Tom and Lizzy Baker, Furner, Landmark stud stock manager Gordon Wood, (and at front) Elders auctioneer Ben Finch and Elders Naracoorte branch manager Tom Dennis with the $52,500 top priced bull, Woonallee Messiah. Photo by Stock Journal
By Catherine Miller, Stock Journal
SALE SUMMARY
2018 2017
Offered 101 102
Sold 101 102
Top $52,500 $160,000
Av $9287 $9759
Woonallee stud principals Lizzy and Tom Baker, Furner, with their $52,500 record breaking black Simmental, Woonallee Messiah. Photo by Stock Journal
WOONALLEE Simmental stud at Furner has again set a high benchmark for SA’s autumn bull sale season, posting a new Australian Black Simmental record of $52,500.
The chosen one was an outstanding, black, homozygous polled bull, Woonallee Messiah, which weighed 758 kilograms in late January.
Bulls sold to all states of Australia during the stud’s 11th annual elite production sale, but it was Canadian buyers Lewis Farms, who bought the sale topper- Lot 22.
The 20 month-old was knocked down, amid a thunder of applause, to the Alberta based stud who were bidding through Elders Naracoorte branch manager Tom Dennis.
The sale top easily eclipsed the previous black Simmental record of $32,500 notched up by Woonallee stud principals Tom and Lizzy Baker at their 2017 sale.
Mr Baker said it was a thrill Lewis Farms wanted to reinvest in the stylish young bull which comprised their bloodlines.
The Bakers have had plenty of success with embryos from Lewis Farms.
Messiah was out of top young female, Woonallee Charo J252 who was a member of the winning interbreed junior pair at the Royal Adelaide Show a few years ago.
“He is a really nice calf with softness and power- a really complete black Simmental,” Mr Baker said.
“I think it is the best one we have bred through here.”
Elders auctioneer Ben Finch, Tom and Lizzy Baker with Brett Nobbs, NCC stud, Duaringa, Qld, who outlaid $27,000 for Lot 1, Woonallee Major League. Photo by Stock Journal
Brett Nobbs, Nobbs Cattle Company, Duaringa, Qld, who secured the $160,000 sale topper last year, did not have to bid anywhere near the dizzy heights.
He bought Lot 1, Woonallee Major League, the highest priced traditional Simmental bull for $27,000.
The 22.5 month old, polled bull was a heifer’s first calf and sired by New Zealand bull, Glen Anthony Y-Arta AY02
“It is the ideal type for Qld conditions with a bit of extra fat cover and we have to be mindful of pigment but he has good goggle eyes,” Mr Nobbs said.
Also heading to NCC stud was $21,000, Woonallee Minister, by impact sire Woonallee BHR Tornado.
Twenty eight bulls made $10,000 or more, showing the depth of quality throughout the catalogue.
But there was plenty of great commercial value, with 26 bulls selling for $4000 to $6000.
In the breakdown 39 traditional coloured and red Simmental bulls averaged $10,372, while 37 black Simmentals averaged $9959.