Commercial buyer pays top money for Wattle Grove bull at Beef '24

Held at the Rockhampton showgrounds on Wednesday evening, Dale and Belinda Humphries, Wattle Grove Speckle Park, Oberon, NSW, offered 30 bulls and heifers and sold 23 lots for a 76 per cent clearance rate and sale average of $7239.

Of the 16 Speckle Park bulls offered, 12 sold for an average price of $7500, while 11 of the 14 heifers sold for an average of $6954.

Commercial buyers John and Katies McLaughlin of Rolleston paid the top price money for Wattle Grove My Party.

Sired by Wattle Grove 15R Ransom, My Party was the first lot auctioned on the night.

The heaviest bull in the sale catalogue at 842 kilograms, the 27-month-old bull was scanned at 131 square centimetres for eye muscle area, 8mm and 11mm, respectively, at the rib and rump, and had an intramuscular fat percentage of 6.2.

The second top price bull was Wattle Grove World Domination T757, a 20-month-old bull sired by Spots 'N Sprouts Drone 1050.

He tipped the scales at 672 kilograms, scanned 108 sq cm for eye muscle area, 12mm and 10mm, respectively, at the rib and rump, and had an intramuscular fat percentage of 5.6.

Heifers were met with similar demand, reaching a top price of $9000 for lot 17, Wattle Grove Party Girl, which was paid by another repeat client, John Moore and his partner Zara Russell, Glenmia Livestock and Fitting Service, Miles.

Mr Moore said they ran Speckle Park stud cattle at their property in New South Wales and the majority of their commercial cattle at Miles.

"We've bought a fair few of Wattle Grove genetics in the past and they always seem to do a good job for our operation," he said.

"Coming to this sale, I was looking for a good performance heifer. I wasn't expecting to purchase the lead heifer.

"She's a very stylish heifer, with plenty of thickness about her."

Mr Moore said they plan to put her through an AI program.

Sired by Wattle Grove Jagerbomb, the 19-month-old heifer weighed 540kg, had an EMA of 84 sq cm, and measured 9mm and 12mm, respectively, at the rib and rump.

Following closely behind at $8000 were Wattle Grove Miss Kaiya and Wattle Grove Molly.

The sale was conducted by Top X and simulcast on StockLive, which had 110 viewers and 35 registered bidders make a bid on 30pc of the sale catalogue.

Two lots were bought online.