A NEW Australian breed record price of $160,000 was set at Millah Murrah’s annual Angus bull sale near Bathurst in central western NSW yesterday.

The new Angus record, exceeding the previous high of $150,000 set by the same breeder four years ago, came despite the generally depressed climate for bull sales this spring brought on by extensive drought across eastern Australia.

Vendors Ross and Dimity Thompson sold all 69 bulls offered in their catalogue for a new Angus breed sale price record average of $17,261.

The new record-holder is 19-month old Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15, a son of US semen donor EF Commando 1366, a first-season sire in Australia.

Buyers were new Angus breeders Paul and Siobhan Cowan and family from Western Australia, who recently acquired Cherylton Angus stud, which will now operate under the Cowans’ new Oldfield Angus stud prefix.

Tipping the scales at 840kg, Paratrooper P15 displayed excellent all-round Breedplan data and selection indexes, being +$155 for heavy grain, +$137 for heavy grass and +$133 for domestic markets. His 400 day weight EBV was +107, eye muscle areas +5.5sq cm, intramuscular fat +2.5, carcase weight +78kg, days to calving -5.6.

The Thompsons used Paratrooper as a yearling bull as part of their autumn joining program and were confident he would receive good support at yesterday’s auction. Millah Murrah will retain 80 percent of the semen rights.

Oldfield Angus stud manager, Chad Hall of Munglinup, told ABC that Paratrooper was an outstanding bull and he had anticipated strong competition at the auction.

“He was worth what we paid for him and he is going to be a really valuable part of our sire battery,” Mr Hall said.

“He stood out to us phenotypically, he had the type and the carcase that we really like, and his numbers on paper were outstanding,” he said.

Paratrooper will go straight into semen collection at Camperdown, Victoria. ABS Australia has secured the semen marketing rights for Paratrooper and beef product manager Bill Cornell said there had already been international inquiries from the UK and New Zealand for semen from the sire.

Mr Cornell told ABC at least 30,000 units of semen would be retrieved from Paratrooper.

 

Click here to access Beef Central’s comprehensive list of beef breed record prices for registered bulls and females.