Buyers traveled from five states to offer a strong competition for Webb Black Simmentals’ annual bull and female sale last week. Thirty-two bulls were sold of the 39 on offer, averaging $4328, followed by a total clearance of the 20 females, averaging $2462.
The top-priced bull was lot 10, Webb Tank J0864, which sold to Two Creeks Grazing Company, Holbrook, NSW, for $6500. Weighing in at 644 kilograms, Webb Tank is a son of TNT Tanker U263 and out of Webb Heidi F269. Webb stud manager Duncan Newcomen said lot 10 had “great figures and excellent fat distribution”.
Mr Newcomen said that overall he was pleased with what he believed was a very solid sale. “The bulls sold well to reasonable demand and it’s really great to see both local and interstate buyers here,” he said.
Mr Newcomen said that while there had been interest in the Black Simmentals from outside Victoria, he wanted to see more attention closer to home. “We want to see the Black Simmentals going into the local weaner sales so people can really see what they can do so it was pleasing to see a lot of bulls go within 100 kilometres of here,” he said.
The top-priced female was lot 42, Webb Miss Density D033, a rising-sixyear-old cow with a TNT Tanker bull calf at-foot which reached $5500 and was sold to Robert Childs, Benalla. Volume buyer David Hood travelled down from Kirkton Station, Ravenswood, Queensland, to purchase bulls to put more weight into his commercial Simbrah and Brahman herd as well as his Simbrah stud. “We’re trying to breed Simbrahs for the northern industry,” he said. Mr Hood purchased two bulls and two heifers on the day. “The best thing about the animals here (at Webb) is that they’re not overfed and getting pumped along. What you see is what you get, which is important up north.”
Webb Simmentals stud principal Philip Webb said he was overall very happy with the results. “We’ve put forward a consistent group of bulls with good structure, feet and muscling.” Mr Webb said they had recently taken a new approach in their breeding program. “We’ve selected hard and culled anything that is not up to scratch,” he said. “We’re putting up fewer bulls, and the ones we do put forward are the best. “The old Black Simmentals are really starting to stand out on their own.”
Article published in “STOCK & LAND”, March 12, 2015
