Buyer Tom Nixon, Devon Court Herefords, Drillham, Qld, Mark Duthie, Grant Daniel Long, Dalby, and vendor Tom Honner, Minlacowie Poll Herefords, Minlaton, SA, with Minlacowie Jubilant J123.
International interest in Australian bred genetics has been sparked by the sale of Minlacowie Jubilant J123 at auction for $95,000 at Wodonga on Thursday.
The sale eclipsed the previous top price at the Herefords Australia Wodonga National Sale of $70,000 in 2011.
European interest in semen packages have been received over the past few days, with the bull now at Total Livestock Genetics, in Victoria, for semen collection.
The sale was a great thrill for breeders and first time Wodonga exhibitors Tom and Amy Honner, Minlacowie Poll Herefords, Minlaton, South Australia, when the hammer fell to Tom Nixon, Devon Court Herefords, Drillham, Qld.
The Allendale Waterloo son had been sashed as the 2016 Sydney Royal interbreed champion bull and the Wodonga National’s senior champion Poll Hereford bull.
The 1058kg bull scanned with an eye muscle area of 140sqcm, 19mm on the rump, 13mm on the rib and with a 40cm scrotal circumference.
On BREEDPLAN, Jubilant had a birthweight of +4.4kg, 600 day weight of +83kg, carcase weight of +57kg, eye muscle area of +3.9sqcm and intramuscular fat percentage of +0.4.
Mr Nixon plans to use Jubilant naturally across 60 cows a year and in an AI program.
“We knew this price was on the cards as bulls are making good money and the industry is heading in the right direction,’’ he said.
“The Hereford breed is positive in the north in that the market has been solid in feeder steers and females are in high demand – I receive three phone calls a week just on heifers.
“We are starting to move a lot of bulls into Brahman herds.’’
Vendor Tom Honner was unable to be present at the bull’s wins in Sydney and Wodonga but was in the sale barn when the high price was reached.
Mr Honner said a groundswell of interest since Sydney and during Wodonga with the big guns of the breed circling, indicated a price “at the upper end’’.
He paid tribute to Christian and Stacey Allan for preparing the bull.
“The shed (at Wodonga) was heaving with people and when the industry is going well and we’ve had a big rain, everyone is happy to pay the prices,’’ Mr Honner said.
“There has been such a swing of horned breeders utilising poll genetics.’’
Mr Honner said the year Jubilant was calved, he lost 25 stud animals to ryegrass toxicity – or one tenth of his herd.
“That are the lows and highs of breeding cattle – he is the best bull I’ve bred from visual, pedigree and performance point of view but this will be proven in time,’’ he said.
“It’s a family passion and my wife says I’m too committed to the cattle.
“Jubilant is the result of 50 years of not compromising on quality and buying the best bulls in the land.’’
Tom Nixon said Devon Court was the losing bidder on the top price bull at the 2015 Dubbo National sale.
“This time we found the bull we liked and we couldn’t stop,’’ he said.
“He has one of the best heads we’ve seen on a pollie bull in a long time.
“With his low birthweight, we can use him with heifers.
“We have been buying bulls out of Wodonga and Dubbo for a long time.’’
The Devon Court herd comprises 200 stud cows and 600 commercial breeders.