Opportunities present at 2020 Days-Allendale Poll Hereford sale

Thirteen Poll Hereford bulls made $10,000 or more but there were also 18 knocked down at the $4000 base price, - dropping the sale average back more than $200 on 2019.

Overall 56 of 80 bulls averaged $7618.

Sale hosts Lachy and Lou Day, Days Whiteface stud, sold 29 of their 44 bulls for a $8448 average , while Alastair and Jayne Day, Allendale stud, sold 27 of 36 bulls for a $6593 average.

The sale's $21,000 top price came at lot 33 for Days Hemisphere P012.

The embryo transfer-bred son of Injemira Anzac H006 and out of an Allendale Waterhouse D1 daughter attracted the attention of Scott Harlock, Harlock Pastoral, Bool Lagoon.

He said the April 2018-drop would have a "lasting impact" on the commercial Hereford herd which turns off weaners.

Mr Harlock said attending one of Meat& Livestock Australia's Bred Fed Well workshop a couple years ago put him on the right track focusing on few key traits, including gestation length, 400 day weight and moderate mature cow weight.

" We can't finish them where we are but if we get a good 400 day weight that helps those who do- we are starting to get a name for our cattle," he said.

Hemisphere P012 was in the top 10 per cent of the breed for three breed indexes, including an eye muscle area of +5.0.

Lot 3, Days Indicator P155, was knocked down at the $20,000 second highest price.

The first son of United States sire, Gerber Anodyne, to be offered in Australia it sold to Allendale stud.

The previous lot, Days Hallmark P163, also sold to a high profile stud with Wirruna, Holbrook, NSW, outlaying $17,000 through AuctionsPlus.

Hallmark P163 - an Allendale Gambler L143 son - had been used over stud cows last year.

The highest-indexing 2018 drop bull across the Hereford breed topped the Allendale sale draft at $20,000.

Lot 22, Allendale Jackal P176, which had a southern self replacing index of +$233 was bought by the Trovatello family, Glendan Park stud, Kyneton, Vic.

Glendan Park's Alvio Trovatello said the homozygous polled, Allendale Chisel L3 son, "ticked a lot of boxes"

"That fleshing, that carcase and Breedplan data to back him up- he has really good numbers throughout, something we have been focusing on at Glendan Park," he said.

Another Chisel son, lot 24, Allendale Cadet P080, made $14,000 to GS&PJ Gum, Pinnaroo.

South East and western Vic buyers were the sale's strength led by GA Young & Sons, Kalangadoo, who bought six bulls to $8000 averaging $5167.

Five of the 41 registered bidders bought four bulls each.

Shiloh Park, Compton, who bought last year's sale topper were one of these, buying in the top end.

Their four averaged $10,750, while Mahkwallok East, Ararat, Vic, averaged $9750 for their four buys.

Lachy Day said it was pleasing to get their genetics into some of the nation's leading studs.

'We were really thrilled with the support in the top end and to see a lot of repeat buyers as well as a few new people mixed in," he said.

Alastair Day said the continued support from their loyal clients was pleasing and how some clients bought extra bulls, making the most of the good value buying.

"The bulls in the top end sold well but there was some great value bulls at $4000," he said.

Elders Vic stud stock manager Ross Milne said it was an outstanding draft of Poll Hereford bulls offered by the Day families but, like last year, the clearance rate took a hit due to the lack of pastoral interest.

"Bulls that they (buyers) wanted sold extremely well but as the sale progressed we saw very good bulls being sold at that $4000 to $5000 representing unbelievable value," he said.

Nutrien Livestock SA stud stock manager Gordon Wood agreed it was a value buying sale and said it was disappointing more buyers did not capitalise on the opportunities.

"The quality here at Allendale and Days as far as Poll Herefords go is second to none for SA and even further afield and the performance data on these cattle is right up in the top end of the breed," he said.

"These guys shop worldwide for their genetics to keep getting the genetic gain for their clients."