Quarterway Angus is set to build on the success of its inaugural spring bull sale this September with a new catalogue of bulls presenting with depth and quality genetics from both New Zealand and Australian sires.
Stud principals Trevor and Teresa Hall said that while there are several stand-out options in the sale team, there is quality to be found in all 57 lots, from the first to the last.
The second annual auction will be held in the new location at 2235 Waterhouse Road, Waterhouse on Thursday 15 September with 47 twenty-four-month bulls and 10 yearlings on offer.
The draft of bulls will feature sons of from leading sires Texas Horsepower, Nampara N244 who sired the two top-priced bulls at the 2022 Quarterway Angus autumn sale, along with several of the stud’s own sires whose genetic depth and performance is well proven.
Nampara N244 is a standout sire in the catalogue featuring plenty of calving ease, “plenty of grunt” and sound-footed progeny.
Showcasing New Zealand bloodlines, a range of progeny with NZ genetics are on offer. “We like the positive fats on the New Zealand cattle, as well as their structural correctness,” Trevor added.
Wanting to add a new line of genetics to the stud, Trevor said Quarterway introduced New Zealand genetics to the breeding program at time when they were not widely used in Australia.
“The New Zealanders breed cattle that are our type”.
“The cattle have stood up well to the test of wet, dry and hilly conditions, and maintained good feet and structure”.
“They are thick, meaty bigger framed cattle with lots of depth and capacity that produce more meat”, said Trevor.
One of the homegrown sires, Quarterway Princeton P124, a Merchiston Steakhouse 489 son from New Zealand has several sons in the sale showing the attributes of their sire – they are easy doing, with sound feet and soft fleshing bulls. Sons of P124 also with New Zealand genetics will also feature in the spring sale team.
A selection of exciting sons sired by Quarterway Miles M38 will be offered at auction. “They are a great draft of young bulls,” Trevor said.
“The 10 yearling bulls have been selected by us for their suitability for heifer mating, not only on Estimated Breeding Values (EBV’s) but by our own strict selection criteria”.
“It’s a great line of bulls that will produce thick, heavy weaners.”
Quarterway Angus introduced a spring sale in 2021 in response to growing demand for bulls.
“We always sold a lot of bulls out of the paddock in spring and thought if we held a spring sale it gave everyone a fairer opportunity to select bulls they want, whereas when selling out of the paddock it’s basically first-in, first-served,”
“This is more equitable.”
The sale on-property from 1pm at Lyndhurst, 2235 Waterhouse Road, Waterhouse in Tasmania’s north, will feature new facilities and pens to make sure it’s user-friendly and suitable for video auctions.
Trevor admits preparing bulls for a spring sale during the cold Tasmanian winters is a challenge, but he’s always up for the challenge and a new drier sale venue will help.
“We started at our new venue last year,” he said. “We couldn’t have it where we normally have our autumn sale at North Scottsdale because it gets too wet. We built a new complex so now we have both autumn and spring sales at the Waterhouse property where it’s drier.
“We were more than happy with the results of the first spring sale. We had to improvise on a greenfield site, but it worked well.”
Trevor expects similar demand this year with strong confidence in the beef market.
“This is an exciting draft of bulls,” he said. “There are no real highs or lows- they’ve just a good even line of bulls. The quality is as good from the first lot to the last lot.”
Trevor believes the sale will have plenty to appeal to satisfy market demand for bulls delivering strong progeny.
Quarterway Angus has also stuck to a time-proven formula of producing big cattle with all the right attributes that meet its core philosophy of breeding for profit.
The season has been wet and cold but Trevor says that’s the “norm” in Tasmania and this year’s bulls will be in good shape for the sale.
He also has confidence in the future of the beef industry.
“Winter was very wet and cold but we’re on the right side of it now,” he said. “The beef industry is in a pretty good spot even with the winter lull and a bit of a hangover from foot and mouth disease.
“They were a bit slow at the start, but I think the government is now on top of FMD and doing a good job to keep it out.”
Viewing starts at 10am and the auction starts at 1pm on Thursday, September 15.
