Sterita Park raises bar in SA Angus Week with $44,000 sale high

There had been plenty of pre-sale interest in the eye appealing two-year-old which was elevated in the catalogue and was the second bull in the ring at the DiGiorgio family's 16^th annual sale at Lucindale on Monday.

In the end it was Goolagong stud, Warnertown and Reedy Creek, who swooped in to buy the 860 kilogram sire, Sterita Park S47.

"He is a total outcross pedigree with a really good phenotype and data to back it up," Stud principal Heath Tiller said.

"He has perfect feet and structure which is very important to us."

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S47 ranked in the top five per cent of Angus registered calves born in Australia and New Zealand in 2021 with a intramuscular fat at +4.9 and top 10-15pc for rib and rump fat at +1.9 and +2.3.

Mr Tiller said S47 would be joined to some of their "big numbered" Genesis and Docklands females.

Another Pheasantry son -lot 2- made the next highest price of $26,000 to Grassdale Angus, Hamilton, Vic.

For the same money JE&LR Gosse, Penola, secured lot 6- a Varilek Geddes 7068 son.

Eleven sons of Te Mania Pheasantry- which Sterita Park bought in a five owner syndicate for $52,000 in 2020- averaged $16,091.

Despite these strong prices Sterita Park's sale average came back a long way on 2022's astronomical average of $19,689 on 106 bulls.

This year 98 of 107 rising two-year-old and17-18 month olds averaged $12,735 which was still an impressive result.

Legh Winser, Benara Pastoral Company, Mount Gambier, was again a dominant force starting plenty of bulls at $15,000.

Benara was successful on 34 bulls for a $14,353 average, although it was less than the 50 lots they bought in 2022.

This gave more of the other 45 registered bidders a chance to also fill their orders.

Kangaringa Farms, Keith, put together seven bulls to $18,000 for a $11,143 average and GA Young & Sons, Kalangadoo, bought five bulls for a $10,000 average,paying to $18,000.

The DiGiorgio family again showed their generosity with the proceeds in the sale's final lot donated to the David Plant Education Fund which has been established in conjunction with the Australian Beef Industry Foundation.

The fund is in memory of the late owner of Southern Cross Genetics who ran Sterita Park's AI program for many years.

Sterita Park stud principal Nanni DiGiorgio said it was an important cause to support and is hopeful other breeders will get behind the fund which will provide scholarships for young people in the beef industry.

"David was a great friend and much loved by everyone in the Angus fraternity, he brought a lot of people together," he said.

"He was really passionate about helping young people in the industry."

The charity bull which was the youngest in the sale- 16 months of age- sold for $8000 to Nutrien Naracoorte

Mr DiGiorgio was happy with the sale and continued support of so many repeat buyers.

"Everyone expected it (last year's sale average) to come back, to be honest I said anywhere between $10,000-$14,000 was going to be a good result," he said.

"It doesn't matter where you go the good bulls are going to always make their money and there are opportunities for people to get a good paddock bull."

Mr DiGiorgio was also pleased to see their lot 5 go to a "good, local home".

Nutrien stud stock manager Gordon Wood said there was "realistic bidding" early in the catalogue as buyers were prepared to put in opening bids of $15,000 or more but the sale also produced some very affordable buying with 41 bulls selling between $6000 and $10,000.

"I sincerely hope that this may put paid to some of the rumours that we heard in the lead up to the sale about the Sterita Park bulls being too dear and people not being able to buy them," he said.

"With big heights we quite often see a correction as we have seen today.

"I really do hope it leads people to think that the cattle are affordable- they are just as good as they have always been so there is no reason not to come back to Sterita Park."

Mr Wood said the bulls, which are run on dryland lucerne prior to the sale, presented well after a good spring.

"Being entirely grassfed when they go out on farms they go on, whether it is north or south or even the pastoral areas they are good, strong, hardy animals that perform," he said.

Nutrien were the sole selling agents with Mr Wood and Richard Miller adding up the bids.