The Branson family’s Banquet Angus bull sale realised a record top price for its spring sale of $32,000.
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Banquet, of Mortlake, sold 43 of 44 offered at an average of $6767. This compared with the 2017 spring sale where the top was $18,000 with a total clearance of 34 bulls, av $7617.
First lot offered at the Western Victorian Livestock Exchange was lot 11, Banquet Nixon N099 which topped the sale at the record price of $32,000.
The bull was bought by a tri-state syndicate comprising long term supporters, Brad and Nicole Saunders, Pheasant Creek Angus, Wowan, Queensland, Erica and Stu Halliday, Ben Nevis Angus, Walcha, NSW, and Margaret and son Robbie Patterson, Drysdale, Ballangeich.
Robbie Patterson said the bull would be collected for semen before it headed to Queensland. Mr Patterson said he would use the semen in a heifer synchronisation program. Mr Patterson said the bull had exceptional figures as well as being an easy calving sire.
The bull, by Aberdeen Estate Homer H70, had figures of -5.4 for gestation length (GL) and +3.8 for birthweight (BWT) while showing +98kg for 400-day weight and +128 for 600 day weight, with an eye muscle area (EMA) of +2.2 square centimetres..
Second top of the day was $14,000 for lot 25, Neil N055 that showed figures of +6.2 BWT and +87 for 400 day weight and +116 for 600 day weight and +4.1 EMA. The buyer was Webb Pastoral, Yea.
Another north east buyer and regular purchaser at Banquet, GP & D Norman, Landrigan, paid $13,000 for Nathan N040. The Normans topped the recent Wangaratta spring store sale with their Banquest blood steers. Nathan N040 was by Banquet Katoomba K312 and had figures of -5.3 GL, +5.1 BWT, +92 400 day weight, +119 600 day weight and a +4.1 EMA.
Volume buyer was Dunkeld Pastoral, Cavendish, buying six bulls to a top of $10,000 and averaging $7333.
Another buyer to make a mark on the sale was Georogy Pastoral, Dubbo, NSW, buying nine bulls to a top of $6000 twice to average $4444.
Strong competition came from NSW buyer Gary Taunton, Taurooma Farming, near Moree.
He bought two bulls to a top of $10,000 for Millenium M393 and $9000 for Muesli M153. Geoff Murray, NarNarGoon, Gippsland, paid $10,500 for Mobile M270.
In Hamilton, Stoney Point Angus offered 30 Angus bulls, and sold 28, hitting a top price of $8000, and recording an average of $5455 at its spring sale.
Stud principal for the South Australian stud, Perry Gunner, said buyers were looking for low birth weight and calving ease bulls, which was evident in the bulls that made the top price.