Top bull sells to highest price in a decade at the 2025 Rosevale bull sale
The top-price bull at the 2025 Rosevale Santa Gertrudis bull sale sold for the equal highest price recorded at the sale since 2015, helping to deliver a solid result for vendors.
More than 200 people packed the stands at Rosevale near Jandowae on a sunny and at times windy Tuesday, September 23, for the Greenup family's 69th annual on-property sale.
Bidders joined in person from local areas, west to Cunnamulla, Charleville and Blackall, across central Queensland, and interstate from Victoria and Western Australia.
A total of 153 bulls from 154 sold through the ring for a 99.4 per cent clearance, an average price of $17,160 per head, and a gross sale value with heifers included of $2.65 million.
By comparison, 162 of 173 bulls sold at auction in 2024 for a 94pc clearance, an average of $11,185, and a top of $45,000.
Fierce bidding early saw four of the first five lots sell for more than $30,000 each, while bids above this mark on stud bulls continued throughout the sale.
Rosevale Vanuatu was brought into the ring at lot 10, selling to the Bassingthwaighte family of Yarrawonga Santa Gertrudis at Wallumbilla for the top price of $60,000.
It was a price achieved or exceeded only three times in the sale's history.
Rosevale Vanuatu was 22 months old, heterozygous polled, and weighed 800 kilograms.
He had an eye muscle area of 133 square centimetres, scrotal circumference of 41cm, intramuscular fat of 6.7pc, as well as P8 and rib fat measurements of 13 and 11 millimetres.
Rosevale Santa Gertrudis principal David Greenup said he was a structurally sound, easy doing bull with balanced figures.
"Overall, he was a good heifer bull," Mr Greenup said.
"His sire, Gyranda Newton, also excels in intramuscular fat, ranking in the top 5pc for the breed, among other characteristics.
"Rosevale Sally, his dam, is a consistent performer in our herd, and has previously produced a yearling bull that sold for $40,000.
"All bulls were fed on pasture right up until sale day this year, given the quality of the season we have had.
"And we were very grateful for the level of support we had from repeat buyers today."
The 2025 Rosevale sale was the second time the Bassingthwaighte family had bought the top-price bull at a sale in 2025, alongside the Dunlop Santa Gertrudis sale on September 6.
Yarrawonga Santa Gertrudis principal Andrew Bassingthwaighte said he was looking for bulls that excelled in a range of different traits to keep a measure of genetic variation in his family's herd.
"Our last Rosevale bull performed well, and we were looking for more of the same," Mr Bassingthwaighte said.
"He will be joined with heifers from December onwards.
"And we are still in the market: you are likely to see us at more sales this season."
Repeat buyer Rob Caskey, trading as RC Business, Morven, bought the largest number of lots, with 11 head for an average of $9455.
All four heifers sold through the ring for an average of $7250 and a top of $11,000.
Elders Toowoomba studstock agent Michael Smith said the consistent performance of the commercial cattle market had given producers the confidence to invest in genetics.
"The number of repeat buyers at Rosevale, year in year out, is a testament to the quality of bulls the Greenup family produces," Mr Smith said.
"They have a good following in the Maranoa, central Queensland, and there is always interest from seedstock producers interstate."
- Agents: Elders, Nutrien, and AuctionsPlus.
