Purchasers of top-price bull and volume buyers of heifers Trevor and Tracey Wells, “Riverbrook”, Singleton, flanked by vendors John and Nicole Hopkins, Wormbete; and Stuart and Samantha Moeck, Valley Creek. Photo by The Land
By Nathan O’Sullivan, The Land
The Hopkins and Moeck families once again joined forces in the 5th annual Wormbete Simmentals on property sale with invitation to Valley Creek Simmentals held at “Allawah”, Illabo.
With 39 Simmental bulls on offer of all descriptions including Traditional, Black, Red and Sim-Angus 34 were loaded for their new homes for an average of $5838.
The top money of $17,000 was paid by Trevor and Tracey Wells, Riverbrook Simmentals, Singleton, for Valley Creek Manpower a son of Canadian sire Rendezvous Galba 60A out of the donor dam Barana Felton.
The Wells purchased Manpower as the next stud sire for this emerging stud that started off three years ago.
“Manpower will go over the daughters of our previous stud sire a Callendale Frank son purchased from Wormbete, his outcross bloodlines was a real draw card,” Mr Wells said.
The Wells plans for Riverbrook Simmentals to be an elite herd of about 60 breeders built on solid bloodlines.
Manpower wasn’t the bull to find duties at studs.
Doug and Jan Bradshaw, BlueDog Simmentals, Wandoan, QLD, paid $14,000 for Wormbete Millenium M91 a homozygous poll son of Wormbete Jackaroo J64.
The Bradshaws purchased a further bull and a heifer to make the journey home to Wandoan.
Jackaroo progeny were in demand throughout the sale and two semen packages in Jackaroo later sold to a top of $300 per straw.
Another Jackaroo son in Wormbete Maverick M4 also sold to stud duties being purchased by Luke Adams, Loaderry Simmentals, Londonderry for $12,000.
While Summerhill Simmentals paid $10,000 for a Barana Eastlake son in Wormbete Marksman M74 to preform stud duties at their Scottsdale, Tasmania operation.
Magpie Park Simmentals, Penola, purchased the top price black Simmental bull Valley Creek Cowboy Cut a son of US sire CCR Cowboy Cut 5048Z for $8000.
Among the volume buyers Peter and Odette Morley, Boomey Park, Molong, put together a draft of five traditional bulls for an average of $4250 paying to a top of $5500.
Having purchased at Wormbete and Valley Creek for three years Mr Morley said “they are honest cattle that are structurally correct and have the ability to walk.”
Mr Morley has been using Simmentals for 11 years for their maternal traits which is important in his herd of 1000 breeders which are now predominately Simmental.
John Terrill, “Grandview” Rutherglen, bought well purchasing four bulls for $4000 to go over his herd of 450 black baldy cows to produce vealers.
In the females 19 of the 20 heifers offered sold to a top of $10,000 to average $4513.
The top money was paid for Wormbete Beatrix M54 by Emohruo Grazing, Middle Mount, Queensland.
Sired by Callendale Frank, Beatrix M54 was sold pregnancy tested in calf to VPFS Brantz 12B.
Emohruo Grazing purchased three heifers in total for an average of $7833.
Trevor and Tracy Wells were the volume buyers in the heifer section purchasing five heifers in total for a $3050 average.
While Stu and Jill Cameron, Inverleigh Simmentals, Invergordon, Victoria, paid to a top of $5500 for their four heifers averaging $4375.
Wormbete principal, John Hopkins was very pleased with the result,“Wonderful clearance across the board, it was very rewarding to see a number of bulls sold to stud duties backed by strong commercial support.”
The auction sale was conducted by Landmark with Michael Glasser the guest auctioneer.