THE McKay family of Egremont Pastoral Co at Lucindale bid via AuctionsPlus to take home the $10,000 top price sire during the Keringa Angus bull sale at Culburra on Saturday.
The spring 2017-drop bull Keringa New Age N150 was an EF Complement 8088 son had an eye muscle area of +7.2 and +144 600-day weight.
Return clients KW&BF Badenoch were the volume buyers of the sale, taking home six to the South East, averaging $5167.
This included the second highest-price bull Keringa Never Never N238, a son of Millah Murrah Highlander F32, at $9000.
It was Keringa stud’s inaugural sale, after more than a decade of investing in top Angus genetics from across Australia.
The rising two-year-old bulls and spring 2017-drops on offer included sons of Millah Murrah Kingdom K35, Millah Murrah Highlander F32 and Millah Murrah Complement L127, EF Complement 8088, Carabar Docklands D62 and Pathfinder Goldmark D189.
Genetics from Irelands, Raff, Willow Fields and Vermont Angus also featured throughout the sale.
Keringa stud principal Trent Walker said he aimed to breed bulls with added muscle, length, capacity, phenotype.
Overall Keringa sold 28 bulls from 61 offered, averaging $5035.
Mr Walker said he was happy to see a mix of new and repeat buyers.
The Bainger family, Hillcrest Pastoral, Avenue Range, bought five to $5500, averaging $4600.
Libby Creek, who was buying on behalf of Hillcrest, said they were looking for bulls with positive fat to keep fertility and coverage in tough conditions.
“We had viewed the bulls during Beef Week and really appreciated the muscle development in the young bulls,” she said.
“They are easy doing bulls with good structure.”
Bruce Creek bought Keringa N64 on behalf of commercial clients Tony and Rosemary Kaines, Hahndorf, who will use the bull to produce black baldies.
The son of Willow Fields Ken K4 was picked for its docility.
“We wanted a soft, easy doing bull with good temperament,” Mr Creek said.
Marcollat Pastoral, Marcollat, bought four bulls to $6000, averaging $5000.
The two at $6000 were sons of EF Complement 8088 at lot 1 and Millah Murrah Kingdom K35 at lot 39.
Repeat buyers N&J Nutt, Keith, took home just the one bull – Millah Murrah Highlander F32 son Keringa Never Never N222, which had the highest EMA in the catalogue at +9.
Platinum Livestock and Elders conducted the sale, with Miles Pfitzner and Laryn Gogel as auctioneers.