Bonnydale top price of $19,500

Bonnydale Black Simmental bulls reached a top price of $19,500 as demand for the overall 79 bull line-up, including SimAngus bulls, set a new record average price of $9456/head at the Introvigne family's annual bull sale at Bridgetown on Monday.

The sale brought a record number of 77 registered buyers.

Elders auctioneer Gary Preston said Bonnydale’s 25th anniversary sale was the most even line-up of yearling bulls he had seen at the stud.

“There was tremendous support from the South West and parts of the northern Wheatbelt,” he said.

“Returned buyers have had good results from Bonnydale bulls.”

Bonnydale co-principal Mike Introvigne said a feature of the sale was the introduction of six outstanding ET-bred sons of new sire CLRS Dividend 405D and perennial sire favourite RCR Augustus L84.

While the six Dividend sons sold to a top of $11,000 to AuctonsPlus and an average price of $10,584, it was the top values of Augustus’ sons that set the benchmark.

Augustus, a proven sire performer at Bonnydale, had six sons in the sale which sold to the top price of $19,500 and average price of $12,750.

Mala-Daki Simmental principal Jason Impey secured the sale topper, Bonnydale Augustus R084, for his family’s Tamworth-based stud, in NSW, through Elders agent Pearce Watling via phone bids. “I was specifically wanting a homozygous polled bull,” Mr Impey said.

“The bull will contribute super easy calving into the herd and he has very good phenotype.

“Initially we will use him over stud heifers in our mostly Black Simmental herd of 100 breeders.

“We have used Bonnydale genetics previously with good results and have a good rapport with Mike and Rob Introvigne.”

Also taking a shine to an Augustus son, Cundinup cattle producer Alf Carroll, of Tirano Farms, a repeat buyer since the Introvignes began their Black Simmental stud, secured Bonnydale Lincoln R072, for the $16,000 second-top price.

“He is a deep and thick carcase bull with a high birth weight and good figures suitable to put over our Angus cross Friesian cows,” he said.

“Since producing Black Simmental calves, I have noticed weights have been going up and this is good in a time when we are seeing the highest cattle prices in my time.”

Mr Carroll also secured Bonnydale Nashville R156, lot one, sired by Bonnydale Nashville N70, for $10,000.

Mr Introvigne said N70 was another powerhouse sire in the sale line-up.

There was a variety in the genetic selections and another homebred Black Simmental sire, Bonnydale Kruger, produced a son that sold for $15,000 to LE & EF Brookes, in Bridgetown, who also paid $12,000 for a BS WS Proclamation E202 son.

Busselton cattle producers David and Paul Vines secured two Black Simmentals for $10,000 and $9500 and one SimAngus for $10,000.

“We run 300 breeders and sell yearlings at Boyanup averaging up to 400kg,” David said. “Last week we sold 22 calves and the steers averaged 452¢ and heifers sold at 438¢, best prices in our lifetime.”

In the SimAngus catalogue, Boonydale SA Patriot R529 sold for the $13,000 top price.

Narrikup producers Wayne and Sandra Meade said the SimAngus bull would go over a nucleus of 40 breeders to produce replacement females for their commercial herd of 250 breeders, mostly Angus.

“We are looking to change the herd over to Black Simmentals and have plans to increase our herd to 350 in four years,” Mr Meade said.

“We have been buying Bonnydale bulls for four years.”

The Meades sold 25 calves, averaging 320kg for 486¢/kg at Mt Barker saleyards three weeks ago.

“That gave us confidence in our bull selections today,” Mr Meade said.

Cowaramup producer Laurie Freedman, of Aruma Estate secured two SimAngus bulls and a Black Simmental for an average price of $9334.

“We run 700 breeders, mainly Angus and SimAngus,” he said.

“I was selecting for hybrid vigour in by bull selections and we wil retain heifers from their progeny.”

Mr Freedman won the special lucky buyers’ prize of $5000 cash, presented by Bonnydale and Elders.