Bulls to $19,000, females to $17,500 at Waratah Speckle Parks sale

The Turnham family celebrated a full clearance, with 45 bulls averaging $8333.

The 21 stud heifers were in high demand, reaching $17,500 for an 11-month-old heifer and averaging $9928, while five pregnancy-tested-in-calf (PTIC) stud cows topped at $15,000 twice and averaged $12,600.

PTIC commercial heifers reached a top of $3700 and averaged $2688 and commercial first-cross heifers sold to $1950 and averaged $1771.

The top bull, 22-month-old Waratah Look At Me, by Waratah J57 from Waratah Teeka J141, sold to the Big Star Speckle Park stud, Hillston. The bull weighed 630 kilograms, had a scrotal circumference of 37 centimetres, rump and rib fat of six millimetres and 5mm respectively, intramuscular fat of 4.9 per cent, and an eye muscle area (EMA) of 103 square centimetres.

Justin and Amy Dickens, JAD Agriculture, Yeoval, purchased Waratah Lucky Charm'z for $18,000. The 24-month-old son of Waratah Speckled Gold G25 and Waratah H23 weighed 646kg, and measured 36cm in the scrotum and 10mm and 8mm on the rump and rib. He had an EMA of 112cm2 and intramuscular fat of 6.5pc.

The Dickens family also purchased Waratah Llangothlin, a 23-month-old bull by Codiak Amigo 65Y from Waratah H41, for $15,000. Waratah Ledger, a 24-month-old son of Waratah J30 and Waratah E23, also made $15,000, going to Paradise Creek Pastoral Company.

The female sale drew strong demand from new and established studs, with the top-priced female, Waratah Amy M93 going to South Australian producers Andrew and Gabrielle McKinnon, "Summerlea", Kapunda. The McKinnons were among the volume buyers, purchasing a PTIC heifer for $13,000 and seven stud weaner heifers averaging $11,643. Matthew Black, Sunnydale Speckle Parks, Jiggi, bought 11-month-old heifer Waratah Spanish Angel M95 for $16,000.

The sale was settled by Ray White Rural Guyra and Armidale, with Blake O'Reilly and Bruce Birch at the rostrum.