A FAST round of bids were fired for lot 2 - Days Godfather R092 - during Allendale-Days Poll Hereford studs' 24th annual sale at Bordertown on Monday, producing a new $52,000 on-property stud record.
It was just one of many highs that produced one of the SA bull sale season's strongest averages.
Lachy and Lou Day, Days Whiteface stud, and Alastair and Jayne Day, Allendale stud, achieved a total clearance of 85 bulls for a $17,353 average - up a massive $6726 on 2021.
Australia-wide bidding cemented their position as two of the nation's leading whiteface studs.
The $52,000 sale-topper was an embryo transfer-bred bull out of the stud's most influential donor females Fancy H31.
It was sired by Allendale Heidelberg M061 - a carcase bull that Days stud purchased at the 2018 Dubbo National Show & Sale in NSW from Allendale.
Yarram Park stud's Antony Bailleau and general manager Jeremy Upton, Willaura, Vic, were the successful buyers of Godfather R092, edging out Steve Reid, Talbalba stud, Millmerran, Qld, who bought last year's $40,000 sale-topper.
Mr Bailleau said the May 2020-drop was a "good modern bull" with a great phenotype and good balance of Breedplan figures, including top 10 per cent for fertility, milk and carcase weight.
"It has got a lot of everything, it has enough growth, great colour, good fleshing and smooth all the way through," he said.
"It is out of a very, very good cow, which is important. To have a good cow that keeps reproducing is what we are all wanting."
A few years ago Yarram Park bought another Days bull - Horizon M028 - from the same cow family, which has bred well for them. This included many sons in Yarram Park's 2022 bull sale which averaged an outstanding $18,800.
"There are one or two places that will sell a high price bull, but to have any chance of (breeding) consistency, you have to have depth in your offering, which is what these fellas have," Mr Bailleau said.
Days Whiteface stud's first 10 bulls averaged an incredible $30,200.
Among them was lot 6 - Days Landlord R034 - which is also headed for stud duties.
Ben Rumbel, Supple Herefords, Guyra, NSW, paid the sale's second-highest price of $42,000 for Landlord, which was ranked in the top 1pc of the breed for carcase weight.
The May 2020-drop was also ET-bred by United States outcross sire Gerber Anodyne 001A.
Also cracking $40,000 was lot 41 - Days Lotto R159 - a bull with performance figures in the top 1pc for growth, carcase weight and eye muscle area.
It was the pick of Mahwalloak East, Stockyard Hill, Vic.
Overall, Days Whiteface stud sold its 45 bulls for a remarkable $19,933 average.
Lachy Day was "blown away" with the result and the faith breeders showed in their breeding program.
"We knew there was a bit of support and there was a chance that it could be quite good but we never expected it to be that unreal," he said.
Many commercial buyers in the crowd of 62 registered bidders proved their willingness to spend $15,000-$30,000 for their picks.
Online bidding was particularly strong with more than 100 users from across Australia logging onto AuctionsPlus, including Hazelmont Pastoral, Roma, Qld, who bought 12 bulls averaging $22,667.
Seven of these were from Allendale and five were from Days.
Highlighting the diverse client base the studs enjoy, Mount Doreen Station, via Alice Springs, secured eight bulls averaging $8625 and Brook Pastoral, Birdsville, Qld, put together seven lots for a $8286 average.
Nutrien SA stud stock manager Gordon Wood said the sale exceeded his expectations, with an increase in buyer registrations.
"We knew there were some very good bulls in the front end that were always going to make their money, but the question after last year was where the clearance was going to be, in previous years there has been some cheap bulls in that back end of the catalogue," he said.
"There were a few bulls sold at that $6000-$10,000, so there is no question there is still good value here.
"But it was nice to see all the bulls find a home and some of the interstaters push the locals to a new level."
NORTHERN BIDS DELIVER $30,000 ALLENDALE TOP
Northern NSW and Qld buyers were tremendously strong in the Day families' combined bull sale, outbidding locals for many bulls including Allendale stud's $30,000 sale-topper.
Lot 21 - Allendale Kosciuosko R071 - was a son of Allendale Dalby P123 (a bull which the stud used as a yearling).
The May 2020-drop had great carcase merit with an eye muscle area, retail beef yield and intramuscular fat data in the top 10pc of the Hereford breed.
Kosciuosko sold to repeat clients James and Lindy Simpson, Edendale Pastoral Company, Inverell, NSW, who bought five bulls averaging $24,400.
Allendale Heidelberg M061, which sired the lot 2 sale-topper, continued its influence on the sale with another son lot 51 - Allendale Lyndhurst R004 - making Allendale's $28,000 second-highest price.
Allendale's 40 bulls averaged an impressive $14,450.
Allendale stud principal Alastair Day said it was an "amazing" sale, especially with so many bulls making close to $20,000.
"A lot of our good regular clients lifted their sights and were willing to pay that bit extra, which we really appreciated," he said.
"We really appreciate people buying from us when there are many other places they could go. It is pleasing to hear the bulls are doing the job so they keep coming back.
"We keep working at it every year and keep making progress, which I think we can see in the depth of the offering."
Mr Day was also pleased their stud bulls were breeding on with both Oak Downs, Bordertown, and Ennerdale stud, Dundonnell, Vic, having Allendale-sired progeny top their on-property sales in the past week.
Elders Vic stud stock's Ross Milne said it was a "fantastic average and clearance".
"They were very commercially-relevant cattle, with good phenotypes, but good relevant Breedplan data underneath, which people appreciated," he said.
Elders and Nutrien were joint selling agents with Mr Milne and Mr Wood the auctioneers.
Start the day with all the big news in agriculture. Sign up here to receive our daily Stock Journal newsletter.