The heat was on at the Mercer Family’s Kandanga Valley Charolais and Charbray Summer Bull Sale.
The move of the auction from January to early December to avoid the high humidity has been good, with a lift in the average prices and clearance on 2024.
Offered were 59 clean, sleek-coated bulls.
Demand was well up on the last summer sale, due in the main to an exceptionally good charbray sale, John Mercer said.
“There was a lovely line of bulls and the charbrays went extremely well.
“The past couple sales have been the other way – charbray had been outgunned for for more than a decade.”
Bulk buyers from North Queensland were very prominent, selecting about a third of the bulls.
There was a 100 percent clearance of 37 charolais bulls, at an average of $7621.
The charbray bulls saw 20 of 22 selling, at a 90 percent clearance and $11,500 average.
Overall, 57 of 59 bulls sold, for a total of $512,000 and an average of $8982.
Top-priced charbray and top price on the day was Lot 42 – Kandanga Valley Ulterior U515, a honey poll/scur of 29 months. It sold to Greg and Shirley Callander of Colston Park in the Sarina Range for $30,000.
The Callender family have been strong supporters over many years and bought nine charbray bulls for an average price of $14,222.
The Anning family from Hughenden went away with 12 bulls at an average of $7167.
Charbray bulls were supported with sales of $13,000, $14,000, $16,000 and $18,000.
There were two equal top-priced charolais, both bringing $14,000.
Lot 9, 24-month-old polled Kandanga Valley Unbeatabul U403E, went to GT and LM Hartwig at Eidsvold.
Lot 17, 25-month-old homozygous polled Kandanga Valley Ultimatum U227E, was picked up by Tom Schloss of Blackbutt.
There was good interest from New South Wales producers, with the Flanagan family from Scone buying five lots for an average price of $9600.
The sale was well supported by buyers from throughout South East Queensland, Gympie and the Burnett, as well as Western Queensland.
Jed McCoy from Pazdash Grazing selected three quality bulls, while local buyers included Tansey, Cinnabar and Goomboorian.
The next Kandanga Valley Charolais and Charbray Bull Sale will be on the Mercer property, Warravale, at Kandanga on July 25 when about 120 bulls will be offered at an 11am start.
