Herefords top the bull sale price list
Hereford bulls have achieved the top two prices of any breed at recent sales around the country, according to NZ Herefords.
Sales have seen full buying benches and most sale averages have been better than $6000, the breed organisation says.
At the annual Grassmere and Capethorne sale at Cheviot, Chris and Amanda Jefferies achieved a top price of $42,000 for Grassmere Gallant 9, a son of their recordbreaking $71,000 syndicate purchase in 2013 of Monymusk Gallant. The purchasers were Nick and Penny France of the Okawa stud at Mt Somers.
Not to be outdone, the other syndicate partner in Monymusk Gallant, the Kane family from Tapanui, sold another Gallant son for $21,000 to the Merrylea stud from South Canterbury. Already eight Gallant sons have been sold for stud duties this season.
The Douglas family’s Monymusk stud at Te Anau sold all 31 bulls for an average of $6400 at its sale and West Coast breeders Wand MWilliams of the Glacier stud averaging $7400 for their bull line. Beechwood averaged $6897 and Richon $5650, at a strong combined sale. The Mt Somers-based Okawa stud averaged $5820 with a top price of $23,000 to the Koanui stud of Hawke’s Bay, which had an outstanding sale averaging $6880 for 54 bulls with feature sales including $25,000 to Orari Gorge and $23,000 to Maungahina stud.
Silverstream at Christchurch, home of the South Island hereford bull grazing unit, sold 13 bulls at an average of $6653 with a top of
‘‘Silverstream at Christchurch sold 13 bulls at an average of $6653.’’
$18,000 to new stud breeder Dave Long of Hamner.
Further north at Kaikoura, the Murray family of the Matariki stud sold 45 bulls to an excellent average of $6900, with a top price of $40,000 paid for a promising two-year sire, Matariki 140255, selling to dual purchasers Glenbrae, of Waipukurau, and Rock End, King Country.
In the North Island, sales continued to strengthen with Maungahina, of Masterton, having a solid sale with an average of $8044 for 30 bulls sold. Reporoa’ s Kairuru stud sold all its offering of 28 bulls to an average of $6276 of which eight bulls sold for stud duties.
The Gisborne hereford sales continued their strong trend of recent years reflecting the importance of hybrid vigour in an area dominated by Angus cows. All Hereford studs in the region experiencing very good demand for registered, performance recorded bulls.