Buyers chase high-performance bulls

Repeat buyers from four states drove demand during Hicks Beef bull sale at Holbrook. See the volume purchasers here.

A black composite bull went under the hammer for a stellar $20,000 at the Hicks Beef on-property auction at Holbrook today.

Repeat buyer Spinifex Pastoral Company from Swan Hill secured nine bulls from the Hicks family, including the top-priced lot.

During the fast-paced sale, auctioneer Brett Shea of Elders Albury took the rostrum to sell 61 bulls in a 99 per cent auction clearance for an average of $9525.

Vendors Tom Hicks and his dad Andrew Hicks of Hicks Beef at Holbrook. Picture: Nikki Reynolds

Robert Woodward of Spinifex Pastoral Company at Swan Hill bought the top-priced bull, Lot 7, ABC S665, a black composite sire with impressive figures, for $20,000.

The homozygous poll bull drew buyers into a bidding duel, with support from potential purchasers at the sale and AuctionsPlus input.

Mr Woodward said he had been a long-time purchaser at Hicks Beef, and the bulls were used in commercial cattle operations in NSW, Queensland and South Australia.

Judy Brookes and Duncan Hall of Coolongolook at Limestone bought two Red Angus bulls, including the top-priced lot in that section, for $18,000 and $11,000.

The bulls will be used in their Red Angus and composite herd.

Vendors Tom and Andrew Hicks said they were pleased with the result and clearance of their sale.

Buyers Judy Brookes and Duncan Hall of Coolongolook at Limestone in Victoria bought two Red Angus bulls for $18,000 and $11,000 at the Hicks Beef on-property sale at Holbrook. Picture: Nikki Reynolds

Tom Hicks said buyers competed on AuctionsPlus and also through physical bids at the sale.

He said there were buyers from NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia.

He estimated that 80 per cent to 90 per cent of successful buyers were repeat purchasers.

In all, a total of 33 black composites made a high of $20,000 and averaged $10,909.

In the Red Angus section, 13 bulls sold to a top of $18,000 and averaged $8075, and 15 red

composite bulls topped at $13,000 to average $7733.

Fred Hicks, 3, Anna Middleton, 3, and Henrietta Hicks, 5, pictured at the Hicks Beef bull sale at Holbrook. Picture: Nikki Reynolds