Stacked pedigree bull delivers six-figure price tag for Alpine Angus
A stand-out bull with a stacked pedigree has achieved an equal record top price for Alpine Angus at its autumn on-property sale at Rosewhite.
The stud sold 76 Angus bulls from 81 offered for an average of $12,145 and a huge top price of $120,000.
Alpine Special V245 was the 18-month-old sale-topping bull who now shares the stud's record top price with his sire, Alpine 38 Special S021, who also made $120,000 when he sold to Arkle Angus, Munglinup,WA, in 2022.
Boonaroo Angus stud principals Shane and Jodie Foster, Casterton, drove eight hours over two days from south-west Victoria to lay eyes on the bull before they battled several other bidders to secure him.
Pictures by Petra Oates
"We're pretty excited to get him home and see what he can do in our stud," Ms Foster said.
"He's phenotypically very correct with a beautiful temperament, and his data puts him in the top percentile bands for growth, intramuscular fat (IMF) and structure.
"He's the most balanced bull we've seen so far."
Originally catalogued as Lot 14, the bull was brought forward in the sale and sold fourth in the line-up because of the interstate interest he had generated prior to the sale.
Alpine stud manager Chris Oswin said the bull was a winning example of years and years of stacked sire and cow family pedigrees over many generations.
"That bull is out of Alpine Real Deal's mother and we sold Real Deal for $90,000 in 2023 and his sons have been topping sales all over the place, and one sold for $100,000," Mr Oswin said.
"He's got a really stacked pedigree with all these links to great maternal and sire lines on both sides."
The sale topper weighed 695 kilograms, had a scrotal circumference of 44 centimetres and had estimated breeding values of +63kg, +110kg and +146kg for 200, 400 and 600-day growth respectively.
The bull also boasted figures of +4.5 per cent IMF, +10.7 square centimetres eye muscle area and +4.7kg birth weight.
Last year, the autumn sale sold 78 of 90 bulls offered to average $9377 and top at $30,000.
The sale saw strong support from return clients with a few new faces in the crowd too.
A lot of the stud's support came from commercial weaner cattle breeders.
One such producer was Clive and Di Anderson, Benambra, who purchased five bulls at the sale including four at $10,000 and one at $12,000.
The Andersons have been long-term clients of Alpine and sell at the Mountain Calf Sales every year.
Earlier this month, they offered the largest throughput at the Omeo sale, with 470 mixed-sex Angus and black blady calves, nine to 11 months, achieving a top of $1990 a head.
Craig and Robert Ferguson, Bowmans Forest, bought two bulls at the sale, including Lot 1, Alpine Winchester V217, for $22,000.
The Ferguson family sell a highly-sought draft of about 340 mixed-sex, 11-12 months, Angus weaners at Wangaratta every year.
They have been using Alpine bulls for over 10 years and made a top of $2040 for their weaner steers at Wangaratta in November last year.
