Demand for industry relevant bulls results in total clearance at Great Northern Brahman sale

NCC Al 6244 (H) with Ray Vella, Vella Brahmans, sold for the top bull price of $34,000 to Rob and Mandy White, Wilangi Brahmans, Charters Towers. Image Queensland Country Life

Commercial producers from throughout Queensland underpinned the strong demand for quality grey and red genetics at the Great Northern Brahman Sale on October 24-25 with heifers topping at $26,000 and bulls at $34,000.  

A premiere fixture on the northern sale calendar, the fifth annual Great Northern Brahman two-day sale bonanza was held on October 24-25 in the Whitsundays and resulted in a 100 per cent clearance of 82 bulls with an overall gross of $981,500.

The multivendor event kicked off on Thursday, October 24 at Airlie Beach Hotel with the live and online heifer and genetics sale. All nine heifers sold to average $15,222 and grossed $136,998 while the semen packages averaged $725 per straw and grossed $14,500.

Interfaced with Stocklive, the live auction on Friday at the Proserpine showgrounds resulted in a 100 per cent clearance of 82 grey and red bulls to a top of $34,000 and average of $7378 while 43 from 51 heifers were sold under the hammer for an average of $4884 and 84 per cent clearance.

Robert and Mandy White, Wilangi Brahmans, Charters Towers, snapped up Lot 34, NCC AL 6244 (H) for the top price of $34,000 from vendors Vella Brahmans, Proserpine.

The 24-month-old son of NCC Eli and out of NCC Silhouette 4258, weighed 862kg, and had a raw eye muscle area of 144sqcm, scrotal circumference of 40cm, intramuscular fat scan of 5.5 per cent, rump and rib fat of 13 and 11mm, motility of 80 per cent and morphology of 83 per cent.

The young sire was sold as three-quarter share and full possession with semen retained for in-herd use only.  He was one of the last NCC Eli sons to be offered and impressed with his length, volume, temperament and structural soundness.

Lot 1, Cambil Polled Emperor 6527 (IVF) (PS), the 38-month-old son of Kenrol Darrocca 2761, opened the sale, boasting a thumping liveweight of 1005kg, scrotal circumference of 41.4cm, raw eye muscle scan of 151sqcm, 95 per cent motility and 80 per cent morphology.

The young sire was snapped up by Belfrost Grazing, Winton, for the second top price of $20,000 for vendor the Camm family, Cambil Brahmans, Mt Julian.

Emperor was sold for a three-quarter share and full possession with 100 straws of semen included and was full brother to the top price heifer sold the evening before.

Sired by Cambil Diango 6400, the grey bull Cambil Perkins 6910 (IVF) (PP), Lot 15, made $16,000 to Queensland Rural account LG Grazing.

The Blue Water Hills Cam son, Lot 5, NCC Bill 6098 (H), sold for the fourth top price of $15,000 to Emanuel Pace, Blue Water Hills Brahmans, Mackay, by vendor Vella Brahmans, Proserpine.

Geoff and Scott Angel, Glengarry Brahmans, Rockhampton, outlaid $15,000 for the 21-month-old grey bull, Lot 7, NCC Amos (IVF) (H) from vendor Vella Brahmans.

In the heifer and genetics sale on day one, Lot 1 Cambil Holly 6851 (IVF) (PP), a grey daughter of Kenrol Darrocca 2761, was sold under the hammer to Mitch and Tenille James, Boomerang Brahmans, Mt Julian, for the top price of $26,000.

The December 2022 drop heifer was PTIC to US sire Mr H Pride of Maddox 684 and sold by the Camm family, Cambil Brahmans.

The second top price was $22,000 outlaid by the Pace family, Blue Water Hills E Brahman Stud, Mackay, for Lot 11 Badilla Sapphire (IVF), a May 2024 drop cherry red heifer by Kariboe Valley Ventura 1161/0 sold by Blake and Renee Chiesa, Badilla Brahmans, Ingham.

Great Northern Brahman Sale chairman James Kent said the sale drew both repeat and new buyers from across Queensland to compete on a catalogue of world class genetics.

Mr Kent said buyers came from the local Proserpine area as well as leading bullock producers from Clermont, Alpha, Charters Towers, Georgetown, and Collinsville regions.

“Commercial buyers were chasing industry relevant bulls with strong carcase characteristics, and this was underpinned with a significant increase in demand for strong horned bulls,” he said.

Grant Daniel Long Rockhampton branch manager Joshua Heck said with the increased offering this year it was encouraging to see such a solid result through the entire sale.

Selling agents were GDL Rockhampton and Elders Rockhampton.

The Great Northern Brahman Sale was proudly sponsored by Greater Whitsunday Vet Services, Williams Stock Feeds, Inventia Genetic Technologies, Gener8, GB & AR Willoughby Transport, Esdale Sinclair & Associates, Paradise Outdoor Advertising, and Pursehouse Rural.