Kapari Angus sets new Gingin sale record top of $34,000

A Northampton-bred Angus bull topped the 35th Annual Gingin Bull Sale at an all-time record top-price of $34,000 in what was the most expensive bull ever to be sold at the multi-breed auction.

The sale, hosted by the Midland Cattle Breeders’ Association on March 9 at the Gingin Recreation Centre, was conducted by Nutrien Livestock and Elders and interfaced with AuctionsPlus.

The catalogue offered four breeds of bulls including 60 Angus, 12 Murray Greys, 9 Limousins and one LimFlex, resulting in 77 sold for an average price of $10,910, up $1213/head on last year when 79 bulls sold for an average price of $9697.

The sale was opened by MCBA president Tony Sudlow who acknowledged a long friendship with Nutrien Livestock auctioneer Tiny Holly and his dedication to the industry.

“Those people in the cattle industry are some of the best people you can meet,” he said.

ANGUS

Mr Sudlow and his family, who run the Kapari Angus stud in Northampton, then presented 31 Angus bulls through the sale ring with Kapari Nectar S35 reaching a record top-price of $34,000, preceding the previous record price of $24,000 when three separate Kapari bulls achieved this price at the 2021 sale.

Kapari Nectar S35, an 806kg April 2021-drop, sold to repeat buying account Murray River Farms in Waroona with outgoing farm manager Darryl Robinson securing the bull with assistance from Nutrien Livestock agent Ralph Mosca.

Mr Mosca said the bull had great conformation and muscle pattern with good Estimated Breeding Values.

Sired by Millah Murrah Nectar N334, Kapari Nectar S35 recorded a +3.9 birthweight and his growth figures were +55, +89 and +122 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.

Mr Sudlow said S35 was a versatile enough to breed with heifers or mature cows and would produce magnificent replacement heifers.

“I was very pleased to see this bull go to a good home,” he said.

Mr Robinson said he would be retiring from his position after several decades and was overseeing a smooth transition with incoming farm manager Geoff Hillman.

He also paid $13,000 for another bull, Kapari Pepper S18, sired by Millah Murrah Pepper P110, also well suited for heifer mating.

Kapari’s four equal second top-priced bulls that each sold for $18,000 to four separate buyers also represented the genetic diversity bred at the stud while also complementing homebred quality.

One of the bulls, secured by Gingin account Bullrush Farm, was AI-bred from leading sire S Chisum 255 and another bull, secured by Bremer Bay-based PM & CA Wishart, was sired by S Powerpoint 5503.

The other two bulls were each sired by Kapari Bronc P46 with one selling to Porongurup-based Durawah Livestock and the other to Mingenew-based BA Nangetty.

“I believe Kapari Bron P46 is producing progeny that the industry is looking for,” Mr Sudlow said.,

The Sudlows offering of 31 bulls had 30 sold for an average price of $12,800, up $1219 on last year and just short of the $12,845 record average price set in 2021.

The Angus offering continued with the Kupsch family of Black Tara stud in Allanooka, who offered and sold 17 bulls to a top of $18,000 and average price of $12,294, up $1627/head on last year when 15 bulls sold for an average price of $10,667.

Black Tara’s sale topper, BT Salubrious S10, sold through AuctionsPlus to repeat buyer Mt Samuel principal Ben McTaggart.

The 868kg March 2021-drop bull was sired by EF Complement 8088 that was described has having good depth of muscle as well as being the quietest bull in the line-up.

Salubrious S10 recorded EBVs of +4.0 BW, and growth figures of +51, +87 and +119 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.

The Black Tara line-up included nine bulls sired by Millah Murrah Klooney N310 that sold to a top of $15,000 and average price of $11,667.

The $15,000 MM Klooney N30 sired bull, BT Seeing Double S89, was also secured by Mr McTaggart.

Mr Kupsch said S89 was a twin to another sale bull in the catalogue

“The twins were out of a first calving heifer that reared both calves unassisted,” he said.

Another bull, Black Tara Chisum S201 and sired by S Chisum 6175, sold for $15,000 to account Caraban Limestone.

The Topham Brothers’ Cookalabi stud offered and sold 12 bulls to a top of $9000 and average price of $7167.

The Cookalabi topper S50, was May 2021-drop sired by Blackrock L50 that sold to Moora-based account Hewhome Farm.

Four Cookalabi bulls equalled selling for $8000 each with Dandaragan-based Kayanaba Grazing Company securing two and one each to Merredin-based Aylesbury Farm and York-based Cobham Pastoral.

MURRAY GREY

The Stickland family of Mungatta Murray Grey stud in Wongan Hills offered 12 bulls and sold 10 at the fall of the hammer with one passed-in bull quickly selling after the sale.

The 10 bulls sold in the open cry auction reached a top-price of $13,000 and average price of $7700, up $400/head on last year.

The Murray Grey sale topper, Mungatta Venice S63, was secured by long-time repeat buyers Peter and Fiona Haydon, who run cattle in Bindoon.

Ms Haydon said they appreciated S63 for its shape and size plus quiet temperament.

“We run a pure Murray Grey commercial herd with about 80 females and have been buying Mungatta bulls for 10 years,” she said.

Their first pick 852kg bull was sired by Monterey Magnetic M39 and recorded growth EBVs of +33, +55 and +77 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.

Dandaragan-based account Mikkelesen & Wilson, also long-time repeat buyers of Mungatta bulls secured two M Magnetic M39 sons for $9000 and $8000.

Mungatta stud co-principals John and Leon Stickland were celebrating the studs 50th year of registration by offering another quality line-up.

LIMOUSIN

The Kupsch offered and sold all seven of their Limousin bulls to the equal top of $14,000 for two lots going to separate buyers.

One of these Limousin sale toppers, Tara Jackaroo S44, sold to repeat buyer and Aldgate Limousin stud principal Pat Terpstra, of Waroona.

Ms Terpstra said she would put the low birthweight bull (-0.6) over heifers in her stud female herd of 40 breeders.

This 800kg March 2021-drop Limousin bull was sired by Mandayen Jackaroo J2355.

The other $14,000 Limousin bull, Tara Sully S61, was also sired by M Jackaroo J2355 and sold to WA-based Terrikye Limousin in Cheynes.

Mr Kupsch said T Sully S61 had a dappled coat from the Limousins of yesteryear, but its growth and numbers package put the bull in the potential stud category.

The Kupsch family also offered and sold their first LimFlex bull that weighed 888kg and was sired by homebred Tara and out of Angus female Black Tara Q53.

The buyer was WA College of Agriculture — Morawa with technical officer Leanne Grant-Williams liking the LImFlex type and the bull’s EBV figures and positive indexes to put over Angus heifers at the college.

Also offering three Limousin bulls with one selling for $6000 was Wongan HIlls-based Woronyne stud principal Kim Stickland.