The Wirruna Autumn Bull and female sale saw a similar average and clearance to that achieved the previous Spring. Especially pleasing was a new record price paid at Wirruna for the high marbling stud sire Wirruna Kalimna K326 shared by the Woods of Terraneil Poll Herefords, WA and the Bennetts of Bendulla Poll Herefords SA. Other studs to purchase at the sale included ARJAYM Herefords VIC, Woodstock Poll Herefords VIC, Quaindering Poll Herefords WA, Kidman Cattle Co, Elite Poll Herefords and Yavenvale Herefords. Ian Locke of Wirruna Poll Herefords stated after the sale that there was good stud and commercial interest for the top end of bulls and plenty of choice to make sure buyers didn’t go home empty handed if they needed a bull.
| Sale Date: | 8th March 2017 (Bulls) | 8th March 2017 (Indiv Female Lots) |
| No. Offered: | 61 | 7 |
| No. Sold: | 50 | 7 |
| Average Price: | $6,230 | $3,607 |
| Top Price: | $31,000 | $7,000 |
| Name of Top Price Animal: | Wirruna Kalimna K326 (Lot 5) | Wirruna Golden Vanity K242(Lot 71) |
| Sire of Top Price Animal: | Wirruna Hartwig H297 | Wirruna Hot Stuff H326 |
| Purchaser of Top Price Animal: | 50% share to J Forbes Woods & Co, TERRANEIL Poll Herefords, WA & 50% share to Ross & Andrew Bennett of BENDULLA PTY LTD, SA | James Pearce, Yavenvale Herefords, Adelong |
There was strong demand for the used Wirruna Sires averaging $13,000. Also the growth bulls averaging at $6,909 and the females went to new homes as far as Emerald QLD, Hernani in northern NSW, and Moama in the southern Riverina. In both bulls and females, there appeared to be a strong interest in higher marbling genetics with commercial and stud buyers competing strongly for the 40 animals rated in the top 5% of the breed for marbling.
Bulls carrying true-polled (Homozygous polled) genetics averaged $942/head over their counterparts that carry a copy of the horn gene (heterozygous polled). This consistently reflects feedback and enquiry of clients seeking to reduce the incidence of horned progeny requiring dehorning.