Selecting the very best Angus genetics available in Australia and across the world continues to be the mainstay of the Martindale program.
Principal Troy Martin carefully maps the data and information of all his dams and matches them to the best sires globally to produce bulls that tick all the boxes.
This year’s sale offering from the Tasmanian based stud features renowned sires such as Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15, the $160,000 bull that has since had sons sell for record breaking prices.
Also featuring in Martindale’s March sale, held at the Powranna saleyard complex and integrated with AuctionsPlus, is Sterling Pacific 904, a bull that has been in high demand across the breed for being in the top 1% for all growth traits, and Myers Fair-N-Square M39, a bull built from maternal excellence and longevity.
And it is Lot Four in the line-up of eight bulls – Martindale Myers Fair-N-Square T10 – that has caught Troy’s eye.
“We’ve collected semen from T10 and quite a few straws have gone to storage – he has everything we target; he is an animal that gives us the best fit for purpose across all the dams and we will use that sire in the future,” Troy said.
“He comes from some of the world’s best female bloodlines and can be used across many of our elite females – he also collected very well, with 96 or 97% mobility, so is showing powerful fertility traits.”
Fertility is also a feature in T10’s EBVs, with the bull being in the top 2% for days to calving, and top 1% for gestation length, as well as being in the top 10% for 200- and 400-day weight, and top 1% for the Angus Breeding Low Feed Cost Index.
“We are targeting the key traits right across the estimated breeding values (EBVs), from birth through growth and all the commercial type traits producers need,” Troy said.
“And the clear standout one for us honestly is temperament, our herd is incredibly docile – the vet describes them as “big black Labradors”.
The Lilydale based stud has experienced a tough season like much of Tasmania, with “incredibly dry’ conditions, but Troy said the silver lining to this was the bulls had been put to the test.
“Tough seasons breed resilience, and ensure we are producing bulls that can perform in all environments for our clients,” he said.
The number of bulls being offered by Martindale is up this year, and numbers are stable at the stud, which is already looking to what it will offer the Angus breed in 2025 and onwards.
“We continue to focus on breeding bulls with the best Trans-Tasman EBVs right across the board and that way we have bulls for everyone and every market our clients might be targeting,” Troy said.
Last year Martindale sold five bulls to a top of $12,000 and averaged $8000, with a GB Fireball son attracting the top price.
These prices offer some of the best value for some of the best genetic lines in the breed.
Troy said cattle industry sentiment, which always centres on the seasonal and market environments, was low at the back end of 2023 with low prices and drought conditions.
“But it only takes a small change, with prices up and summer ending hopefully meaning some rain, to turn things around,” he said.
“Clients can forward project three months and see now is a perfect time to grab some of these young sires and get them set, get them ready and put them to work in their programs.”
The Martindale sale will be held on Tuesday 19th March from 4pm at the Powranna TLX, Tasmania, and via AuctionsPlus, with eight Angus bulls aged 15 to 24 months on offer.
