Wattletop Angus at Guyra sold its full draft of 33 bulls during an online auction on Thursday to record an average of $13,682 with a top price of $26,500.
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Long-term clients dominated the bidding, with most sires going to Queensland and the local northern tablelands.
Wayne and Erica Dunn have bought Wattletop bulls prior for their herd at The Falls, Glen Elgin, east of Glen Innes, and paid the top sale price for Wattletop Exclusive T144 by Musgrave 316 Exclusive from a good Wattletop Usual G188 cow.
The phenotypically correct bull, 764kg, presented with moderate birth figures and top five per cent growth traits. He was the second highest scanning for intra muscular fat, measuring a remarkable 7.3pc, considerably softer than his +2.2 IMF score would suggest.
Carrying a masculine Exclusive head and hooded eye he retains power and growth, says breeder Jess MacDougall, who with her husband Henry has taken on the mantle of her father Lock Roger's breeding legacy.
The Exclusive cross with G188 appears to have the desired effect for Mrs MacDougall, who describes him as soft and thick with high growth, while his birth weight at 2.9 is kept in check.
"We want the whole package with IMF, growth and phenotype. It's challenging," she says.
The Dunn family also purchased Wattletop Momentous T75, by Lawsons Momentous, for $22,000.
"We sold his two full brothers in 2021 for $30,000 and $20,000," says Mrs MacDougall. "The full sisters have been sound in the feet with good udders. This bull has plenty of length and a good spread in numbers with breed average birth, top 10pc 200 weight, top 25pc 400 weight and top 20pc EMA."
Mrs MacDougall reports the sale results particularly pleasing in a tough market year such as this one, with their sire average almost identical to last year's result.
Hernani graziers the Maloney family, who used to buy bulls back in Lock's day, came away with Wattletop L519 T29 by Rennylea L519, for $20,500.
The larger-framed, long bull recorded surprising softness with an IMF score of 3.4 while maintaining figures of 4.7 for birth weight, +132 for 600 day weight, and +87 carcase weight.
"It feels good to sell to return clients," says Mrs MacDougall. "It feels like we're getting a good amount of traction. It's good to see clients of dad's coming back and liking what they see."
Volume buyers Ken and Kirillee Donohoe, Donohoe Cattle Co at Wandoan, Qld, require bulls to service 1300 breeders this year, with all heifers retained at the moment and steers grown out to feeder weight - the majority going to Stanbroke.
He expressed disappointment in securing only six bulls when he wanted a dozen, paying an average of $10,916 to a top of $13,000 for Wattletop Enhance T71 from Sydgen Enhance.
The bull presents with a top 20pc breed figure for IMF of 3.7 while maintaining top 25pc for growth.
Joining 1300 Angus cows this year, with plans to increase numbers, he said Wattletop bulls had proven their ability to do when seasons turned away, while maintaining softness and growth.
"These bulls last," he says. "They are a thick bull, as bulls should be."
Trials done on the Wandoan breeding country with manager Adam Shorten showed Wattletop calves to be of a milder temperament than their cohort, soft and easy doing.
"We're getting really good results," he says.
The sale was conducted by Sam Sewell, APL Guyra and Armidale, with online bidding taking place through AuctionsPlus.
