STUD heifers were keenly sought after with one selling for a top price of $18,000 at the Minnamurra Speckle Park bull and heifer sale at Coolah last Friday.
Eighteen of 21 stud heifers sold to an average of $6800 while 19 of 38 stud bulls made to a top of $16,000 to average $5800. Commercial PTIC F1 Speckle Park/Angus heifers sold to $1400 each for a pen of 12 head with 49 averaging $1228.
Minnamurra principal, David Reid, was delighted that breeders from four states and New Zealand secured the quality and performance proven bulls and heifers in such trying weather conditions.
"Buyers found some pretty good genetics within the catalogue and bidded freely for their chosen animals," Mr Reid said. "This is the first time we have offered stud heifers at a sale and I'm so pleased with the result, knowing they are going to keen breeders.
"AuctionsPlus was strong with many of our clients struggling in the drought, and 60 per cent of the purchases were online sales."
New Speckle Park stud breeder, Nettie McGrath, Blueridge stud, Gundowring, Victoria, bought two stud heifers and a bull while paying the top price at $18,000 for Minnamurra 4B Unique N66, daughter of Redneck JSF Whiskey 4B and Minnamurra 50U Unique J125 and PTIC.
The rising two-year-old weighed 550 kilograms and carried an eye muscle area (EMA) of 78 square centimetres and intramuscular fat (IMF) of 7.9 per cent. Ms McGrath also paid $10,000 for another PTIC Whiskey daughter from Minnamurra 300X Unique J8, and was a partner in a syndicate paying $11,000 for another Whiskey daughter.
This was Minnamurra 48 Janette N61 from Minnamurra 4Y Janette K23, bought with Hanging Rock stud, Vic, Lagoon stud, Lambton, and Parkvale stud, Culverden, NZ.
Consultant, Wayne Munt of MFP Agricultural Consulting, Gundowring, said the Blueridge stud was building-up a top line of breeders from Australian and Canadian genetics and has been a regular buyer at Minnamurra sales.
"Unique N128's grand-dam, Codiak Unique 8R, was one of the highest marbling females in the world," Mr Munt said. "The crossing of Red Neck JSF Whiskey 4B with the Unique family is a marriage made in heaven."
The stud heifers had been joined to Minnamurra Nighthawk or Jackungar Nate and were all tested PTIC just prior to the sale.
Top-priced bull at $16,000 was Minnamurra Pharaoh P59, also an Embryo Transfer by Redneck JSF Whiskey, Minnamurra's most successful sire, and from the top-breeding Canadian female, Codiak Unique 8R, purchased by AJM Pastoral, Burleigh, Richmond, Qld.
The 19-month Pharaoh P59 weighed 586kg and had an EMA of 103sqcm and IMF of 6.1pc.
Increasing their genetics with a bull and a stud heifer, both selling at $8000 each and sharing the same maternal grand-dam, UPTO Specs Tori 10T, were regular buyers Justin and Amy Dickens, JAD Speckle Parks, Yeoval.
The bull, Minnamurra Poseidon P28, is another Whiskey son, but from Minnamurra 15R Tori J26, weighing 560kg 18 months and carrying an EMA of 100sqcm and IMF at 5.6pc.
The heifer, Minnamurra J156 Tori N96, is by Minnamurra Jaguar by Spot'NSprouts Stands Alone, a two-year-old weighing 475kg and an EMA of 77sqcm plus an IMF of 7.4pc.
The Oliver Family Trust, Dulacca, Qld, bought two bulls, and paid $8000 for Minnamurra Peerless P22 by Whiskey and from Minnamurra 300X Unique J83 by Spots'NSprouts Stands Alone and from Codiak Unique 8R. This bull weighed 564kg at 18 months and had an EMA of 103sqcm and IMF of 5.8pc. The Oliver's other purchase at $4000 was also a Whiskey son.
Andrew Kelly, Casterton, Vic, bought two bulls to $7000 for Minnamurra Pieman P14 by Whiskey and from 15R Tori J26, rated one of the best weight-for-age bulls catalogued weighing 618kg at 19 months with 106sqcm EMA and 6.6pc IMF. His other at $4000 was also by Whiskey and from a Janette J23 dam.
A total of 49 commercial EU two-year-old heifers sold to $1400 and averaged $1228 with Pelican Rise Pty Ltd, Barongarook West, Vic, paying the $1400 a head top money for 12. Heifers were from some of Minnamurra's best Te Mania blood Angus cows, many being sisters to Minnamurra's 2019 RNA carcase competition winning steers.
The sale was conducted by Elders Tamworth, with Paul Dooley auctioneer.
