Vella tops Great Northern Brahman heifer and genetics sale on both counts

GDL livestock agent Josh Heck with the buyers of the top priced heifer, Gerard and Teresa Henry, Gregory River Brahmans, Gregory River, and vendors, Leah and Ray Vella, Vella Brahmans, Proserpine. Picture by Queensland Country Life.

Original story published on Queensland Country Life 24/10/2025

A fledgling Brahman stud that's yet to sell any of its progeny paid the top price for a heifer at this year's Great Northern Heifer and Genetics Sale at the Airlie Beach Hotel on Thursday night, October 23.

The heifer, NCC Huds Empress 6693, was one of three females offered for sale by Ray and Leah Vella, Vella Brahmans, Breadalbane Plains, Proserpine.

After spirited bidding, the heifer was bought by Gerard and Teresa Henry, Gregory River Brahmans, Gregory River, for $26,000, which equalled last year's top price.

The 27-month-old, light red IVF heifer was sired by NCC Dakota and was out of Brahrock MS Huds Empress 5967.

Mrs Henry said they were attracted to the fact that she was an NCC heifer.

"They're the benchmark in the industry, and they're no longer around... they don't make them anymore," she said.

Mr Henry said they already had NCC Dienka (5234), so they knew the breeding and quality.

"We know how well they work in our IVF program, they've given us lots of eggs and lots of good calves," he said.

"This particular girl is an NCC Dakota so breeding that we don't have, and she's a grey bull, so we wanted to introduce that into the herd.

"She's very thick in the rear legs and through the rear...which we're very happy with and she's horned.

"And that's funny that I want a horned animal, but that's because we have a lot of PP semen and a PP bull for our IVF and our natural program, so she's perfect to produce PS calves."

Mr Henry said they were a new stud and had not sold yet.

"We're four years in and we've mainly been IVF breeding and we're about to start natural breeding," he said.

"We have 70 (females), including recips, so a small show.

"We've just bought a bull (Mountain Springs Jasper) in partnership with Josh Heck, and so we will start a natural program now with our stud girls."

Mr Henry said their new heifer would be harvested for eggs and then joined with the bull.

This year's sale, which precedes the main event, the 2025 Great Northern Brahman Sale, at the Proserpine Showgrounds, saw 10 heifers and five semen packages offered and sold for 100 per cent clearance on both counts.

The gross for the heifers was $105,000 for an average of $10,500, while the gross for the semen was $35,550 for an average of $1692/straw.

Last year, nine heifers averaged $15,222, with semen straws selling for as high as $1800/straw and an average of $725/straw, for 100pc clearance.

The top-priced semen package at this year's sale was for two straws and two registrations from Mr US Polled Fusion 711/9, again offered up by Vella Brahmans.

Buyers of the top priced semen package, Tony and Emma Olsen, Lindley Park Brahmans, Mackay, with Elders agent Randall Spann, and vendors Leah and Ray Vella, Vella Brahmans, Proserpine. Picture by Queensland Country Life.

The package was purchased by Emma and Tony Olsen, Lindley Park Brahmans, Mackay, for $5000 a straw.

Mr US Polled Fusion 711/9 was sired by Mr US Polled Didor 661/7 and was out of JME Ms Deacon Crata 542.

The Olsens also bought a five-straw package from Brahman Fairy Springs Royal Flush for $2500/straw that was offered up by Darren and Sue Kent of Ooline Brahmans.

Mr Olsen said they visited the US in 2023 and saw Polled Fusion in the paddock.

"So we'd seen the bull and know the bull and we have a lot of confidence that he's got a lot of traits that we can use in our industry here," he said.

"He's a blue grey bull and we've got a predominantly reds...and some grey Brahman females focusing on pollies and that bull will be useful in raising red cattle."

The Olsens have 250 breeders, and Mr Olsen said he had been involved in the operations of a stud since he was about seven years old.

Mr Olsen said his family had the Neslo Brahman Stud at Wandoan, and he and his wife still had a lot of Neslo genetics in their stud.

"We focus primarily on selling paddock bulls for commercial breeders with traits of beef, bone, temperament, fertility and all pollies - 100pc of our calves dropped last year were pollies," he said.

Vendor Ray Vella of Vella Brahmans said they had calves on the ground from the imported sire and were very impressed with them.

"He's a very balanced bull, his poll trait is probably very unique, he's got big broad muscle, good carcase traits, very structurally sound and a very fertile bull. He's just a good all round bull," he said.

As to the top-priced heifer, Mr Vella said she was balanced and could go both ways into a red or grey herd.

"She's got all those traits that are pretty balanced, like structure, meat, but still feminine, but with good muscle and very fertile cow lines," he said.

Five studs took part in Thursday evening's sale, including Cambil, Vella, Ooline and Badilla Brahmans.