Alumy Creek Angus at Tenterfield held their annual bull sale last Friday with Alumy Creek Compass N055 selling for a personal record top price of $15,000 to volume buyers Matt and Jackie Tennyson, Taroom, Qld.
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The stud recorded an average sale price of $5460 with 28 of 47 bulls sold or 59 per cent.
The clearance rate was not so surprising, according to stud principals Colin Keever and Lisa Martin, given the incredibly difficult season. It was made all the more tricky for Alumy Creek after grass fires decimated their paddocks in February.
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Ms Martin said it was great to have a new record top price given the tough year, coupled with near-100 per cent repeat buyer support.
"There were just a couple (of lots) to new customers. A few bulls went locally but most went to other areas that had received some rain like central Queensland and down the coast."
Ms Martin said the sale also had good support selling online with AuctionsPlus with bidders from four states competing for the bulls.
"The -6.0 degrees start to the day definitely was noticed by our buyers, many of whom arrive the day prior to also enjoy some of the shopping and hospitality that Tenterfield has to offer," she said.
"Our clearance was down on last year but not unexpected given the local seasonal conditions. We still have a good selection of bulls with calving ease and marbling available for sale out of the paddock."
Top-priced rising two-year-old Compass N055 measured 795kg with a 42cm scrotal circumference the week before sale day, while scanned information from two months ago revealed 104cm sq for eye muscle area, 12mm for rib fat and 9mm for rump fat with an intramuscular fat score of 5.7.
By the American bull Baldridge Compass C041, the Alumy Creek progeny were among the oldest sons of the US sire in Australia and was the result of a trip to North America by Mr Keevers in 2016.
The auctioneer was assisted by underbidders Justin and Kate Boshammer, JK Cattle Co, Condamine, who would have used the sire in their stud operation.
For the Tennyson family, Compass was one of nine bulls purchased on the day, including four sons of Baldridge Compass.
They secured the second lot of the sale, Alumy Creek Compass N085, regarded by some including Elders auctioneer Brian Kennedy as the best of the draft, for $7000 along with the first lot of the day, Alumy Creek Compass N053, for $8000.
The Tennysons, repeat buyers for the past five years, will use their new Angus bulls in their breeding herd of Brangus infused with Angus to produce calves to suit the feedlot market with some grown out as bullocks.
Second top priced bull was another Compass son, N084, the heaviest in the draft, which sold for $10,000 to W and S Pickenskill, Theodore, Qld, weighing 910kg, with a 40cm scrotum, 117cm sq EMA, 10mm and 7mm rib and rump fats with an IMF of 6.1.
Alumy Creek Sandman N014, by Connealy Sandman, sold for $8000 to first time buyer and straight Angus breeder Andrew Hill, Woodenbong. The rising two-year-old weighed 810kg with a 41cm scrotal, and an EMA of 110cm sq, 13mm and 11mm rib and rump fats and 6.4 IMF. Another Sandman son, N108, weighing 830kg with a 40cm scrotal, sold to repeat buyer Susan Smith, Woonooka Angus stud, Tamworth for $7000.
Tim Cuthbert, Yarrabilla, Goondiwindi, Qld, bought three bulls paying $4000 for Alumy Creek Opportunity N040 by Freys Opportunity.
Another repeat buyer, Alex Anderson, Willow Tree, purchased two bulls to a top of $5000 for Alumy Creek Compass N007 weighing 790kg with 42cm scrotal, 104cm sq EMA and six for IMF.
Repeat buyer Tim Dougherty, Blackbutt, Tabulam, another February fire victim who destocked by a third as a result, purchased Alumy Creek Unanimous N034, by Vision Unanimous, for $5000. Peter Mulcahy, Urbenville, another returning client, bought Alumy Creek Compass N104 for $4000.
The cold start to the sale day brought to a halt his short growing season after a bone dry summer.
"You could smell the frost-affected Kikuyu," he said.
Owen and Melissa Adams, Applethorpe, also a returning client, bought Alumy Creek Unanimous N042, weighing 840kg with an EMA of 115cm sq, 11mm and 7mm rib and rump fats. The Adams breed sell grass-fed progeny, without grain, at 18 months.
The sale was conducted by George and Fuhrmann, Warwick, with Elders Glen Innes and Auctions Plus.
