Australian Angus breeders invest in New Zealand’s top priced Angus bull for 2011 at Te Mania NZ’s annual bull sale. Te Mania 09-450, an Unlimited son, was knocked down for $30,000 to the Trans – Tasman syndicate. Texas Angus (Warialda NSW) and Boonaroo Angus (Casterton, Victoria) purchased the Australian semen rights while Kaiwara Angus of New Zealand bought the walking rights. 09 450 was purchased under the recommendation of the highly respected Wayne McLaren of McLaren Cattle Co Ltd, NZ.
Wayne believed he was the best New Zealand bull he had seen this year and said 09 450 ticked all the boxes – exceptionally sound, explosive growth, great carcase, wonderful pedigree and a brilliant temperament to go with it.
Principal John Harrington of Te Mania NZ, described 09-450 as an “Unlimited son that will certainly turn heads and covers all bases – moderate birth coupled with explosive growth”. John also noted 09-450 is from their top performing cow line with his maternal grand dam Te Mania 01-188 being the dam of last year’s sale topper, 08-423, who was sold to Stern Angus of NZ for $36,000. Lindsay Haugh Te Mania NZ’s Beef Production Manager believed 09-450 was the outstanding bull of the draft and had an unbelievable data set and type.
Jodie Foster from Boonaroo Angus said she will use Te Mania 09 450 over the majority of their heifers and a selection of cows this spring, aiming to utilise the versatility of a well muscled growth bull with calving ease, and a lot of natural “doing ability”. The NZ genetics in his pedigree really lend themselves to our environment, the tough NZ winters really draft out any high maintenance cattle, and we are getting the very best female line in New Zealand today.
Te Mania 09 450 will also be used extensively in Texas’s AI and ET program this spring. Principal, Ben Mayne said Te Mania 09 450 is exactly what we have been looking for; he has a superb pedigree and EBV’s with an outstanding phenotype. The Mayne family had been searching for a sire with a different pedigree to the herd that was a curve bender with sire appeal, good frame and natural thickness.
The sale was an all-time NZ record of 143 Angus bulls from the one prefix at the one sale event, the Te Mania New Zealand Angus Stud at Conway Flats, North Canterbury averaging $7897 for every bull sold at their sale on Wednesday 22 June, grossing a massive $1.122 million. Te Mania 09 450 being the stand out bull of this offering will bring many qualities to the Australian Angus market.