First Firestone sons command strong interest at Oakey Creek auction
The first sons of Canadian embryo import Firestone have been offered in Australia, attracting plenty of interest at the Oakey Creek Speckle Park on-property sale at Manilla on Friday, August 14.
The sale offered 33 bulls with 25 sold under the hammer to a $38,000 top and a $10,800 average, as well as seven heifers with five sold at auction to $7000, averaging $4300. Another four bulls and the remaining two heifers sold shortly after the conclusion of the sale.
The $38,000 top price was paid for the first Oakey Creek Legacy Firestone S35 son offered, Oakey Creek Nitro V20, out of Oakey Creek Katalina.
The 890 kilogram, leopard-coloured two-year-old had raw figures of 16 millimetre rump and 9mm rib fat, 127 square centimetre eye muscle area (EMA) and 7.3 per cent intramuscular (IMF) fat, scrotal circumference of 42cm, frame score of 6 and total motility of 97.6pc.
Among his estimated breeding values were 200-day, 400-day and 600-day growth of +27, +38 and +54 - all in the top 10pc for the breed. Also in the top 10pc were the Export Maternal Index at $51 and the Embryo Transfer index of $49.
Taking him home was returning buyer Steve Lund, Talki Station, Clermont, Qld.
While he had not planned to pay that price he "didn't drive all the way there for nothing", having come to buy Nitro.
"He's a good type of bull," he said.
Mr Lund also selected five heifers to breed his own bulls, something he also does with his Brahman herd.
Talki Station runs about 1200 breeders with about a quarter of these Speckle Park cattle.
They first introduced Speckle Parks to the herd in 2017, after a suggestion from Mr Lund's daughter, but have found they bring benefits in the Brahman-Speckle Park - or Brackle - cross.
"They're tough animals and put some extra beef into the Brahmans," he said.
"They're a good cross, smooth coated."
Mr Lund said they also had the benefit of a smaller calf, avoiding issues with maiden heifers.
Talki Station had bought bulls at Oakey Creek the year before, including the top price bull, with calves on the ground.
"[Oakey Creek principal] Dennis runs a good show, you can bid with confidence," he said.
Also a standout lot was another Firestone son - black, 830kg two-year-old, Oakey Creek Coal Dust V2, which sold to Harewood stud, Armidale, for $21,000.
Out of "brilliant cow" Oakey Creek Flora K19, the bull's raw figures included 13mm rump and 9mm rib fat, a 121sqcm EMA and 6.6pc IMF.
The $7000 top price heifer was also by Firestone, Oakey Creek White Lightning V21, out of Oakey Creek White Lightning R10, bought by Nathan and Katie Cook, Coolah.
Her figures included +0.7 IMF - in the breed's top 10pc, and a 600-day growth of +46 and rib and rump of +0.9 and +1.2, all in the top 20pc.
Oakey Creek principal Dennis Saint said they were pleased with the sale results, including the response to Firestone progeny.
The sire was the result of a Canadian embryo import program, bred from Legacy Revere 110D and Legacy 39A.
"We couldn't be happier with how he's breeding," Mr Saint said.
"He's a very good bull, with bulls or heifers, he's doing a fantastic job."
The 13 Firestone sons sold during the auction averaged $13,154.
Among those buying in bulk were Comet Downs Cattle Trust, Comet, Qld, which selected 11 bulls during the sale, paying $11,000 twice, taking home 13 bulls in total.
Wyambeh Partnership, Roma, Qld, selected four bulls, including the $20,000 Oakey Creek Fat Boy Slim V33, a black, 815kg son of Firestone out of Oakey Creek Willa.
The sale was conducted by Elders with Scott Cooper auctioneering, and StockLive and AuctionsPlus providing the online interface.
