ABC RURAL – March 3, 2026 – link to article
Good looks drive $235,000 record-breaking sale of South Australian Angus bull
Perfect skin, good looks and a sparkling personality. It may sound like a romantic partner wish list, but this is what buyers are after when selecting the perfect bull.
A South Australian Angus bull sold in February near Kingston possessed the attributes and more, helping it reach a new record price for the state of $235,000.
So how can one animal demand so much money? The record-breaking bull, Granite Ridge Velocity V42, was purchased by Herb Duddy from Sara Park Angus stud at Glen Innes in New South Wales.
Mr Duddy had been searching in Victoria and South Australia to find the right animal to improve his stud’s herd, a breeding operation focused on producing high-quality cattle.
A prized bull is a long-term investment for studs that look to improve the quality of their herds over time.
“When I couldn’t find other bulls to suit me, I decided to secure the bull,” he said.
“So [I] didn’t expect to pay that sort of money, but good ones are very, very hard to find.”
The ‘complete’ package
Mr Duddy described the bull as a complete bull, meaning he was the full package.
“His conformation, his bone, very good temperament, he’s got beautiful skin and hair, he’s very well grown … he had pretty good data, which we need in the stud,” he said.
While Mr Duddy is no stranger to spending large amounts of money on bulls — having bought a bull last year for $140,000 — this year’s animal was his largest purchase to date.
He said the investment would be worth it in the long run.
“It’s always stressful, but you make the decision on the moment, and you stick to it, you don’t look back,” Mr Duddy said.
“In this case, I am sure I have done the right thing.”
All investments come with risk, and a prized bull is no different. Valuable breeding bulls are typically insured in case they are injured, become infertile or unexpectedly die.
But because of the high price of the animal, Mr Duddy had to take a bit of a gamble. “Insurance companies would not insure him for his full amount,” he said. “All insurance companies have a maximum of $150,000, so the bull is insured for $150,000.”
Mr Duddy received interest from breeding companies, including overseas, that wanted to collect and sell the bull’s semen.
Bull semen is a big business, with some farmers paying top dollar to have access to the genetics provided by a quality animal.
