By CLARE KING
Courtesy Farm Weekly
IT is turning into a big year for the Metcalfe family: their acquisition of a new stud venture brings a different tool to their stud cattle, and they sticking to the quality and commercial attributes of their original Melaleuca Murray Grey bulls.
The Melaleuca stud had a cracking sale last Wednesday with 37 out of 39 offered bulls selling to average $5642 and top at $13,000.
After perusing the Lower Great Southern sales, Barry McDonald, Torrisdale stud, New Zealand, finished his WA visit with the purchase of Melaleuca Karl K231 for $13,000.
Mr McDonald, who was still buying under the Woodburn stud, Tasmania, and Torrisdale stud 75 per cent and 25pc partnership, said he already had a small amount of similar genetics to the bull in his herd and was keen to get more.
“I like his style and he has very good style and balance to go with a good set of figures,” he said.
“His milk EBV and carcase figures were significant to me.”
Melaleuca Karl will be used by Torrisdale over some females also purchased from the Melaleuca stud years ago.
Karl K231 is by Melaleuca Galaxy G59 and out of Melaleuca Daiya H77 – a two-year-old heifer described in the catalogue as the best heifer the Metcalfes’ have bred.
Its figures included +1.5 for EMA, -0.7 for rib fat, -0.7 for rump fat, and +19, +37 and +58 its 200, 400 and 600-day growth rates.
A loyal following of longterm Melaleuca clients continued to support the sale and several buyers paid the equal second top price of $7250.
Mike Twentyman, MI & DM Twentyman, Nanarup, was the first to pay $7250 for lot nine and he commented that the brother to his bull had been retained by the Melaleuca stud as a sire so he was confident the bloodlines were very good.
“He will be used over our older third and fourth calver Murray Grey cows,” he said.
Mr Twentyman bought an additional sire for $6750. Long-term Melaleuca client Ray Mountford, Yandilla Grazing, Manypeaks, paid $7250 twice for his top picks and also secured an additional bull for $6000.
Mr Mountford said he was in the market for bulls to use over his heifers and that the sires he chose were an easier calving type in both physical attributes and EBVs.
The final buyer to secure a bull at $7250 was Relevant Investments, Manypeaks, for lot 37, a replacement bull which looked as though he should have been in the sale from the start.
Excellent money was paid right through the catalogue and AC & SJ Marsh, Kojonup, selected the higher performance Melaleuca Knuckle Duster K45 paying $7000 for him.
MR & CM Payne, Albany, also paid $7000 for their bull.
Whitfield Estate, Denmark, paid $7000 for a Wheelview Froggy son, Melaleuca Keifer K167 as their lower birthweight, multi-purpose sire.
Jeff Pyle & Co, Manypeaks, bought two bulls paying $6750 and $4000 while Yokanup Grazing paid $6500 for a single bull.
Long-term Melaleuca client John Fleay, Royden Nominees, Denmark, paid $6250 for one bull. Lake Muir Prime Beef paid $5500 and $4500 for two bulls.
Another regular buyer TA & TL Bradshaw, Manypeaks, paid $4500 and $4000 for their bulls, and lot one in the sale was sold for $5250 to Merrinvale Grazing, Manypeaks.
Landmark Great Southern area manager Bob Pumphrey said the Melaleuca bulls continued to be very well received by a list of regular buyers indicating the bulls are performing commercially.
“It was a very good sale well supported by regular buyers who know that the bulls do well,” he said.
“The bulls presented extremely well and we were very pleased with the average and clearance across the catalogue.”
