Vote of confidence as Sydney Royal champion tops the Tattykeel elite sale
This year's Sydney Royal Show senior champion Angus bull Tattykeel Thunder T55 topped the Gilmore family online Elite Angus Bull and Female sale.
Of the 15 bulls offered, 13 sold to a $40,000 top to average $7923.
The full sale average was $8580 for 25 lots of 29 offered, to gross $214,500.
After showcasing in Tamworth, part of the people's choice winning pen at the World Angus Forum, Thunder T55 presented with eye appeal and balance, proving his temperament for the ring.
At 31 months he is the son of DMM International 54D from Tattykeel Blackcap Essence M1, with that dam lineage traceable back to the beginnings of the Miller Wilson Angus herd, from Alberta, Canada.
He presented, like all Tattykeel genetics, with no estimated breeding values.
Instead the stud is "backing itself" on phenotype and genotype, guided by clients' own processing data and applying careful line breeding techniques to create highly heritable outcomes, said James Gilmore, speaking for the four generations of his family on property who are still breeding in the one direction.
Evidence of the value of line breeding in the program is seen in the adoption of SAV International 2020 on both sides.
The buyer, of T55, repeat client Craig Graham from Kangaroo Island, South Australia, is in the process of building an Angus herd of similar type and function. He told Mr Gilmore that he could see value continuing the genetics investment program beyond the current difficult drought.
Females with the Essence line on their mothers' side topped that portion of the elite sale to average $9292 and top at $18,500 twice for two V-drop heifers, including the full sister to the top selling T55 in Tattykeel Blackcap Essence V8.
Both high priced females went to Tattykeel Australian White ram clients Daniel "Wal" Jones and his wife Phillipa, at Condobolin.
They purchased four females in total to average $13,875, including $11,500 for Tattykeel Kristina U61, also by DMM International.
Meanwhile, heifers pregnancy-tested-in-calf topped at $13,000 for Tattykeel Miss Essence U67, a fully imported embryo female, by SAV Bloodline 6578 from DMM Miss Essence 22E.
Volume bull buyer and repeat ram client client Cameron Clarke, Rylestone, bought three lots for $5000 each after hearing about weight-gain in Tattykeel weaners from his cousin.
The Tattykeel Angus Elite sale was organised by QPL Livestock and hosted by AuctionsPlus.
