THERE was an air of positivity evident at the Naracoorte selling complex of Stoney Point Performance Angus after the stud's annual autumn sale on Monday.
Selling 68 of 69 sale bulls and achieving a $6808 average - a $737 rise on last year - was an exceptional result for stud director Perry Gunner and stud manager Peter Colliver, with Mr Colliver not only feeling pleased with how the bulls presented and sold, but also very buoyant about the future of the beef industry.
"We're very pleased with today's sale result," he said.
"I thought we put up a quality lineup of bulls and it showed today with both repeat buyers and new buyers in a strong buying crowd.
"It was a good sale average and a high clearance so we're very happy.
"With the seasonal conditions we've had it was a big effort to get the bulls in good order and I think we've done a very good job to get them up to sale weight and condition."
The bleachers were packed with prospective buyers and bidding competition was strong, demonstrating industry confidence.
"With a number of things going on in the world, I think the beef market is on the up," Mr Colliver said.
"Rainfall in drought areas, the lack of females in general across the nation then international factors like swine fever and a lack of protein availability means things are looking pretty bright for the beef industry at the moment and moving forward."
Only one bull was passed in throughout a strong lineup that attracted exceptional prices through to the back end of the catalogue, which featured progeny from a number of new sires - LD Capitalist 316, Ascot Hallmark H147, VAR Legend 5019, SAV Prosperity 9131, VBR Chieftain 3W21, JMB Traction 292, KR Status 4267 and MAR Innovation 251.
Attracting the $11,000 top price of the sale was Paradox P066 - a son of Ascot Hallmark - which boasted exceptional growth rates, ranking in the top 20 per cent of Breedplan figures for 200-day, 400-day and 600-day weight.
Paradox also ranked in the top 20pc for the Angus Breeding, Domestic, Heavy Grain and Heavy Grass selection indexes.
It was the growth rate figures plus the bull's visual appeal, docility and good feet that stood out to Colin, Sally and Jessie Grundy, Mundoo Pastoral Company, Mundoo Island via Goolwa, who run a commercial Angus herd.
The Grundy family bought four bulls in total, averaging $7375, and included sons of new sires VBR Chieftain 3W21 and JMB Traction 292.
Buying the first son, and only son in the draft, of VAR Legend 5019 for $10,500 was Naranga Pastoral, Meningie. The bull ranked in the top 20pc for ten Breedplan traits and top 10pc for all index values, possessing top calving ease, tremendous growth and stellar carcase numbers. Naranga Pastoral secured four bulls in total, averaging $8250.
Among the volume buyers were regular clients Ian and Louise Johnson, Amherst Trust, Willalooka, who bought six bulls to $9000, averaging $7333.
Napier Pastoral, Willalooka, bought three bulls to a top of $8000, averaging $6333, while Emu Springs, Tintinara, took three bulls to $6000, averaging $5167.
Also buying three bulls were Broad Cattle Company, topping at $5000 and a $4500 average.
Delta Produce, Sherwood, bought three bulls to $5000 twice, averaging $4667, while Terra Nostra Farms, Mumbannar, Vic, bought three all for $4000.
Nutrien Ag Solutions and Spence Dix & Co conducted the sale, with Gordon Wood and Jono Spence the auctioneers.
Stoney Point will hold another sale on May 6.