54th Annual Bull Sale Friday 17 September 2021
Friday 17 September 2021 marked the 54th Annual Shorthorn Bull Sale for Weebollabolla. We were proud of the line up and thank all the successful and under bidders for your support on the day. Thanks also to Dave Watts and the team at Norland, Bob Jamieson Agencies and Elders.
Thanks to The Land and author Billy Jupp for the below article:
THE competition of loyal return buyers and new clients helped propel Weebollabolla Shorthorn stud to one of its best ever sale results on Friday.
Warm spring sunshine greeted buyers to the Moree operation's 54th annual sale, as bidders from across the state flocked to the historic saleyards and many more followed the sale online via Elite Livestock Auctions.
The Munro and Jeffrey families offered and sold 59 rising-two-year-old bulls during the live auction for a perfect clearance rate and an impressive average of $11,754.
A total of 16 bulls sold for $15,000 or more but it only one surpassed the $20,000 mark, which was the top seller Weebollabolla Quake Q49, which was knocked down to C and P Francis and Sons, Gobothery, Forbes,2 for $24,000.
The polled, roan coloured, 26-month-old son of Weebollabolla Narrandera N78 and out of Weebollabolla Bushel N77 weighed 870 kilograms, had a scrotal size of 39.5 centimetres, was rated in the top five per cent of the breed for 600-day weight, carcase weight, rib fat and was rated in the top 10pc of the breed for 400-day weight and rump fat.
Buyer Chris Francis said his family had been purchasing bulls from Weebollabolla for almost 40 years and this bull would fit into the family's operation seamlessly.
"We are really impressed with Quake's shape and quantity of red meat," Mr Francis told The Land.
"He's a wonderful roan... soft and short haired.
"We are excited to see his offspring and expect him to produce ideal females plus bull calves, which may end up in Queensland where we have been supplying bulls to Marellan Shorthorns, Emerald, to supplement their own numbers.
"The Weebollabolla blood is doing a terrific job for them as they are functional and survive under those extreme selection pressures."
Weebollabolla Shorthorns stud principal Jen Jeffrey echoed Mr Francis' sentiments, saying the top price bull was a standout of a very consistent draft of bulls.
"I think his overall skin type, his balance and numbers really made him standout in the paddock," Mrs Jeffrey said.
"He's the sort of bull that always catches your eye and there were plenty of bulls that weren't far behind him price wise, but I think maybe his roan colour and his nice slick skin might have got him across the line."
The top selling bull was one of three bulls purchased by C and P Francis and Sons at an average of $18,666.
Other volume buyers included Jeogla Pastoral Company, Armidale, which purchased 14 bulls online at an average of $9571, FJ and DC Wagner, Winnaleah, Tasmania, four bulls at an average of $13,250 and Trinidad Station, Quilpie, Queensland, two bulls at an average of $12,000.
"We were really pleased with the versatility of our bulls this year and I think that is reflected in where the bulls are going to such as places in Tasmania, across NSW and into Queensland," Mrs Jeffreys said.
"It's also really pleasing to see strong demand for our bulls from not just commercial buyers but from other studs such as Turanville in Scone, Royalla in Yeoval and The Grove in Barramornie, Queensland."
Friday's sale also marked a first for the Moree operation as it offered six heifers which all sold at an average of $8500 and to of top of $11,000, which was paid for Weebollabolla Fate Q454 by Turanville Shorhorn stud, Scone.
Weebollabolla also offered 10 semen straws which sold for $90 per straw.
"The prices were very strong for the heifers, which was really pleasing to see," Mrs Jeffreys said.
"We had an opportunity by chance to offer them this year, it wasn't completely planned but it was fate.
"We were planning on doing an artificial insemination program on some of them but that just didn't eventuate, so it worked out really well."
Friday's live auction sale was conducted by Elders Gunnedah and Bob Jamieson Agencies, Inverell, with Lincoln McKinlay, Elders studstock, Inverell auctioneering.
