Willalooka Poll Hereford stud, Morganvale posted its highest sale average of $7089 at its 14th annual on-property bull sale on Tuesday, with bulls selling to $12,000.
Stud principals Allan and Heather Morgan also had a strong clearance with 39 of 44 bulls finding homes with 26 buyers, including six first-time clients.
Five of the first 14 bulls sold for $10,000 or more, with the first 14 lots averaging $8143.
The sale topper was lot 11, Morganvale Peabody P008, a son of Mount Difficult Kearney K18, that weighed 918 kilograms at 23 months of age.
It was bought by repeat client Henty-Anderson Partnership, Henty, Vic.
Peabody had well-balanced figures being top 15 per cent for calving ease at +6.8 and 400 day weight +65 and ranking in the top 10pc for the breed's four market indexes; Southern Self Replacing, Northern Self Replacing, Southern Baldy Maternal and Northern Baldy Maternal.
Top price bull buyers Francis Henty and Sally Anderson said the bull would fit well into their program and were impressive by its conformation and figures.
They have been buying Morganvale genetics for about ten years and sell in the Hamilton weaner sales each January.
RELATED: Morganvale tops at $10,500 twice
CB & RA Walladge, Keith, was the volume buyer taking four bulls to a top of $11,000, averaging $7750.
The Walladges have bought at Morganvale every year and select for good fat content and an earlier maturing animal that will suit all markets. They aim to sell at about 18months of age and up to 600kg.
Other volume buyers taking three bulls each were Ferguson Farms, Kalangadoo, averaging $6333, DB Marks, Penola to average $5666 and Ewenmar, Tooma, NSW to average $4333.
Green Triangle Livestock agent Chris Manser bought bulls for three clients and was selecting for early maturity, depth of body, dark coated bulls with good eye pigment.
There were also five Black Simmental bulls offered but they failed to attract a bid.
At the start of the sale Mr Morgan noted that there was a distinct improvement in the type and evenness of the bulls with a mid-maturity patten.
Sons of Morganvale Larkin, Mount Difficult Kearney and Glendan Park Lambert featured prominently in the sale.
All the stars aligned, clients needed bulls and the bulls catalogued ticked all the boxes for criteria.
- Gordon Wood, Nutrien Livestock
Eight bulls sired by Mount Difficult Kearney K18 averaged $9313 and thirteen sons of Morganvale Larkin L065 averaged $7230.
Mr Morgan showed just how passionate a Hereford stud breeder he was with plenty of emotion saying " I am very humbled." He thanked underbidders and buyers for their support.
Nutrien stud stock auctioneer Gordon Wood said it was Morganvale's "best sale".
"All the stars aligned, clients needed bulls and the bulls catalogued ticked all the boxes for criteria," he said.
Joint selling agents were Nutrien Livestock, Keith and Elders, Keith.
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