Top price for Reiland Angus bulls

The sale was interfaced with AuctionsPlus, with all bulls presented in a video format and buyers seated according to social distancing regulations.

A total of 62 bulls were offered and sold to a top of $28 000, gross of $460 000 and average of $7419 — an increase of $1109 on last year’s autumn sale.

The $28 000 price tag eclipsed the previous record of $26 000, set in 2018.

Reiland Angus co-principal Mark Lucas said the sale result was a big relief after coping with drought, bushfires and COVID-19 restrictions.

Repeat clients Graham and Judy Houston of Burrowye outlaid the top price of $28 000 for Lot 4, Reiland Plymouth P960.

Sired by Esslemont Lotto L3, the 21-month-old bull weighed 772 kg and ranked on BREEDPLAN in the top two per cent for all indexes, had an intramuscular fat of +4.5 and was top seven per cent for eye muscle area at 9.2 sq cm.

Mr and Mrs Houston bought six bulls for Houston Pastoral Company and five for Towong Pty Ltd.

“The top price bull will be AI-ed to about 700 (commercial) heifers to produce top quality replacement heifers,” Mr Houston said.

“We aim to lift marble score — our whole steer average is 2.7 now and we want to get that over three.

“We are using bulls mostly 3.0 plus for marbling.”

Mr Houston was surprised at the strength of the sale.

“The turnaround from the fires has been remarkable — the season has been terrific from where we were on January 3, when it was an absolute shambles,” he said.

“We lost 10 000 acres and a lot of cattle had to be fed the next day.

“We have since sown a lot of rye-grass as all the annuals got burnt.”

Elders Tumut branch manager Rob Stubbs paid $5500 on behalf of French Partnership, Brungle Creek, for Reiland Port Louis P410.

The Lucas family donated 10 per cent of the proceeds from Port Louis to the Wagga Wagga branch of Can Assist to help regional cancer patients.