Highlands Droughtmaster sale delivers on value-for-money bulls

At the fall of the hammer, 45 of the 61 bulls on offer sold for a clearance of 74 per cent, gross of $347,000, an average of $7711, which was down by $4201 on last year's record average of $11,912.

A total of 17 herd bulls sold to average $7647, while 28 registered Droughtmaster bulls sold for a top price of $22,000 and averaged of $7750.

Top price honours went to the Rutherford family of Redskin Droughtmasters, Mornish, who sold a herd bull, Redskin 81, to Ryan and Chloe Hodgkinson, Cairo Cattle Co, Clermont, for $29,000.

The 26-month-old scurred son of Huntly Signature weighed in at 885 kilograms, posting an eye muscle area of 140 square centimetres, a scrotal circumference of 42 centimetres, and rib and rump fat measurements of nine and six millimetres respectively. He scored 80 per cent for semen motility.

Mr Hodgkinson said they were repeat buyers of the Redskin genetics and planned to return their puchase back to their property Cairo, north of Clermont.

"(Redskin 81) had plenty of bone, a good underline, good across the top, and plenty of hindquarter," he said.

"I think he'll grow out into a big bull.

"This bull will probably go straight for a spell and then we'll line some of our heifers and cows up for him later in the year."

Cairo Cattle Co sold all of their four bulls for an average price of $6000, which Mr Hodgkinson said they were pleased with.

"The sale result is definitely back a bit on last year's result, but it's just the confidence in the market that brought the clearance back a bit," he said.

"There seemed to be a lot of northern and western Queensland buyers active in today's result, which was good and not too many bulls stayed local, which is odd for this sale."

Wayne and Ingrid York of Karragarra Droughtmasters, Emerald, offered the second top seller and top registered sire, Karragarra Tiktok, which sold to Anthony Anderson, Julia Creek, for $22,000.

The son of Skye Ford weighed in at 815kg with P8 and rib fat measurements of 10mm and 7mm respectively, an eye muscle area of 136sq cm and a 43cm scrotal circumference.

Karragarra Droughtmasters also won the 'Champion pen of Bulls' of the sale, which was judged by Alex Power, Lazy A Droughtmasters.

The champion pen, made up of lot 4, Karragarra 1598, and lot 8, Karragarra 1668, both sold for $10,000 to Dale Sibson, Dysart.

There was plenty of action from commercial buyers, with the O'Sullivan family, Jumba Holdings, Charters Towers, securing six bulls at an average price of $6166, Dale Sibson, Dysart, who took five bulls home to Cotherstone for an average of $8000 and T and C Sypher, who also bought five bulls at an average price of $5000.

Bulls sold far and wide across Queensland, including Clermont, Charleville, Julia Creek, Dysart, Moranbah, Alpha, Beaudesert, Hughenden, Rockhampton, Beylando, Mount Mee, and Charters Towers.

With more than 20 registered bidders in the stands, 128 viewers from across the country tuned into the sale via StockLive with 16 registered bidders and nine lots sold online at an average price of $8555.

The Highlands Droughtmaster sale vendors supported the CQ rescue helicopter this year, with each vendor donating $50 from each bull sold to service. In total, vendors raised $2250 for CQ Rescue.