Oak Downs Lawloit L75 finds home with studs

Whiteface enthusiasts from four states packed into the converted shearing shed at Kerlson Pines’ new home Telpara, near Keith for the combined sale on Wednesday last week.

Nearly as many registered bidders as bulls on offer augured well for a great result in the stud’s first video auction with the average $7830.

Sale hosts Stuart & Val Adlington and Mark & Anita Wilson, Kerlson Pines had a total clearance of 25 bulls for a $8080 average while Andrew & Vanessa Schwarz, Oak Downs, Bordertown sold 22 of 25 bulls for a $7545 average.

Ten bulls made $10,000 or more including the $18,000 sale topper,  Oak Downs Lawloit L75.

It was knocked down to two high profile studs – the Sykes family, Mawarra, Longford, Vic and Steve and Deb Reid, Talbalba, Milmerran, Qld.

The bull first caught the eye of Brandon Sykes who videoed each of the lots for the new sale format in mid January.

Brandon’s parents Peter and Deanne were impressed with the depth and softness of the sale topper, describing Lawloit as the “whole package.”

“It is a beautiful fleshing bull with good bone and great figures- eye muscle area, fat and the intramuscular fat we are looking for in the breed,” Mr Sykes said.

The 21 month old was the second heaviest bull in the sale at 972 kilograms and homozygous polled.

Its Canadian sire Harvie High Roller, which Oak Downs own the Australian marketing rights in,  is a trait leader for 200 day weight and in the top 1pc for carcase weight and eye muscle area.

The bull also had outstanding arithmetic being in the top 5pc for the supermarket, grassfed and EU indexes.

Mr Schwarz said the bull, which they have retained semen for in-herd use, had been a “stand out” from a calf.

Its maternal brother is the pick of Oak Down’s 2016 drop calves.

Oak Downs Langkoop L31 made $10,500 to I&H Sutherland, Hamilton, Vic. 

The 1030 kilogram bull was among the first drop of bulls offered by Mawarra Little Rippa- the 2014 Dubbo senior champion.

Kerlson Pines prefix bulls sold to $13,000 twice.

The first, Lot 1, Kerlson Pines Kensington L17, was described by Landmark auctioneer Gordon Wood as a “red meat machine with tremendous doing ability” .

The ET bred son of Allendale Anzac H181 was bought by Johnno and Cheryl Johnson, Glen-Ora Station via Ivanhoe, NSW.

The Johnsons aim to sell 14-18 month old steers into Wagga Wagga saleyards and were looking for well pigmented and dark coated bulls.

They also bought Lot 12, Kerlson Pines Larko L119 for $11,000.

The other $13,000 bull sold to Alexander Maclachlan, Maclachlan Props, Pewsey Vale, Mount Crawford.

“It is a good well-made bull with beautiful conformation, good traditional Hereford markings and good solid figures,” he said.

The other stud buyer was WRL Herefords,Kaimkillenbun, Qld who paid $10,000 for Kerlson Pines Ledger L154- the youngest bull in the catalogue at 16 months of age.

Pastoral interest ensured a near total clearance, with six stations on the buying list.

Todmorden Station via Oodnadatta led the charge, buying eight bulls to $10,000 for Kerlson Pines Last Time L26.

They averaged $7688 for their buys.

 Commodore Station via Parachilna bought three bulls to a $7500 high and Circle T Cattle Co via Tibooburra,NSW  bought three bulls to a $6500 high.

Other volume buyers included Hillcrest Pastoral Company, Avenue Range with seven bulls for a $6786 average.

Just three bulls were passed in and they were snapped up soon after the sale.

Kerlson Pines co-stud principal Mark Wilson was pleased with the great commercial support, with buyers chasing bulls with good carcase traits and many looking for multiple bulls.

“With the very strong cattle market people were willing to pay a bit extra for the bulls they wanted and we really thought the bulls suited what the marketplace was after,” he said.

Mr Wilson said the video sale format was a “great success”, offering a low-stress selling environment.

“We weren’t sure how it would work but  the videos were very good and people had no hesitation supporting it which gives us confidence going forward.”

“Our decision not to build a sale ring was a good one.”.

Oak Downs stud principal Andrew Schwarz said it was pleasing to see the confidence in the cattle industry and buyers willingness to bid up for the better muscled bulls.

“We are very happy with where the bulls are going with most going into traditional Hereford herds where they are doing the job.”

“We sold 29 bulls before field days so to have that number cleared is very pleasing- there are only a couple left.”

Elders and Landmark conducted the sale with Ross Milne and Gordon Wood the auctioneers.