Franco Herefords dispersal records solid bidding

The Casino stud booked its sale at the Inverell Regional Livestock Exchange; a move that paid dividends with 85 registered bidders and sales to three states. In total the 177 lots grossed $960,000 to average across the board at $5454.

Proof of just how steady the sale progressed can be seen in the data, with just 15 of 177 lots passed in to produce a 91 per cent clearance rate.

Those that didn't sell were not offered after the sale, with Mr Hannigan retaining staff to run a commercial pure-bred herd at his Woodview farm, west of Casino.

Of those passed in 10 of them were unproven yearling T bulls.

Many of the original lots offered in the catalogue, 367 total, had been withdrawn.

Cows with calves,68 lots, sold to $16,000 to average $5455. The registered R drop of first calf heifers, 23 lots, sold to $18,000 to average $6087. The S drop heifers, 20 lots, sold to $7000 to average $4975. The T drop yearling heifers, 32 head, sold to $6500 to average $3890.

Of the bulls on offer the S drop sires, 26 head, sold to $20,000 to average $7576. The 19 lots of T drop yearlings sold to $8000 to average $4000.

Only the last few yearling bulls failed to attract a sale while bidding all the way through was solid, with no downtime for auctioneer Paul Dooley, who celebrated his birthday at the podium.

Cootamundra grazier Jim Gibb, who runs a pure bred Hereford herd of mainly poll cattle, chose his selection of Franco horned females for their type and "suitability for Australian conditions". He bid up to $18,000 for the top-priced cow with calf, Franco Daffodil R132 by Battalion Black Hawk K7, three years old with heifer calf at foot by Franco Rockstar R100.

The Franco female was chosen for her body length and overall conformation.

"She is soft with a nice heifer calf," said the mostly commercial producer, who runs a small number of registered breeders.

Mr Gibb also paid $16,000 for Parson Hill Cherry Ripe N107, six years old, by Black Hawk K7, with heifer calf at foot by Warwick Court Riverview R170. He also purchased Cherry Ripe's mother, J328 by Red Hill Driven, nine years old for $4000 saying she was a "proven sound breeder, demonstrating stayability".

Top priced bull, the two year old Franco Safari S510 by Franco No Alibi N820 made $20,000, selling over the phone to Ross Smith, Glen Ellerslie at Adelong.

Part of the appeal of the Franco dispersal was the variety of Hereford blood within their genetics.

Certainly the 2016 purchase of Battalion Black Hawk K7 for $45,000, bought in conjunction with Thornleigh Herefords at Little Plain, proved a bid maker but so too did Sugarloaf Haymaker, bought at the Hereford National sale in 2014 for $41,000, as did Mawarra Explosive, Ironbark Advance and the Warwick Court sires.

Breed versatility was evident with Hereford/Brahman breeder Daryl Amos, Old Bonalbo, purchasing the second highest-priced bull Franco Sizzle S145 for $14,000 by Battalion Black Hawk K7 with positive figures across the board including +5.7 for eye muscle area and +102 for 600 day weight.

Justin Kneipp from Dundee Echo Park paid $16,000 for the seven year old cow Franco Pearl L511 by Battalion Brunswick with heifer calf at foot by Franco Rockstar R100.

Mr Kneipp also paid $12,000 for the six year old cow Franco Annabelle M518, also by Brunswick, with heifer calf at foot by Franco Rockstar R100.

Chris Lisle, Tummel Herefords at Walcha, paid $14,000 for Parson Hill Camilla R859 by Mawarra Explosive with heifer calf at foot by Franco Rockstar R100. He also paid $14,000 for the two year old bull Franco Spearhead S340 by Parson Hill National Hero N390 from a Franco Olive by Battalion Brunswick.

Phil and Brad Thomas from Kylandee Herefords at Elsmore via Inverell paid $12,000 for Franco Happy Day T709 by Mawarra Explosive. The four year old with heifer calf at foot by Ironbark Advance was the father and son's first choice and appeared more structurally perfect every time they looked at her.

"We believe she will fit into our program with ease," said Brad.

Phil Tomas described the sale as a success for the whiteface industry.

"After a result like that, with no dip in the middle, I think we can say the Hereford breed is on the right foot," he said.

George, Shirley and Karen Hardcastle, McPherson Herefords at Old Koreelah paid $12,000 for Franco Pearl N603 by Sugarloaf Haymaker with bull calf at foot by Parson Hill National Hero N390.

Glen Gyle Partnership, Woodenbong, paid $7000 for two R drop heifers Franco Ruth R861 and Franco Happy Day R549.

Best-priced T bull was Franco Torpedo T105 by Batalion Black Hawk K7, sold two days before his first birthday for $8000 to Steve Reid, Talbalba Herefords at Millmerran, Qld.

Another T bull, Franco Trooper T240, by Warwick Court Quip also had Black Hawk blood from his dam's sire.

The 26 month old bull had a comment about him in the catalogue from Mr Hannigan saying "Quip over Black Hawk a good cross".

The dispersal was touted as an "opportunity", a message not wasted on North Casino breeder Elsie Maloney, who purchased three cows with calves for her brand-new Yenolam Pastural enterprise, paying to a top of $6500 for Franco Harmony N942 by Warwick Court Glebe with an 18 month old bull calf at foot by Warwick Court Riverview R170.

The sale was hosted by Elders with George and Fuhrmann, Ramsey and Bulmer.