Eagles' sons fly high during Royalla on-property Shorthorn auction

Bulls are heading to buyers in four states and territories following the Royalla Shorthorn on-property auction, on Friday, August 29, at Yeoval.

Under the hammer, 29 of 37 bulls sold to a top of $25,000 and an average $10,138, with another four selling shortly after the sale's conclusion.

Two of the auction highlights came early in the catalogue, with lot 2 , Royalla Chief U295, setting the bar high with his sale-topping result.

The two-year-old, 806-kilogram, roan bull was by Marellan Yeoval Eagle, out of Royalla Ada R168, bought by last year's top price buyer, Peter Stuckey, Murtonga, Condobolin.

This was the first Eagle son offered by Royalla, after buying the sire in 2022 for $36,000.

Chief's raw measurements include an eye muscle area of 119 centimetres squared, a 10 millimetre rib and 19mm rump fat, 41cm scrotal circumference and 7.5 per cent intramuscular fat.

Among his estimated progeny difference figures was milk at +30.4, in the top 5 per cent for the breed, and a maternal weaning weight of +59.6 and ribeye area of +0.55 - in the top 10pc, as well as carcase weight of +12.3, in the top 20pc.

Agent Greg Moncrieff said Mr Stuckey had been impressed by the "biggest, strongest bull there".

The Stuckeys run a Shorthorn-Angus cross herd, and Mr Moncrieff said this bull would "suit the job".

Mr Stuckey also bought a second bull at $11,000, another two-year-old Roan, Royalla Cactus, by Outback Sprys Gigabytes R311 and Royalla Dainty Duchess P271 - a Royalla Rockstar K274 daughter.

But that was not the only highlight of the sale, with another Eagle son in lot 5, Royalla Desperado V128, selling for $24,000, after spirited bidding online and in the selling shed.

It was bought via StockLive by Yanco Agricultural High School for its Shorthorn stud, which has been operating since 2013.

The 636kg, yearling, roan, homozygous poll bull was out of the favoured Margie Royalla cow family.

His raw figures included 122cm2 EMA, 6.7pc IMF, 9mm rib, 10mm rump fat and 40cm scrotal circumference.

Among his breeding values were -0.055 fat, which was in the top 10pc, +29.3 milk, in the top 10pc, and maternal weaning weight of +53.9, stayability of +15.2, carcase weight of +12.7 and ribeye area of +0.49 - all in the top 20pc.

Yanco head agriculture teacher Luke Collins inspected the bull at the stud's open day and said he admired the maturity pattern, overall presence and thickness, particularly for a yearling bull.

"He had a good balance of traits and body size," he said.

The bull, a second sire for the school's 40-purebred cow herd, was selected in consultation with year 12 student Dominic Edwards, who said he admired the phenotype and soundness of Desperado.

"For positive structural impact, he ticked all the boxes," Dominic said.

The duo also liked the Yeoval Eagle influence, admiring what he will bring as a genetic outcross, as well as the homozygous polling.

"We couldn't fault him across the board for a yearling bull," Dominic said.

A third Eagle son sold at $18,000, Royalla Casanova U374, bought by David Pottie, Cumnock.

Bulls are also heading to the ACT and Tasmania.

Strongly chasing the Royalla breeding was volume bidder Appleton Cattle Co, Alpha, Qld, which picked up 10 bulls to a $10,000 top, averaging $7500.

Royalla principal Nic Job said the Marellan Yeoval Eagle sire had been "breeding exceptionally well" in their herd.

In the past two years, the Jobs have shifted the focus of their commercial herd away from supplying feedlots to focusing on the grassfed market, and their breeding program had also moved this way.

"We believe this is where the future of the industry is," Mr Job said.

He said this made their emphasis on easy-doing, fleshing bulls important.

With this in mind, all their bulls were solely finished on grass, which Mr Job said improved their longevity as well as making them suitable for so many of their clients, who also were reliant on pasture.

The sale was conducted by Kevin Miller, Whitty, Lennon and Co and Elders, with Luke Whitty the auctioneer, while the online interface was provided by StockLive.