IT WAS a record-setting day for Lancaster Black Simmentals at Field on Friday last week, with new stud benchmarks set for their on-property sale average and individual bull price.
In a full clearance of 55 May, June and July 2020-drop bulls, bidding reached a $20,000 high for the aptly-named LCS Profit Driver R17.
The Cartledge family were ecstatic with the $12,309 average - a $4568 or 59 per cent increase on last year's average purchase price.
Getting their name engraved on the Lancaster Bell - which lists every top-priced bull, buyer and price since the stud's inaugural on-property sale in 2006 - was the Hopkins family, Wormbete Simmentals, Illabo, NSW, who made the winning bid over Elite Livestock Auction's online platform.
The stud record homozygous polled and homozygous black bull - sired by LCS Profit Driver P323 and out of LCS Poppy P311 - weighed in at 914 kilograms, with a scrotal circumference of 44 centimetres.
On Expected Progeny Differences rankings, it sat in the top two per cent for yield grade, back fat and maternal milk, top 3pc for maternal calving ease, top 4pc for rib eye area and top 5pc for calving ease and maternal weaning weight, as well as top 10pc for terminal index and all purpose index.
Wormbete breed traditional and Black Simmentals, as well as SimAngus.
Principal John Hopkins said they would use Profit Driver over both heifers and cows.
"For us, it was his length and thickness that stood out," he said.
"He's got that calving ease attribute and is out of a first-calving heifer which is always pleasing to see.
"His figures right across the board, starting with his calving ease and those explosive growth figures, matched up with a phenotypically very good bull to look at and a great-natured bull.
"We have a September sale and we're breeding yearling bulls for that so not only do we need that calving ease but we need them to be explosive in their growth."
Lancaster stud principal Henry Cartledge was thrilled by the overall sale result and to achieve a full clearance.
"At this stage there's a lot of people looking to rebuild and build their herds a bit," he said.
"There's positivity about agriculture in general and beef in particular is flying.
"The big lift (in average) is a thrill, but it's just great to see so many of our long-term supporters here that know what the cattle will go on and do and know the value that's there."
Long-term local buyers competed with a healthy contingent of interstate and online purchasers.
Leading the way in the list of volume buyers was Connor Pastoral, Tintinara, who secured a total of ten bulls to a top of $14,000 and average of $11,400.
Amherst, Willalooka, bought eight bulls to $15,000 twice, averaging $13,250.
Appleton Cattle Company, Charters Towers, QLD, was successful on seven bulls, averaging $12,429, including a CCR Cowboy Cut 5048Z son for $18,000.
Also knocked down for $18,000 was a LCS Commando P6 son to LK&AE Cocking, Amphitheatre, Vic, and a Sydgen Enhance son.
Independent Breeding and Marketing Service secured three bulls to $14,000, averaging $10,667.
Spence Dix & Co conducted the sale and director and auctioneer Jono Spence said he'd had a lot of feedback from repeat buyers praising the longevity and lasting performance of Lancaster's bulls.
He said the sizeable lift in average followed the trend of the beef cattle market in general.
"Producers have been rewarded well for their cattle so they've got a bit more to spend and are willing to push a bit more to get what they want," Mr Spence said.
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