Buyers converged from Vic, SA, NSW and Tasmania for the annual Southern Charolais Breeders Group Sale on Monday at Yea, with selective bidding pushing prices to a top of $6500. At the end of the sale 15 bulls had sold to $6,500 and averaged $4,403 and six females sold to $3,500 and averaged $3,300. Event chairman Colin Pickering, said he was pleased with the sale result considering the tough season being experienced across the state. Offered by first time vendor at the sale, Tambo River Charolais, Yea, the top-selling bull, Tambo River Nebraska, was secured by Total Livestock Genetics at Camperdown on behalf of the Thailand government.

According to stud co-principal Duncan Newcomen, Tambo River has been supplying cattle to Thailand for the past 10 years, with the bulls being used to improve the quality of the country’s beef herd. Sired by well-known Canadian bull, Kayr Velocity, Mr Newcomen said the two-year-old embryo transfer (ET) bull featured a balanced mix of traits including adequate muscle and fat cover and an excellent temperament. “We have been very pleased with the progeny of Kayr Velocity,” he said. “He has produced very sound, early maturing cattle which at the same time present a high-yielding carcase with the right amount of fat.”

The stud also sold two other bulls including Tambo River Napoleon, sired by Silverstream Geddes, for the second top price of $6000, purchased by Quoin Hill Charolais, Phillip Island, while their third bull sold for $4000 to a NSW buyer. Among the other successful vendors was Chenu Charolais, Bridgewater, who sold six of their seven lots to a top of $5250 paid for a rising two-year-old bull sired by CJC Symbol B1067, going to Korumburra in Gippsland.

They also achieved an equal female top price of $3500 for a pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) cow with a quality heifer at foot, secured by Tasmanian interests. Stud co-principal Rebecca Keeley said the cow was out of their Ziggy line which has produced some very successful show cattle. Ken Manton’s Clarinda stud, Hansonville, sold a PTIC cow with a bull calf at foot for the equal top of $3500, bought by Neville Fenton, Roberts Hill, Tas. Also heading to Tasmania was an unjoined heifer offered by Waterford Charolais, Mount Macedon, which sold for $2500. The Lawaluk Charolais stud, Burnbank, also sold an rising one-year-old heifer for $2500. Source: Stock and Land