NIOA Santa Gertrudis General Manager Shannon Gardner says the Allora stud’s long-term investment in its female herd is reaping dividends following another strong result at the annual NIOA RL Pastoral Sale.
NIOA sold 30 of 31 bulls under the hammer to an average of $14,467, including $40,000 sale topper NIOA Winchester W68 (P), a son of Yarrawonga Spartacus S336 (P), and $27,500 second top NIOA Walter W38 (PP), sired by Riverina Roland Sanchez R88 (ET) (PP).
Both were from NIOA-bred cows, as were another 13 bulls sold to commercial beef producers from across northern and central Australia who gathered at Talgai Homestead on a hot Southern Downs spring day last Thursday.
Mr Gardner said the strong result was the culmination of a decade of investment in selecting, developing and retaining females capable of producing the type of bulls demanded by commercial and stud cattle producers.
Since its inception in 2014, NIOA has acquired females from leading studs including Glen Oaks, Yulgilbar, Rosevale, Talgai, Bullamakinka, Santalands Goolagong, Riverslea, Tookey Creek and Gyranda.
Not only are NIOA-bred females now performing at industry-leading levels in both the show ring and commercial production, they are also commanding strong market recognition, highlighted by the 2022 sale of NIOA Lucy Q14 (P) for $50,000 and the sustained success of NIOA Helena R03 at local shows.
“The sires are one thing, but we’ve put a lot of time and money into our females over the last five to 10 years and it is really starting to pay off in terms of our ability to consistently produce a quality line-up of bulls,” Mr Gardner said.
“You can’t build a successful bull program without a strong female herd behind it. We’ve been pretty selective about the females we’ve kept and the genetics we’ve brought into the herd.
“There were a lot of NIOA prefixes in the catalogue today - that’s becoming the nucleus of our breeding herd - and to get a sale result like we had is very satisfying.”
The $40,000 top, secured by Bill and Gretchen Speed from Brigodoon Cattle Co., was a highlight of the sale, but the overall clearance was arguably an even stronger indication of buyer confidence.
“One thing we pride ourselves on at NIOA Santa Gertrudis is offering genuine value for money. To sell 30 out of 31 tells you that buyers like the bulls right through the draft,” Mr Gardner said.
Bill Speed described the 21-month-old 842kg NIOA Winchester as a top sire prospect for the family’s breeding operation near Taroom.
“This bull is a really special type,” he said. “Very structurally sound, 41 (cm) in the scrotum, beautiful Santa Gertrudis characteristics, very long from hip to pin, his Eye Muscle Area was right and he was actually born out of a first-calf heifer which I like for our commercial operation.”
Overall, NIOA and sale partner, Kyogle-based RL Pastoral, cleared 50 out of 52 bulls to an average of $11,460, generating a gross of $573,000.
Repeat buyers Rainbow Partnership from Rolleston in Queensland were quick out of the blocks when bids opened securing four of the first eight lots including NIOA Winston W96 (P) $22,500, NIOA William W24 (P) $12,000, NIOA Wally W30 (PP) $18,000 and NIOA Walter W38 (PP) $27,500 for an average of $20,000.
For the second year running, Bill and Dallas Scott from MacDonald Downs Station in the Northern Territory took home the most bulls with 15 while first-time NIOA RL Sale buyers Willsdown Pastoral Co. from Boulia in Western Queensland assembled a draft of 13.
The Scotts run a 270,000ha commercial beef operation at Hart Range, about 290km north-east of Alice Springs.
“They do so well where we are and the market likes them,” Mr Scott said. “At the end of the day the market tells you and they are bringing a premium... small Santa feeder steers are making more money than anything else.”
RL Pastoral principal and sale manager Rob Sinnamon said the sale result was another endorsement of the top bloodlines on offer.
“It’s a good result overall and it’s great to see many repeat buyers coming back,” he said. “A strong show of support again for the Yarrawonga Spartacus and Riverina Roland Sanchez genetics, particularly in the NIOA catalogue which is a great endorsement of those genetics and the ongoing demand they have.
“We love to have people coming back year in year out and we’re extremely humbled to have the ongoing support of buyers like Bill and Dallas Scott from Alice Springs who’ve bought a significant number of bulls.”
NIOA Santa Gertrudis General Manager Shannon Gardner, right, with sale agent Andrew Summerville from APL, and Bill and Gretchen Speed, of Brigodoon Cattle Co. who secured the top-priced bull NIOA Winchester W68 (P), inset, at the NIOA RL Pastoral Sale at Talgai Homestead.
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