The 2021 Australian Wagyu Association’s Elite Wagyu Sale held on April 28 continued to highlight the global strength of the Association’s Wagyu BREEDPLAN estimated breeding values (EBVs) and genomic analysis to an ever-increasing domestic and international Wagyu sector market.
Consistent with prior years, the international interest in the Sale was high, with international buyers bidding on almost all Lots, and taking seven of the 45 Lots on offer – to the UK, Switzerland, Ireland and the US.
More than 160 registered bidders participated in the live and online auction.
Topping the sale, was a Fullblood heifer PSKFR0007 from Sunnyside Wagyu, snapped up for $65,000 by Amberoo Wagyu.
The 10-month-old heifer whose bloodline traces back through Macquarie Wagyu’ Coates Itoshigenami G113, was recently joined to a son of Macquarie’s Y408, who features in the top 1% of the 600-day weight gain EBV.
The dominance of new generation genetics was on display, including Macquarie Wagyu’s G133 who as a third-generation carcase sire with 127 Fullblood carcase progeny records, has 60% of his progeny achieve a marble score of more than 9.
The semen straws topped the semen lots at $50,000 per straw, sold to US based Synergy Wagyu.
In the bull category, the top price was gained for Olive Grove Wagyu’s OGWFR18, a Fullblood son of Sumo’s Michifuku L195 with a Self-Replacing Index value of more than $300, achieving a $55,000 sale price at the fall of the hammer.
Switzerland’s Marcel Merz continued to strengthen the genetics of his Top Wagyu herd, with the top bid of $2,900 per embryo for a Lot of four embryos offered by Amberoo Wagyu. Of the flush Lots, UK Wagyu buyer Paul Angelides bought two Lots at $18,000 each from Shokunin Wagyu.
Australian Wagyu Association CEO, Dr Matt McDonagh, said that: “It is clear that the international and domestic market for elite Wagyu genetics is strong and has been reflected in the level of interest shown in the 2021 Elite Wagyu Sale, and in recent private Wagyu sales. It is a credit to our members that our Herdbook and EBVs provide the global benchmark for Wagyu Genetic evaluation and the core resource for continued progress in Wagyu.”
-Australian Wagyu Association