News and Reports

A Bell-based Braford stud stole the show at the breed's national auction at Gracemere on Monday, September 9, when it claimed back-to-back top price honours and averaged more than $20,000 for its draft.

The McNamara family, MCN Brafords, Bell, had every reason to celebrate when their nine bulls averaged $22,777, including the $45,000 top price.

It was the prelude to a solid result for the 2024 National Braford Sale in which 142 of 160 bulls sold for an 88 per cent clearance and $10,922 average.

This was the same clearance result of last year but a rise from the $9782 average and $32,000 top price.

All three females cleared to top at $7000 and average $5333, compared with an 80pc clearance, $7500 top and $4750 average in 2023.

The heights of the sale were reached for MCN Iceman when Russell and Donna Kenny, Harriett Valley Brafords, Gayndah, parted ways with a $45,000 bid, ahead of Morven's Robson family.

The 31-month-old son of Donrinda Menzies and Strathgyle 2687 weighed 1148 kilograms at the sale and had a 39 centimetre scrotal circumference, 75pc motile semen and 77pc for morphology.

He was 12 and 10 millimetres for P8 and rib fat depths, 5.3pc for intramuscular fat and 155 square centimetres for eye muscle area.

It was the first time the Kennys had bought from MCN after seeing the bull when he made a show appearance at Beef 2024.

Bec Kenny said the bull offered new genetics and would be used to breed bulls, heading home to a herd of stud females.

"We've always watched those Menzie bulls and we've always been wanting one," she said.

The six Donrinda Menzie bulls from MCN averaged $23,833 alone.

MCN stud principal Don McNamara said they bought the bull for $16,000 as a 16 or 17 month-old about eight years ago.

"This would be the third or fourth crop of bulls and the heifers have topped sales as well," he said.

"He has done a really good job for us."

"He was very very strong, dark fella and we could put him with any cow and they were good calves.

"We still put him with a few cows but we have got straws that we kept."

He said the top price bull was a high content type, something that they aimed to breed.

"He (the top bull) has just been running with the other herd bulls....he is a big upstanding fella that looks after himself," he said.

"We pride ourselves that the cows are living on coolibah ridges that are pretty tough most winters and the bulls come across back over the other side but we have had tremendous oats and they have been a really great lot to prepare."

In a role reversal, the top price heifer from Harriett Valley, Harriett Valley Xara, was secured for $7000 by the MCN stud, along with the Duthie family, Callaway Poll Herefords, Irvingdale and Stuart Dingle, Chasewater Brafords, Mt Perry.

The 18-month-old daughter of Carinya Yenda and Harriett Valley 544 was seven months in calf to a Harriett Valley show bull.

Speaking on behalf of the syndicate, Mark Duthie, Callaway stud, said she was their second heifer purchase and would calve down at Mt Perry.

"We bought a heifer last year from another sale so we've just got a bit of syndicate to have a bit of a fun," he said.

"She is by that bull that sold a couple of years ago that topped the sale for $50,000 and she is seven months in calf so she is ready to do the job."

Bulls sold in bulk into the north west of the state and central Queensland while there were also bulls bound as far south as central NSW.

Barry and Ainsley Galloway, Blackwater were among the biggest buyers with nine averaging $5111 while the Robson family of Mount View, Morven had the most expensive order with an average of $26,250 for their four bulls.

LC and JK Muller, Rolleston, bought seven to average $10,857 while ACM Grazing, Richmond, secured six to average $7166 and Broadford Pastoral Company, Hughenden, also bought six averaging $10,500.

Bruce and Jo Whip of Glenrowan Grazing Co at Morven bought five averaging $10,800, as did LF and AD Price, Dirranbandi, averaging $10,600 and AJ and CO Bambling, Gayndah, averaging $6800.

Top 10 vendor averages (as sold under the hammer)

MCN sold 9/9 to average $22,777

Eldon Court sold 2/2 to average $20,750

Carinya sold 14/14 to average $14,071

Little Valley sold 16/16 to average $13,625

Linlora sold 3/3 to average $11,000

Harriett Valley sold 12/12 to average $10,625

Kioma sold 5/5 to average $10,400

Double C sold 3/3 to average $10,333

Chadwick Downs sold 10/10 to average $9800

Sunny Lawn sold 7/10 to average $9714

Selling agents: Nutrien, Elders, GDL.

THE grandstands of the Bell Showgrounds were jam packed to see the Carinya stud claim a slice of history by topping the annual New Dimension Braford Sale at $42,000.

A total of 52 registered bidders filled the stands at Saturday's sale in the hopes of taking home one of the 19 bulls and 50 females offered by the Ashby, Downfall Creek, Nungil, Carinya, Loch Lomond, Little Valley, Strathygyle, MCN, Sunny Lawn, Glynnelly, Lime Vale, Banyula and Rarcamba studs.

In the breakdown, all 19 bulls sold at an average of $13,376 while the 50 females sold at an average of $4104.

It didn't take long for the sale's new record top price to set as the second bull offered, Carinya Aberdeen 033, was knocked down to Cargara Cattle Company, Augathella, for $42,000.

The 33-month-old son of Carinya Nebraska P112321 and out of Carinya 2600 P114959 was the heaviest bull in the catalogue at 1030 kilograms, had P8 and rib fat measurements of 15 and 12 millimetres respectively, an eye muscle area of 140 centimetres and a scrotal circumference of 42 square centimetres.

Buyer Jack Meek, Cargara Cattle Company, Cargara Station, Augathella, said he "liked just about everything" the top seller had to offer.

"To me he had the whole package including, temperament, bone, and structure," Mr Meek said.

"Honestly, I thought he was just about faultless and he is nearly the perfect bull for what we wanted.

"From here, we will put him with some of our top heifers and we will breed bulls to sell into the western Queensland country.

"I've bought bulls from the Amor family for years, so I know what they can do, and as far as I'm concerned this is money well spent."

Carinya stud principal Jackie Amor echoed Mr Meek's sentiments, saying the bull had long been a standout in her family's herd.

"There was a lot of things to like about that bull and we were certainly very hopeful that he would do well here in this sale," she said.

"As far as I am aware, that is a new top price for this sale, which is just fantastic.

"The sale continues to grow every year and the quality keeps getting better every year, so to get the top seller is certainly something we're quite proud of."

Coming in as the sale's second-top selling bull was Little Valley Nutella, which was the 30-month-old son of Little Valley Jetstar R P118798 and out of Little Valley Angie-Lee P114796, and was knocked down to Glenrowan Grazing Company, Morven, for $20,000.

Finishing atop the impressive offering of females was the 47th entry in the catalogue MCN Florence 016, which was offered by the MCN stud, McNamara Partnership.

The top seller was the 16-month-old daughter of Baroma Downs Ringo 474 P117262 and out of Strathgyle Honey P111346 and was knocked down for $8000 to Lewis Cammack-Camdan, Mt Kilcoy

She was one of six females Mr Cammack-Camdan purchased at an average of $5958, all of which he said would be used to help him get his own stud off the ground.

"I really liked the top female's size, depth and length and I think she is perfect for what I am after in terms of trying to build up my own herd," he said.

"I've always wanted to breed Brafords and this is my first time here, so to come away with as many quality females as I have is really pleasing."

Also among the sale's volume buyers of females was Welbourn Hill Pastoral, Winton, which purchased 17 females at an average of $3882, Stella Creek, Wondai, which purchased four females at an average of $3687 and the Edwards family, Doubtful Creek, NSW, which purchased three females at an average of $4583.

Glenrowan Grazing Company, Morven, was also among the sale's volume buyers, taking home three bulls at an average of $16,333, while the McQueen family, Winton, purchased five bulls at an average of $10,200.

Saturday's live-auction sale was conducted by Elders Toowoomba with Andrew Meara and Blake Munro auctioneering and Elite Livestock Auctions providing the online interface.