Southern Cross sale hosts Steve and Debbie Reid, Talbalba Herefords, Millmerran and Tom Nixon, Devon Court stud, Drillham were pleased with their sale’s outcome especially after increasing numbers to cater for growing demand – 23 more bulls were sold this year.
Selling agents Elders and Grant Daniel and Long sold 86 bulls for a $6437 average which included 55 Talbalba bulls for a $7563 average and 31 Devon Court bulls for a $4435 average.
Interstate stud masters Tony, Barbara and Cameron Holliss. Old Farm Pastoral, Lotus Hereford stud, Glen Innes, NSW bid the $22,000 top money for Talbalba Zillmerre, a very stylish son of Talbalba Vampire which weighed 898kgs at 21 months of age.
“He’s (Zillmere) is the complete package, a balanced set of EBV figures with outstanding carcase attributes,” Cameron Holliss said.
The Holliss family are fourth generation Hereford breeders and long standing Talbalba clients having enjoyed great success with the Reid’s cattle in the past.
The Hollis family also bid another $18,000 to secure Talbalba Zeal, a big upstanding, structurally correct son of North End which is ranked in the top 30 percent for growth and eye muscle area.
Mr Holliss said Talbalba Zeal comes from a very good female line which traces back to Bundarra Wally – a bloodline which he said has proven very successful within his Lotus stud herd.
Also looking for bulls with stacks of performance was the Spottswood Grazing Company, Spottswood, Moura which accounted for a pair of quality herd improvers; the first was Talbalba Zephyr, a two-year-old son of influential sire in Cootharaba Magnum with excellent growth and carcase performance.
Their second acquisition at $14,000 was Talbalba Zigzag, one of the heaviest bulls in the catalogue at 1080kgs at two years of age which is ranked in the top five percent for growth.