MORGANVALE'S seventh annual production sale at Willalooka on February 19 was a golden opportunity for buyers to secure Poll Hereford bulls with carcase and softness at good value.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
The top price stood at $8000 but 14 bulls were knocked-down to the $3000 base price.
In the breakdown, Allan and Heather Morgan sold 36 of 54 dark-coated bulls for a $4167 average. Three more passed-in lots sold immediately after the sale.
Many Poll Hereford on-property sales – including Morganvale's – rely heavily on pastoral orders to lift clearance rates, even averages, but with widespread dry conditions there were just four bulls from the sale that headed north. They went to Numery Station via Alice Springs.
But increased strength from the South East and western Victoria, including six first-time buyers, ensured the average only slipped $270 on 2012.
Landmark stud stock manager Malcolm Scroop paid the $8000 top price for Morganvale Gadget G303, an appealing July 2011-drop son of Debarry Petri.
He bought the 750-kilogram bull on behalf of Adelaide Hills-based stud and commercial breeder Michael Burns, Cromer Heights, Birdwood who was bidding over the phone. Mr Burns had seen the bull at the recent SA Beef Field Days.
"He was looking for a bull to keep heifers from and he appealed for his structure and Poll Hereford quality," Mr Scroop said.
Just one bid less at $7500, Dismal Swamp, Mount Gambier bought a 926kg Morganvale Deargo D71 son with tremendous capacity and Breedplan figures in the top 5pc of the breed for 200, 400 and 600-day growth and eye muscle area.
Walladge Partners, Keith bought six bulls for a $4083 average.
Western Vic was also well represented, with RN&SL Morgan, Ballyrogan near Ararat, securing three bulls to a $6000 high.
Mr Morgan was pleased to see 22 successful buyers in the sale, their largest number yet.
"The biggest buyer bought six then the next bought four but there were a lot of single purchasers," he said.
"Rather than just relying on two or three buying 10 or a dozen it is probably better this way.
"The average is not back much on last year so you can't be disappointed."
Full report in Stock Journal, February 28 issue, 2013.
