Top of $16,000 paid for Dunlop bull at Clermont multi-vendor sale

Despite the fierce market trends, this year's totals fared lower compared to other years, with 41 bulls sold to average $5850 - a $1100 drop on 2019 - for a gross of $240,000, with a 74.5 per cent clearance rate - down from 82pc.

Rebecca and Scott Dunlop, Dunlop Santa Gertrudis stud, Jingeri, Proston, attracted the top price, selling Dunlop Q126 for $16,000 to Craig Hindle, Bullamakinka, Toobeah.

A son of Hardigreen Park Tracer (S) and Dunlop M57 (D), the 22-month-old bull tipped the scales at 885 kilograms with an eye muscle area of 137 square centimetres.

The Dunlop family run a commercial and a stud operation, with approximately 1200 to 1300 cows, as well as a fattening block at Dawson Downs, Baralaba.

Mr Dunlop described the top seller as an all-rounder Santa bull.

"He's just a large upstanding bull, only a young bull, with tremendous growth, exceptional temperament, strong bone," Mr Dunlop said.

"As real good Santa Gertrudis characteristics go, he had a strong head, big ears, loose dewlap, yet he's still tidy underneath with a with a very good scrotal."

Second-top price honors were also achieved by the Dunlop family, selling Dunlop Q190 for $13,000 to John Roberts, Kareela, Springsure.

The 22-month-old son of Dangarfield T202 (S) and Dunlop G1067 (D) weighed 935kg and measured an EMA of 140sq cm.

Mr Dunlop said the Santa Gertrudis breed was doing exceptionally well in the cattle market.

"The Santa Gertrudis breed is riding on the back of a strong beef market but I think people are realising the strong attributes that Santa's have got," he said.

"Particularly the weight for age, they fit in the MSA, they feed well in the feedlots, the boats are happy to take them, the southern processes are happy to take them; they're just an all round animal."

Among the sale's volume buyers were Matt and Ann Comiskey securing eight bulls for an average price of $6125, with a top of $10,000 for Yarrawonga Q120 (PS).

The Comiskey family operate at Port Wine, east of Alpha, and have had a long association with the Santa Gertrudis breed and cemented that with some strong and selective bull purchases at Clermont on Tuesday.

David Jeppesen, Taranga, Bloomsbury, bought six bulls for an average of $4000.