August 30th August to September 3rd
Tour members: Mike Smith, Jeremy Gunton, Rob Sherson, Jane Allan (report author)
Day 1
Breakfast at 6.30am with Jeremy/Carman Cooper from Circle 8 in Marulan, 1.5 hours south of Sydney. Earlier in life Jeremy won the AA Scholarship to study at Michigan State where he studied meat science under Dr Dave Hawkins and Dr Harlan Ritchie. His current breeding program is focused on producing an Angus animal with carcase attributes without sacrificing phenotype, structure and temperament. It’s been a challenging season at Circle 8 due to rain, rain and more rain – 68 inches in total. Sale bulls are creep feed as pastures are damaged. The feed is a mixture specifically produced for the beef animals’ content of palm kernel, barley with zinc, magnesium, copper elements for animal health.
Circle 8 Sale profile 2022 – Seventy sale bulls are from 3 cows all ET animals; Circle 8 offered a complete drop of their year S heifers for sale to obtain capital to purchase more land. The heifers have linkages to E11Rosebud L122. Top price heifer made $140K she sat in the top 1% for IMF, purchased by Mackas Black Angus, Gloucester who farm 3500 commercial cows, sale heifer average $39,714. All sale animals are DNA profiled, structurally assessed by an independent assessor along with fertility checks for both males and females. No genetic defect testing is carried out, he offers no sale credits for any of his animals. Jeremy employs a beef consultant, David Bonfield
Kenny’s Creek Sale: Principal Nick Burton Taylor
Kenny’s Creek is located at Boorowa/Bathurst – offered 70 Angus Bulls, run approximately 450 registered Breeding cows – there motto is they pride themselves on being reliable, practical and affordable. Top price $45,000 with an average of about $14,000 – main buying audience were pastoral companies.
Kenny’s Creek own a number of properties and commercial entities relating to the beef industry. Casino Abattoir in Northern NSW, the Mount Feedlot in central NSW which specialises in mid fed Angus beef and the two farms Kenny’s Creek and Breakfast Creek. Boorawa NSW.
Day 2 – Millah Murrah Sale “Goonamurrah” Bathurst. Principal Ross Thompson
A catalogue of 134 bulls ranging in age from yearlings, 18 months, and 2-year-old. All animals are DNA profiled, bulls are not tested for genetic conditions. With 48 Paratrooper Sons on offer the scene was set. Top price $145K with an overall average of $43,632 across all ages, a world record, bidding started at $30k.
Other sires used in the catalogue mix MM Nectar, Nuggett and Quartz with several Te Mania Ulong progeny, old tried and true genetics from 1999 who left a more compact type within the catalogue.
Day 3 – Millwillah Sale Young NSW – Principal Will Caldwell
126 Bulls catalogued for sale, mix of ages – yearlings, 15-month and 17-month-old along with 2-year old. Bulls had been genetic condition tested and structural assessment scores available. Top price was $200k by Arkle Angus from WA they also own Paratrooper we left before the end of the sale so didn’t get an average but guessing mid $30,000s.