FORRES Angus’ massive two-day dispersal last week was a fitting farewell for the Dungog stud, where the previous on-property top price bull and female records were broken with cows selling to $30,000 and bulls to $22,000.

In a mammoth effort, there was a full clearance of all 433 lots for owners, Jon and Chris Erby, which included cows and calves, PTIC cows, heifers, pregnant recipients, stud sires, embryos and semen, which grossed $1,446,570 and saw 351 live lots average $4905.

In the breakdown, 71 cows and calves averaged $5162; 167 PTIC cows averaged $3343; 33 cows averaged $3606; 66 heifers averaged $3030; two heifer calves averaged $4500, and three stud sires averaged $12,000.

Six-year-old donor cow, Forres Wilcoola A18, broke all Forres records when it sold for $30,000. By Lochton Y003 (AI)(ET) – a CA Future Direction 5321 son – and from Lochton Y004 (AI)(TW),Wilcoola A18 sparked a strong bidding war, before being knocked down to new breeder, Anthony Pisa, Absolute Angus, Thorpdale, Victoria.

Mr Pisa said the cow appealed for its bloodline, appearance and potential as a strong foundation cow for his fledgling stud. “A18 is a high quality cow with a standout presence, unlimited potential, a great pedigree and a joy to look at,” he said. Cows from noted cow families were being selected to build a strong female foundation for Absolute, Mr Pisa said. “The Wilcoola family is wellrenowned, A18 just adds to the strong performance of the Wilcoola name. “She can be used on a wide range of sires and looking at her outstanding EBVs (estimated breeding values), it’s no wonder she and her progeny are proven breeders. ” Wilcoola A18 sold with a two-weekold heifer calf at foot by Banquet Abode A005 – which was the top priced sire at the dispersal. Mr Pisa purchased one other female, Forres Burnette E23, a PTIC heifer also by Abode, for $5750.

The Wilcoola A18 daughter, two month- old Forres Wilcoola G40 (AI) (ET), by Canadian National champion bull, HF Tiger 5T, on a recipient cow, sold at $7000 to Zac McInerney, Scarbah Angus, Tumbi Umbi.

Embryos of this joining topped at $1350 each for four embryos to R. and K. Boon Pastoral, Wingfield, South Australia, with a further two selling at $1250 each to R.P and J.A. Gates, Dwyers Range Angus, Uralla.

An August-2010 daughter ofWilcoola A18, Forres Wilcoola F81 (AI)(ET), was touted as one of the top heifer lots in the sale, and was picked up by John and Joan Woodruff, Witherswood Angus, Glenrowan, Vic, for a tidy $15,500 as the top-priced heifer. Witherswood also secured heifer, Forres Royal-Line F60 (AI)(ET), a Leachman Boom Time daughter, for $10,500, and purchased a total five females at a $8900 average, plus one embryo lot.

Forres Brae D49 (AI)(ET), by SAV 5175 Bando 0699 from Ythanbrae New Design 036 V56 (AI)(ET), topped the PTIC cow section at $19,000 to Gilmandyke Angus manager, Derek Hubert, Orange.

Ythanbrae New Design 036 V56 sold earlier for $5000 to D.J. and V.J. Smith, “Olive Grove”,Maclagan, Qld.

Gilmandyke also paid $13,500 for Forres Royal-Line B36 (AI)(ET) and $10,000 for its daughter, Forres Royal Line F145 (AI)(ET), taking a total of six live lots at a $10,667 average, as well as five embryo packages.

Bob Andrews, “Old Kentucky”, Londrigan, Vic, kicked off the sale in fine form taking the first lot, Forres Royal-Line B28 (AI)(ET), by Baldridge Nebraska 901, for $12,500 and the toppriced dry cow. He then took Forres Designer C3 (AI) (ET) for $15,000; Forres Lowan C109 (AI)(ET) for $10,000, and St Pauls Ruth Y218 (AI)(ET) for $11,000, in a draft of 15 females which averaged $7367.

Banquet Abode A005, the six-year old senior stud sire at Forres which was purchased for $20,000 in 2007, took the top price bull honours once more when it was knocked down for $22,000 to a syndicate including its breeders, the Branson family’s Banquet stud, Mortlake, Vic; under bidders on Abode in 2007, Quarter-Way Angus, Scottsdale, Tasmania, and Peter Attard, Moura, Queensland.

Noeleen Branson, Banquet, said a general interest in sons of Abode shown by their clients had prompted them to buy the bull back. By SAF 598 Bando 5175 and from Banquet Nanny V44, Mrs Branson said Bando had bred well and was clear of any known genetic defects, another positive. “Abode’s dam, Nanny V44, is also breeding very well for us and has just gone into an embryo transfer program,” she said. Banquet proceeded to buy PTIC cow Lochton Y004 (AI)(TW), the dam of the $30,000 top-priced cow and by Te Mania Modest M126 from Ardrossan Wilcoola U50 (AI), for $2500, as well as her daughter by Abode, Forres Wilcoola D107, for $7500.

Major buyers at the dispersal were Wanderribby Pty Ltd, Meningie, SA, which purchased 34 lots to a top of $6500, averaging $3066.

R.K. Katsch and M.M. Sutherland, “The Racecourse”, Wollomombi, took 26 lots at a $2548 average, while P.L. and S.U. Pickles, Killara, took 25 at a $2200 average, and Merlewood Angus, Mirboo North, Vic, took 21 at a $3417 average.

Forres principal, Jon Erby, was “very happy” with the result, paying tribute to the team effort which had gone into making the sale a success. He particularly thanked stud manager, Brett Thomson, for the effort he had put into the stud over its 45 years of breeding.

The sale was conducted by Elders, with Andy McGeoch and Michael Glasser sharing the rostrum.