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82
LIVESTOCK
Farm Weekly Thursday, February 26, 2015
Electric Willandra sale averages $5762
❐ This Simmental
sire topped last
week's Willandra
Simmental and Red
Angus on-property
bull sale at Williams
at $15,500 when it
was purchased in
partnership by the
Woonallee
Simmental stud,
Millicent, South
Australia and the
Bullock Hills
Simmental stud,
Katanning. With the
bull were Landmark
auctioneer John
Wirth (left),
Landmark Williams
agent Ben Kealy,
Landmark State
livestock manager
Leon Giglia, Bullock
Hills principal Brad
Patterson and
Willandra stud
principals Charles
and Peter Cowcher.
By CAITLYN BURLING
THIS year’s on-property
Willandra bull sale was
nothing short of electric, after
a large crowd dug deep to
secure premium bulls and
ensure the Cowcher family
recorded their best result.
The positivity rustling
through the crowd was felt
from the very beginning and
continued throughout the
entire catalogue of 50
Simmental and Red Angus
bulls offered by Charles,
Beryl, Peter and Jen Cowcher.
It was up to seasoned
Landmark auctioneer John
Wirth to guide proceedings,
but the excellent line-up of 50
bulls saw 41 of them
practically sell themselves for
an average of $5762.
Not only was it the
Cowcher’s highest ever
average, it was their highest
grossing sale at $236,250,
largely aided by strong
interest and competition on
the 35 Simmental bulls, 30 of
which sold to average a
mighty $6017.
Even though the higher
prices were a welcome result,
it was the exceptional yarding
of well-bred bulls that
impressed the most,
particularly the second
Simmental bull which was
widely acknowledged to be
the stand-out.
Willandra Jerry had been
circled in most catalogues and
when the bidding kicked off at
$6000 buyers jumped at the
chance to place their bid.
Once it surpassed the
$10,000 mark, most of the
crowd became spectators to a
WILLANDRA SIMMENTAL & RED ANGUS
ON-PROPERTY BULL SALE
(Under the hammer results)
offered sold
top
gross
average
Simmental
Red Angus
35
15
30
11
$15,500
$8500
$180,500
$55,750
$6017
$5068
Total
50
41
$15,500
$236,250
$5762
confident battle between two
remaining buyers which
culminated in Brad and Sylvia
Patterson, Bullock Hills
Simmentals, Katanning,
securing the bull with a final
bid of $15,500, a new auction
record for the stud.
The Patterson’s purchased
Willandra Jerry in partnership
with Tom Baker, Woonallee
Simmentals, Millicent, South
Australia, as both breeders
clearly had an eye for quality
and recognised Jerry’s huge
potential.
Mr Patterson said Jerry was
the finest bull in the Willandra
catalogue.
“He comes from a
phenomenal breeding
background and was the
stand-out bull for us,” Mr
Patterson said.
“He has a very good
structure and excellent
maternal traits which we
would expect to flow through
to his daughters.
“This type of bull is well
suited to the breeding
objectives of our own stud and
we are keen to use him over
our breeding nucleus.”
While the two studs are still
working out the finer details
of the shared arrangement, Mr
Patterson said they agreed to
collect semen as soon as
possible and both aim to use
the sire as a standing bull.
Sired by Willandra
Commando and out of
Willandra Olive E147, the 878
kilogram Jerry showed great
weight for age at each
milestone, with EBVs of +0.2
birthweight and +28, +37 and
+38 for its 200, 400 and 600day weights.
Other favourable EBVs
included +8 for milk, +2.5
EMA, +0.3 in the rib and a
retail beef yield of +1.0.
The rest of the Simmental
line-up sold with similar
fervour, with the price only
dropping below $5000 for the
last two bulls sold.
The remaining 29 bulls
were divided between 19
buyers, each keen to secure
their share of the latest
Willandra genetics, including
two buyers who paid the equal
second top price of $8500.
Audrey and Sam
Weightman, Topweight
LIVESTOCK
83
❐ Landmark Williams agent Ben Kealy (left), looks over the $8500 top price Red Angus bull with new
owners Robbie and Ted Johnston, Preston Downs, Esperance and Willandra Red Angus stud co-principal
Peter Cowcher.
Returning top price buyers
Robbie and Ted Johnston,
Preston Downs, Esperance,
proved they were willing to
pay for quality, hitting the
$8500 peak when they placed
the successful bid for
Willandra Joker.
Despite the name, Joker
was a seriously impressive
sire and caught the attention
of the father and son duo for
its even muscle coverage and
handy set of figures.
“He is nice and soft and not
too big, so we will be able to
use him over the heifers,”
Robbie Johnston said.
“We’ve bought bulls in the
past by the same sire and
have been really happy with
how the calves turned out.”
Sired by Willandra Cain
PCSC1 and out of Willandra
Cherry C51 PCSC51, Joker
presented with EBVs of +3.4
birthweight, +23, +36 and
+52 for its 200, 400 and 600day weights and +11 for
milk.
The Johnstons secured the
next bull, Willandra
Jackhammer, for $6250.
Other buyers of Red Angus
genetics included L Sharpe &
Son, Denmark, who paid
$7000 to purchase Willandra
Joseph (AI), while McMahon
Family Trust, Kojonup,
purchased the first Red
Angus sire to be offered for
$6500.
Landmark Williams agent
Ben Kealy said it was a
superb result for the
Cowchers, and for buyers
looking for top quality
Simmental and Red Angus
genetics.
“The family put up a very
even line of bulls and the
quality was outstanding,” Mr
Kealy said.
“This year, the line-up was
the strongest it has been for a
long time and many loyal
buyers were rewarded.”
1440818
Grazing, Margaret River,
were the first to pay $8500
for Willandra Jamaica, a low
birthweight bull that was +10
milk and +28, +39, +44 for
its 200, 400 and 600-day
weights.
It was the Weightmans’
only purchase at the sale and
was soon followed by PW &
RJ McKean, Coolup, who
also paid $8500 for Willandra
Julian, a 20-month-old bull
with traditional Simmental
colouring.
Taking out the volume
buyer title was regular
supporter Welldon Beef,
Williams, which purchased
eight Simmental bulls for a
top of $5500, averaging
$5286.
Others paying top money
included FJ & M Foster &
Sons, Cowaramup, who
bought Willandra Jackson for
$8250, while JB & H Wringe,
Kirup, got in early to secure
Willandra Jonah for $7500,
finishing with a second sire
for $4500.
Long-time buyers PP & B
Smith, Busselton, purchased
two Simmental bulls for
$6750 and $6250, as did G &
TJ Ross, Denmark, who
secured two sires at $5750
and $5250.
After the Simmental’s
successful run, the Red
Angus offering found its
niche among the crowd,
clearing 11 of the 15 bulls
offered for an average of
$5068.
Ten buyers shared the 11
bulls between them, with the
only buyer to purchase two
bulls also claiming the top
price title for the section.
Farm Weekly Thursday, February 26, 2015
CONTACT:
27 BULLS
AT THE GINGIN BULL SALE
OFFERING
Thursday March 5, 2015
TONY SUDLOW
0428 362 032
IAN SUDLOW
0428 362 010
www.kapariangus.com.au