PHOTO
A Winton wapiti breeder got a full clearance of bulls at his sale but the top-price sire came as a surprise.
At the Littlebourne Farm 34th annual wapiti sire sale last week, 18 bulls on offer sold for an average of $3300, including a top price of $6000.
Speaking to Southern Rural Life before the auction, farm owner Geoff Pullar said he was expecting the "star lot" of 3-year-old bull Yellow 44 to fetch the top dollar.
The bull had an average growth from birth to 12 months of 523g a day — the highest growth rate over all deer sales — and was in the top 5% for 12-month weight in the Deer Select database.
Despite the impressive figures, Yellow 44 sold for $4200.
The top price of $6000 was paid for Yellow 42, which had a growth rate of 500g per day in its first year.
Local farmer Tommy May, a "velvet trophy guy", preferred to use his eye, rather than Deer Select figures when buying sires, Mr Pullar said.
"Some people love them [the figures] and other people couldn’t care less."
