WOONALLEE Simmentals continues to make headlines for all the right reasons and its second Elite Ladies Female Sale at Furner on Friday last week was no exception, hitting a $20,000 high.
As a result of buying the entire Webb Black Simmental herd earlier in the year to fast-track their breeding program to match growing commercial demand for black bulls, the Baker family was able to offer a group of elite breeding females for competition to other stud breeders.
In only their second time holding a standalone female sale, the family had a total clearance of the 47 lots in under an hour, including 38 Simmental females which averaged $7276.
The 45 registered bidders came from all states and 26 more registered on AuctionsPlus
Woonallee Razzle Dazzle K276(P)(ET)(AI), a black heifer sired by Mr Hoc Broker, hit the new stud record and was the highest price for a Simmental female for many years.
She was mated to Webb Uppercut H613.
The $20,000 winning bid came from Regan Burow, Yerwal Simmentals, Lucindale, while Mervyn and Courtney Newland, Lavarta Simmentals, Toowoomba, Qld, were phone under bidders, bidding through Ross Milne, Elders Stud Stock.
"Heifers of this genetic quality don't come up often. She offers us outcross genetics and is a potential donor female in our program, and saves us a trip to Canada to try to find something like her," Mr Burow said.
"I feel that if we are going to buy a donor female, we might as well put the runs on the board from the get-go in our black growth phase. We have 12 to 15 black females in our program at this stage."
There were only three other black females offered. Kevin Hard, Naracoopa Simmentals, Denmark, grabbed two of them at $9000 each, while Ashley and Kate Ness, Parndana, Kangaroo Island, picked up the other at $6500.
The pick of the entire 2015-drop registered Woonallee heifers – a choice of 205 representing traditional, black, red or SimAngus – kicked the sale off with a bang.
Bidding rocketed beyond $10,000 from multiple players but eventually it was Brett Nobbs, Nobbs Cattle Co, Duaringa, via Rockhampton, Qld, who won out with a $16,000 bid. He can made his selection at any time until March next year.
This equalled the Woonallee auction record for a Simmental female set in the first Woonallee Elite Ladies Sale in February 2014.
A run of 15 proven top breeding cows followed this opening lot, the highlight being lot 3, Woonallee Vasti J45(P)(AI).
With her first April-drop calf at foot, a heifer by Woonallee Dimension, she was a late replacement from the top of the herd. Depastured with Willandra Gomez, this three-in-one unit was certainly a star attraction. Once again it was Brett Nobbs who outbid the widespread competition, again at $16,000.
The Hatherleigh Football Club saw an investment opportunity with the next lot, Woonallee Tara F96(P), with twin bull calves at foot by Willandra Gomez, paying $11,000 for the three-in-one unit.
Garry and Joy Allen, Tugulawa Simmentals, Mount Gambier, were strongest on the mated cow lots, paying $10,500 for Woonallee Ashante B114(ET)(AI), a flush cow at Woonallee and a full sister to famous sire Woonallee Boulder, and mated to the even more famous Woonallee Tornado.
They then paid $7000 for Woonallee Showgirl B3(P)(AI), and later a top young heifer, Woonallee Rowena K284(AI) for $4500 to round out a top investment trio.
In the traditional heifers it was two Woonallee BHR Tornado daughters that created the highlights.
Brett Nobbs, Nobbs Cattle Co, was again the strongest in bidding for Woonallee Rene K161(P), securing her for $13,500. Mr Nobbs' three buys averaged $15,167.
He said he had a long established herd of Brahmans at Duaringa but was just starting out in Simmentals, aiming at producing reds and some Simbrah composites. It is his first time buying at Woonallee and he certainly made an impressive start.
Paul and Natalie Tuckey, Mubarn Simmental stud, Pinjarra, WA, were volume Simmental female buyers with five heifers at a $7100 average.
Contributing majorly to that average was Woonallee Kathie K181(P), the other high-selling Tornado daughter for $14,500.
At 13 months of age she was the youngest heifer offered.
Five recipient cows were also offered, carrying some very exciting embryos.
They topped at $6500 to the Fairburn family, Fairhaven Simmentals, Kingaroy, Qld, for one of two traditional Simmental pregnancies.
Lavarta Simmentals picked up one of the three blacks for $5000, as did Stuart Moack, Valley Creek Simmentals, Mossvale, NSW, while Garry Gillett, Lara, Vic, went to $6000.
Grantley Muller, buying for Grant High School, Mount Gambier, paid $5250 for the other traditional pregnancy to add to their $5000 heifer bought earlier. The school is starting a stud Simmental herd. The five recipients averaged $5550 and went to four states.
Woonallee principal Tom Baker was "extremely happy" with the result, the total clearance and value for quality.
"I feel the result really reflected the present state of the beef industry," he said.
Elders Naracoorte was the agent and Ben Finch auctioneer.
