Angus bull sells for record $420,000 at Australian auction
Quick Look
- An Angus bull named Wyatt W50 sold for $420,000 at Millah Murrah's annual sale near Bathurst, setting new records for the most expensive beef animal ever traded in Australia and surpassing the previous all-breeds bull record of $360,000 and the all-time beef animal record of $400,000 for a Wagyu heifer in 2022.
- The bull was named after stud principal Ross Thompson's late father, making the sale emotionally significant.
- Gundungarra Angus purchased the bull, which Millah Murrah retains a 20 percent share in, with semen sales already attracting interest from Australia, Canada and the USA.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The sale occurred after a mass sell-off of cattle from drought-hit northern NSW, with 2026 initially expected to be a challenging bull-selling season before this record-breaking transaction.
An Angus bull from New South Wales has become the most expensive beef animal ever traded in Australia, selling for $420,000 at a Central West bull sale.
Wyatt W50 was just the fourth lot to sell at Millah Murrah's annual sale near Bathurst, where bidding saw the price skyrocket past the former all-breeds bull record of $360,000.
It also surpassed the all-time beef animal record of $400,000 paid for a Wagyu heifer in 2022.
The bull was named after stud principal Ross Thompson's late father, which made the sale emotional for his family.
"He was just simply outstanding and extremely hard to fault. I did consider him the best bull, on balance, that we'd ever put in the sale ring.
"I was wondering why I was selling him by the time we got to the sale."
Auctioneer Paul Dooley said it was an exciting afternoon.
"You can hear the buzz in the crowd as the numbers go up," he said.
"It certainly speaks to the confidence in the cattle industry."
Million-dollar semen sales
Gundungarra Angus purchased the bull at Moss Vale in the NSW Southern Highlands.
In breeding terms, the bull holds genes for everything cattle farmers chase — from calving ease to strong weight gains.
"In human terms, he's supermodel-level looks," Mr Thompson said.
"He's got a pedigree that's globally very diverse and on top of that. He's just an incredibly versatile bull."
Millah Murrah retains a 20 per cent share in the bull, and will work closely with Gundungarra Angus to manage the high demand for semen sales.
Mr Thompson said semen from the bull was already attracting interest from Australia, Canada and the USA.
"It's nice to think that people from other parts of the world are looking at Australia as a potential genetic source, so it's quite an exciting moment," he said.
Mr Thompson said managing such a valuable animal could be stressful.
"I've got 250 [semen] units in the tank, so if he drops dead, we've got him genetically away," he said.
After a mass sell-off of cattle from drought-hit northern NSW, 2026 was tipped to be a challenging bull-selling season.
But Mr Thompson said the record-breaking bull was in a league of his own.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Semen sales from Wyatt W50 will generate significant revenue for Gundungarra Angus and Millah Murrah
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What specific genetic traits contribute to Wyatt W50's high valuation?
- How will the 20 percent ownership stake retained by Millah Murrah be managed?
- What are the projected revenue streams from semen sales over the bull's lifetime?
