A highlight of southern bull sales last week was Angus bull Umbrella Range 23208 PV selling for $50,000 to McFadzean Cattle Co owner Johnie McFadzean, of Wairarapa.
Mr McFadzean said the bull’s appeal was it being "rock solid, square and super quiet".
"I couldn’t get past his temperament and his constitution," he said.
Mr McFadzean also paid the second-highest price at the sale of $33,000 for bull Umbrella Range 236 (ET).
"I came down with my eye on that one, first and foremost," he said.
The bull would enter his "Cruizy Calve" breeding programme, which targets low birthweights for calving Angus heifers.
"He is a strong, moderate bull with some really good data and his constitution was bang on."
The plan was to make the bull a dominant sire in the programme.
Waimara Angus co-owner Kate Pont, of Eastern Bush, said their stud’s 14th sale, including a full clearance of 31 bulls, was "outstanding".
"It is our best sale yet so we are stoked. The full clearance is a big deal for us because we have gone up in numbers."
For the first time, the sale was held at North Range, a farm her brother Andrew Law manages in Castlerock, near Lumsden.
"We went there so we could be part of the Round the Mountain southern sales," she said.
An aim of the inaugural series of on-farm bull sales was to reduce the driving time for buyers to view more than 160 bulls in three days on four properties — Kincardine Angus in Queenstown on Wednesday, Umbrella Range Angus and Waimara Angus in Northern Southland on Thursday and Earnscleugh Station, near Alexandra, on Friday.
The breeding objectives of the four studs were "similar with our own little differences".
She expected the Round the Mountain initiative to return next year.
"We attracted quite a few new buyers and then Argyle Station had a blinder, so for both of us, it has been fantastic."
Confidence was up in the beef industry and the Angus breed, she said.
"Everything is going well for us at the moment, which is awesome."
Mount Linton Station manager Mat Middlemass said he was "really happy" with the third annual sale on farm in Western Southland.
The clearance rate of 45 of the 47 Angus bulls on offer was a highlight.
"Everyone who wanted a bull, got one."
The clearance rate was the best in the history of the sale.
Demand for bulls had been boosted by confidence in the beef sector.
"Everything is pretty positive at the moment, which is quite nice — it is a lot different to what it was 12 months ago."
Kincardine Angus owner and Angus New Zealand president Mike Smith, of Queenstown, said his sale result, including a clearance rate of 24 of the 25 bulls, was great.
A highlight was Tangihau Angus stud in Gisborne buying a bull.
"It is fantastic to be able the spread the Kincardine Renegade bloodline up there," he said.
He enjoyed being part of the Round the Mountain series of bull sales.
Demand was strong for Angus bulls this season.
"People have real confidence in the industry at the moment. Commercial farmers are being rewarded at the farm gate and they are looking for good genetics to put back in their herd to make the most profitable decisions they can."
Southern bull sale results last week.
Earnscleugh Station, Earnscleugh: Angus: Sold 60 of 62. Average $9066.
Top $45,000; Composite: Sold 35 of 35. Average $7185. Top $14,000; Hereford: Sold 26 of 31. Average $6480. Top $22,000.
Kincardine Angus, Queenstown: Sold 24 of 25. Average $9522. Top $18,000.
Mount Linton Angus, Ohai: Sold 45 of 47. Average $7600. Top $12,500.
Umbrella Range Angus: Waikaia. Sold 49 of 50. Average $13,000. Top $50,000.
Waimara Angus: Eastern Bush. Sold 31 of 31. Average $10,000. Top $14,000.
