Wirruna Autumn Bull & Female Sale – Wednesday, March 9th, 2016
A large crowd including 61 registered bidders faced heat wave conditions and strong competition at the Wirruna Autumn Bull and Female sale on Wednesday, 9th March 2016. Additionally for the first time at Wirruna, the Helmsman sale was interfaced with AuctionsPlus and this drew a further 22 registered onlookers and bidders who could operate remotely, or in one case, bid on their mobile phone via AuctionsPlus at the sale.
The Locke family were delighted with the outcome of the sale. The Bull average was up $982 from last year’s Autumn sale, but down on the $7,671 average achieved in the Spring 2015 sale. The strength of bidding throughout the catalogue was pleasing to stud principal Ian Locke “the good bulls sold well and there was good value throughout for repeat and new buyers” Ian Locke said, “Commercial buyers and some stud interest are recognising the Wirruna program delivers genetics with a lot of calving ease, easy-doing ability and carcase quality suiting both feedlot and high quality grass-fed market endpoints. They work well in the paddock and are accepted readily in the markets.” Stud interest came from Jawilo, Bayunga, Stanford, Terraneil, King Valley, Sisely, Mt Yorke, Ravensdale, Tarcombe & Yavenvale Poll Herefords/Hereford studs.
Sale Date: | 9th March 2016 (Bulls) | 9th March 2016 (Indiv Cow Lots) | 9th March 2016 (Group Cow Lots) |
No. Offered: | 45 | 12 | 55 |
No. Sold: | 42 | 12 | 55 |
Average Price: | $6,929 | $2,938 | $1,776 |
Top Price: | $15,500 | $4,000 | $2,150 |
Name of Top Price Animal: | Wirruna Kamo K19 (lot 6) | Wirruna Flora J418 (lot 62) | Group Lot 65 |
Sire of Top Price Animal: | Matariki Holy-Smoke | Wirruna Gardner G465 | |
Purchaser of Top Price Animal: | Bernlea Pastoral & GrazingJerramungup, WA | James Pearce, Yavenvale Herefords, Adelong | Bernlea Pastoral & GrazingJerramungup, WA |
The extra demand for homozygous polled bulls was reinforced with a $800 advantage over those that may carry the horn gene. The six Matariki Holy Smoke sons in the sale were stand-outs and averaged $12,000.
Ian Locke said “it was exciting to see the commercial buyers with confidence to invest in better genetics and be so demonstrative about the economic traits they are seeking, giving bull breeders all the better signals to breed for those genetic traits.”