Holy cow: Thompson scores angus record

When the first lot through the ring made $13,000, it set the benchmark for a sale in which 112 stud cows averaged $7960 – a new Australian angus female sale record, and believed to be the national female record across all breeds for a single vendor on-property sale.

It is the second record-breaking sale for Ross and Dimity Thompson and family in as many years.

In the breakdown, 61 cows and calves averaged $8942, peaking at $28,000, while 51 pregnancy tested in calf cows averaged $6784, topping at $24,000 on sale day on April 24.

The sale draft included every active registered Millah Murrah female born before 2010.

A partnership between Jessmondeen Angus, Duramana, and Aspley Angus, The Lagoon via Bathurst, outlaid the top money for Millah Murrah Flower C76, by Power Alliance 1025 and from Millah Murrah Flower Y57.

Mr Thompson said he had been quietly confident of a solid result for the sale, which was held to reduce numbers in the ever-growing herd.

“But not in my wildest imagination did I think we’d sell 28 cows for $10,000 or more,” he said.

Mr Thompson believed the demand for Millah Murrah matrons had been driven by producers searching for “big volume, functional, true-to-type angus cows”.

“There was no discernible estimated breeding value (EBV) interest from buyers, they were after foundation type cows,” he said.

“We’re mindful of the role of objective measurement, but we are thrilled to get recognition without being at the forefront of the EBV race.

“The real highlight was the extraordinary market acceptance of the type of animal we’re breeding.”

Mr Thompson said it was good to see Australian producers put a proper value on top-end stud cows, as was seen in America.

“Stud cows are undervalued,” he said.

“A good stud cow is a fantastic commodity that needs to be valued, as it is in other countries.”