Lamont Stud, Kylie Graham, Mungalla, Hugh and Sherri Philp, Valley and Alison Atkinson, Durack was that they were pleasantly surprised and relieved that the sale went so well taking into account how dry conditions have been over the past two years.
“All things considered I couldn’t be happier with how things turned out, let’s just hope we get a nice constant deluge of rain over the next 12 months to really turn things around,” Mac Shann said.
John and Katrina Paine outlaid $6500 for Mungalla Cobalt, a long bodied, well-muscled, 775kg, 2yo son of Mungalla Ringo for Daintree Grazing Company of Winton, while Percy and Lyn Maitland, Oak Valley, Einasleigh invested in two excellent poll sires at $6500 and $6000. Both featured impressive weight for age and attractive breed style.
Gerry Collins and Perry Fox, SPK Pastoral, Spring Creek, Mt Surprise, were the top volume buyers of the sale taking home an even draft of 11 bulls averaging $3409. Dino Penna, Penna & Sons, Kangaroo Hills Station, Ingham, gave the offering a strong inspection before putting together a great line of eight bulls averaging $4563.
MJ Hoch, Lake Huffer, Aramac, also bought six impressive, strong beef and carcass performance bulls at an average of $5333. The equal biggest Eye Muscle Area bull of the sale, Lamont Matrix, a 2yo scanning 136 sqcm EMA, topped the Lake Huffer purchases.
KLD Pastoral Co, Kirkland Downs, Charters Towers, purchased six head at an average of $2667, while Callan Farming & Grazing, Ingham, paid an average of $4000 for six quality bulls.
RA and RM Sullivan Family Trust, Saraji, Dysart, bought well taking home six bulls to average $3083, and Annandale Pastoral Co, Annandale, Nebo, did well to pick up four bulls averaging $4625. Top of their purchases at $6500 was the 767kg Mungalla Cosmo, a high fertility, easy doing type with a lot of softness.