Big sale spread for Millah Murrah
(Courtesy The Land Thursday November 12, 2009 page 82)
By
Brad Wilson
The geographic spread of the buyer base was a feature at the Millah
Murrah Angus stud cow and female sale, as stud and recipient pregnancy-tested
in-calf (PTIC) cows, frozen embryos, and semen lots went to four States
for the Thompson family, Bathurst, last Friday.
Agents were kept busy
receiving strong competition from a crowd of 60 Angus enthusiasts and
a further 17 registered phone bidders all wanting to take advantage of
the rare opportunity and genetics on offer.
Millah Murrah genetics will
join Angus stud herds in Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, and across
NSW.
In the breakdown, 48 of 57 PTIC stud cows sold at auction to $8000,
to average $3500; with further sales following the auction.
Six recipient
cows averaged $2583, selling to $3500; a total clearance of 58 frozen
embryos sold to an impressive $1700, averaging $1135, while all four
lots of 25 licensed semen straws cleared, averaging $1000.
Principal
of Millah Murrah Angus stud, Ross Thompson, said to achieve a $3500 average
for dry (PTIC) cows in a fairly swamped market and with variable seasonal
conditions across the country was a wonderful result.
“At the same
time, buyers didn’t have to go overboard to access some highly
accomplished breeding females”, he said.
“It was good to
see repeat clients here but the number of new entrants to the stud Angus
cattle industry at Millah Murrah and other sales this spring is heartening
and evidence of the continued bright outlook for the Angus breed”,
Mr Thompson said.
Michael Jones, Aberdeen Estate Angus, Fitzroy Falls
in the Southern Highlands, purchased lot one, Millah Murrah Flower Y10
(A1) (ET) for the $8000 top price.
Carrying the genetic mix of 036 and
469, Flower is PTIC to Millah Murrah Equator C112.
Mr Jones said he is
building up his Angus stud herd with the highest quality females he can
find – recent purchases have included females from KO, Kenny’s
Creek, Strathewen and The Grange Angus studs.
“I aim to have a
smaller herd of elite females with good phenotype, carrying estimated
breeding values and index figures all above the breed average”,
he said.
Volume buyer was repeat client, Dimity Hirst, Entally Forest
Angus stud, Tasmania, who averaged $4375 for her draft of eight females.
“I
have purchased Millah Murrag cattle since 2003 and saw the females at
the bull sale in September, this was a great opportunity to secure some
of the cream of the Millah Murrah stock that have performed so consistently
in the stud and embryo transfer programs for a number of years", Mrs
Hirst said.
"This sale provided me the chance to secure geentics that suit and have
performed in my stud for a number of years – Millah
Murrah cattle perform because they are bred by cattlemen not by breeders
just concentrating on figures”, she said.
Repeat clients included
Keith Kerridge, Bannaby Angus, Taralga, who was chasing quality females
to be used in donor programs, taking home four females averaging $4750;
Darren and Adrian Lane, Wilano Angus, Birriwa, averaged $2416 for their
draft of six cows, and Brett Guest, Clunie Range Angus, Collatai, purchased
two cows and three embryo packages.
Victorian buyers included Witherswood
Angus, Glenrowan; Southfork Angus, Mornington and Wild Grass Angus, Yea,
while Trent Walker, Walker Brothers Enterprises, Lameroo, took two lots
home to South Australia.
The sale was conducted by Elders and Paul Dooley
was auctioneer.