Double delight as Goolagong hits new heights

The top price bull, P81 - an embryo transfer-bred son of Cardona Perfecto P55 and out of donor cow Waco Wine - weighed 1002 kilograms, with an eye muscle area of 126 square centimetres.

Buyer Andrew Bassingthwaite liked the bull's pedigree and had been impressed by videos he had seen of his new sire.

"The dam Waco Wine is such a fertile and efficient cow with breed character," Mr Bassingthwaite said.

Yarrawonga had also bought P81's half brother for $36,000 at the Santa Central sale in Qld.

Volume buyer of the Santa Gertrudis bulls was Philip Reid, Newenham, Normanville, who bought five bulls during the auction to $8000, averaging $6000.

Straight after the fall of the final hammer, Mr Reid bought lot 53 - Goolagong P199, a son of the $67,500 sire Wave Hill Larikan L9, which had been used in the stud up until December - for $12,000.

Overall, 60 of 72 bulls offered through the ring were sold, averaging $8074 - well up on last year's $5536 average.

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Of the 18 Santa Gertrudis bulls offered, seven sold, averaging $8285, while six Sangus were offered and sold to $8500, averaging $7833.

The Angus offering met strong demand, with 47 of 48 selling to a stud record top price of $15,000, and averaging $8074.

Lot 4, Goolagong Emperor Q74, a Pathfinder Emperor M1105 son, sold to repeat buyers Sam and James Wardle.

Q174 was 21 months old, and weighed 904kg with a 43-centimetre scrotal circumference. Q74 was a big growth bull with Estimated Breeding Values of +72 for 200 day weight, +124 for 400 day weight and +169 for 600 day weight.

Sam Wardle, who is property manager for Wardle & Co properties at Darke Peak and Broken Hill, NSW, said the bull would be used on Angus second-calvers.

"We liked the bull's depth and length of body, strong head and bone and EMA," he said.

There was very strong support from a number of Port Augusta station properties who were able to operate and looking to restock due to seasonal conditions.

These included Saltbush Ag, which bought nine bulls to $11,500, averaging $7611.

Saltbush Ag is situated north-west of Port Augusta, and runs an Angus operation. Saltbush Ag's Jack Handbury selects for fertility and survivability, with the bulls running with cows year-round. They target the feedlot market with weights of 350-450kg.

Mr Handbury was operating with Nutrien Port Augusta's Cameron Paul.

"The strong Port Augusta support was seasonal driven and the clients are happy to support Goolagong as the Tiller family support them," Mr Paul said. "The Goolagong bulls are good value for money."

David Bell, Dulkaninna Station, via Port Augusta, bought two Angus bulls averaging $10,250 and four Sangus bulls averaging $7750.

Barns Pastoral, Gidgealpa Station, bought seven bulls including four Angus, one Santa Gertrudis and two Sangus bulls to $8500, averaging $6714.

There was also good support from the South East, with buyers recognising the value throughout the Angus catalogue. These included Treetop Estates, Meningie, with four bulls to $14,000, averaging $9250, and Naradale Group, Kingston SE, with three to $14,000, averaging $9333.

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Goolagong stud principal Heath Tiller was "thrilled" with the sale result.

"It was a very solid sale on the back of record cattle prices," he said. "It is great to have repeat buyers invest in our genetics."

Nutrien stud stock auctioneer Richard Miller said the Angus results were particularly strong.

"It was underpinned with good competition at the top end from SE producers and good rains saw high demand from a number of prominent stations in the Flinders and Port Augusta regions," he said.

"The bulls are backed with outstanding data for moderate birthweight, high growth cattle with very good positive fats."

Prior to the start of the sale, Santa Gertrudis Society vice-president Michael Doering, Walmona stud, Truro, presented Goolagong's Brian and Diane Tiller with a certificate of appreciation for their many years of promoting the Santa Gertrudis breed at shows, sales, field days and events.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Jamestown.