Yallaroo tops $18,500 at WALSA’s Brunswick Supreme Bull Sale

Yallaroo Hereford stud principal Rob Francis says the State’s cattle industry is running “red hot” after securing an $18,500 top price at last week’s WA Livestock Salesmen’s Association Supreme Bull Sale.

The multi-breed, multi-vendor sale offered 88 bulls through WALSA, a joint Nutrien and Elders initiative, at the Brunswick Showgrounds last Wednesday.

Fifty-eight sold for an average price of $6043, which was up $751/head on last year when 72 bulls sold for an average price of $5292.

The sale brought 68 registered buyers to the Alan Evans Cattle Selling Complex.

Before auction proceedings began, Nutrien auctioneer Michael Altus asked the crowd to respect each other’s space in regards to the latest COVID-19 precautions.

Topping the sale for the seventh consecutive year, Mr Francis summed up his family’s success.

“Cattle prices are the highest they have been in my 50 years in the industry,” Mr Francis said after offering 10 Herefords, with nine sold for an average price of $7556.

The sale-topper was secured by Eddy Wedge, of Gingin, with Brunswick resident Phil Musitano bidding on behalf of the regular buyer of Yallaroo bulls.

“The bull had a good dark colour, with a good hind quarter, he is an excellent bull,” Mr Musitano said

“Eddy has been buying Yallaroo bulls for 15 years and runs a 120-pure Hereford female herd.”

Nutrien Livestock Bridgtown agent Ben Cooper was active on Herefords, securing two Yallaroo bulls to a top of $8500 and three House bulls.

All five bulls sold for an average price of $5600.

From the traditional Simmental catalogue, a Mubarn bull, M Pablo’s Pride, topped at $15,000 with Audrey Weightman, of Topweight Simmental stud, at Forrest Grove, securing the sire.

Mrs Weightman said it was the bull’s homozygous polled outlook that she was selecting for, which was derived from its breeding through polled Canadian sire Starwest Total Value, out of doubled poll dam Woonallee K165.

“This bull (M Pablo’s Pride), which is a different type, gives us options for our stud herd,” she said.

Mubarn stud co-principal Paul Tuckey, of Pinjarra, said Pablo’s Pride was the first of Mubarn’s ET sons from the sire and dam.

“We are very appreciative of the buyers of our bulls,” he said.

Mubarn set a stud record price at $15,000 and all four successful bidders were first-time buyers, including Nu-Plain stud co-principal Norm Trigwell, of Boyanup, who paid $8500 for Mubarn Poseidon.

Busselton vealer producer Ross Manning paid the $8500 top price twice for two black-skinned Bullock Hills Simmental bulls.

Mr Manning said the bulls would go over Angus cross Simmental females in his family’s 300 breeding herd.

“I am concerned about logistics with the virus (COVID-19),” he said.

The Patterson family, of Katanning-based Bullock Hills, offered and sold 11 Black Simmentals for an average of $6955, which included the sale of one bull’s proceeds (50 per cent of $7000) going to The Perkins Institute of Medical Research.

A yearling Bullock Hills bull, BHS Homo Black Q10, sold for $7000 to Woonallee stud, of South Australia.

The sale kicked off with the Charolais catalogue with Peter and Judy Milton, of Copplestone, at Dardanup, offering 14 bulls, with eight sold to a top of $6000 and average price of $4625.

Four vendors offered Murray Grey bulls which included a Venturon bull topping at $6000, which sold to Mundijong account E Love & Son.

The Angus catalogue consisted of four Islay bulls and three Venturon bulls, with all sold to a top of $11,500 for Islay The Piper P10, which sold to first-time buyer Mal Phillips, of Kanangra Grazing, at Manjimup.

Mr Phillips, who secured another Islay bull for $8000, said he was pleased to support young up-coming Islay co-principals Jorja and Denby Young, of Narrogin.

The Young sisters, aged 15 and 12, who were at school, were ably assisted by their grandfather, John Young, who attended to the bulls at Brunswick.

Mr Phillips also bought two Venturon Angus bulls, first-time offered at Brunswick, for $7000 each.

Jutland Park Red Angus stud offered five bulls, with one selling for $4000 to Dansinup Grazing, of Dunsborough.