BULLS with good birthweight figures were eagerly chased at the Keringa Angus sale in Culburra on Saturday.
That was the target for top price bull buyer Michael Kemp, Culburra, who paid up to $16,000 for lot 3 - Keringa Treasure T23.
A son of Millah Murrah Nugget N266 and out of Keringa M34, the February 2022-drop, 836-kilogram bull was described as "perfect for use on heifers", recording a birthweight EBV of +1.9 and calving ease of +6.0.
Mr Kemp said Treasure T23 would be mated to pure Angus cows to breed replacement females.
Mr Kemp bought two other bulls at $7000 and $8000, which would also run in his 1400-cow crossbreeding herd at their Artimore property down the road.
Overall, 31 buyers registered for the Keringa sale, which was interfaced with Auctionsplus. The stud sold 53 bulls from 60 offered, averaging $8360, with one passed-in lot sold after the sale.
The average was back on 2023 figures, which stud principal Trent Walker expected, with "the market back a little bit" this year.
"I think the bulls presented well, the confidence just hasn't quite come back in the job just yet," he said.
"It was still a solid sale, with a reasonably good clearance, and it was good to see a few new faces alongside the strong repeat buyer contingent."
The sale's second highest price of $15,500 came late at lot 63 - Keringa Troopie T272, bought by Patrick Ross, Lucindale.
Mr Ross said he wasn't expecting such strong competition at the pointy end of the sale, but couldn't go past one of his first picks.
"He's a deep, well structured bull with plenty of growth, clean and a good backline," he said.
"He is moderate in most places, but has an extraordinary eye muscle area and positive fats."
A September 2022-drop, Troopie T272 weighed 626kg and had an EMA of 11.6 (top 7pc of the breed).
Mr Ross said they planned to draw semen from him for their commercial herd.
He also bought another bull for $10,000 at lot 33 - both were by Millah Murrah Paratrooper R127.
Mr Ross said they liked using Keringa genetics to breed "tremendous females".
"We like to breed good mothers to produce good weaners," he said.
We like that Keringa is commercially focussed, producing soft, easy doing cattle, that perform well under tougher conditions.
- LIBBY CREEK
The competition on Troopie T272 came from return clients Hillcrest Pastoral Company, Avenue Range, who bought eight bulls in total to $10,500, averaging $8125.
Libby Creek, buying on behalf of Hillcrest, said they were chasing heifer bulls with "softness, thickness, fertility traits and structural soundness" to run at their Frances and Conmurra properties.
"We like that Keringa is commercially focussed, producing soft, easy doing cattle, that perform well under tougher conditions," she said.
Their top lot (Keringa Troopie T234 at lot 48) was also a Paratrooper R127 son.
Six MM Paratrooper R127 sons were offered, averaging $9833, while Mr Walker said their MM Nugget N266 (three averaging $11,000) and MM Nectar N334 (three averaging $9667) lines also proved popular.
Also buying in bulk were return clients Kangaringa, Keith, with eight bulls to $10,000, averaging $6875; and Spinifex Pastoral, Tintinara, with six to $11,000, averaging $8417.
The Lock family, buying through Elders Strathalbyn, also bid strongly, buying four bulls to $14,000, averaging $10,000, to run with their commercial Angus herd at their Inman Valley property.
The sale was conducted by Elders Keith and Platinum Livestock Keith, with auctioneer Miles Pfitzner.
Alisha Fogden
Journalist at Australian Community Media newspapers since 2007.
Journalist at Australian Community Media newspapers since 2007.
