SALE SUMMARY
2017 2016
Offered 33 30
Sold 33 29
Top $6250 $4500(2)
Av $4530 $3508
STRONG pastoral bidding ensured Laucke-Merrina Poll Hereford stud enjoyed a lift in average of more than $1000 at its annual Darling River sale, on Friday last week.
In a total clearance, the Laucke family from Eudunda and Bangham sold 33 bulls for a $4530 average, on Viewmont Station, on the banks of the Darling River in NSW.
About two-thirds of the catalogue were dark coated, well-pigmented sons of Days Drifter H9.
The $6250 top price bull, Merrina H9 Budweiser L189, was one of them.
The spring 2015-drop, catalogued at lot 20, was elevated to lot 1, setting the positive tone of the sale.
Budweiser, which was out of a 13-year-old matron, was bought by sale hosts Graham and Helen Collins, as one of their three buys.
The second top priced bull made $6000 but most sold between $4000 and $5250.
Elders Broken Hill branch manager Ben Finch underpinned the sale’s success, buying 13 bulls.
These included five bulls for Bollards Lagoon, via Cameron Corner.
He also bought four for Epsilon station on the Qld side of Cameron Corner, and four for Mutooroo Pastoral Company’s Mulyungarie station, via Cockburn.
Kilfera station, via Ivanhoe, NSW bought five bulls through Landmark Hay.
Stud co-principal Nick Laucke said it was pleasing to see a good mix of repeat buyers but also those returning after four or five years.
“The mix helped us to get the 100 per cent clearance which is key,” he said.
Elders stud stock auctioneer Tom Penna said it was easily the stud’s “best sale” and just rewards for the “top calibre pastoral bulls.”
“They were a very good catalogue of moderate framed, thicker types, with more shape and softer skins, which we have seen with the Poll Hereford breed this year,” he said.
