*Total clearance of 18 bulls sold to $27,000, av $10,280
*Total clearance of 19 females sold to $30,000, av $14,895
*Total clearance of six embryo packages sold to $2700, av $2030
BLACK Diamond Speckle Parks welcomed back new and return clients to its second annual sale on Saturday in what was the stud's first on-property auction.
The top-priced bull was Black Diamond P214 Russian Roulette R730 which was sold to Barry Marx, Andretto, Ararat, through Paul Constable, Nutrien Ballarat, for $27,000.
Black Diamond sold the bull with full possession but retained a half semen share for future use.
Russian Roulette has estimated breeding values (EBVs) in the top 10 per cent or better for 200, 400 and 600-day weight, as well as mature cow weight, carcase weight, eye muscle area (EMA) and intramuscular fat.
"Barry's criteria for the bull today was to bring home the best bull, and in our opinion he was the best one on offer today," Mr Constable said.
"He has a lovely nature, great stature, he is a great all-round bull that can be used over cows and heifers.
"He has built his herd up to be a herd of good cattle, and he will draft a line off to be specifically used to this bull and those progeny will filter through the Ballarat store sales in the future."
The second top-priced bull was Black Diamond 1D Rock Solid R866, bought by Ivery Downs Cattle Co, Colinton, Qld, for $18,000.
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Rock Solid recorded EBVs in the top 25pc or better for EMA, rib and rump fat.
In the females, it was Black Diamond M34 Remix R1070 which secured the top-priced female title.
R1070 was secured through Nutrien stud stock agent Peter Godbolt for Celamba Speckle Park, Deepwater, NSW, for $30,000.
She recorded EBVs in the top 20pc or better for gestation length, birth weight, and retail beef yield.
She was the daughter of the third top-priced lot, Black Diamond 9C Pho-Finish P325, who was knocked down for $22,000 also to Celamba Speckle Parks.
The second top-priced female was Black Diamond J55 Paisley P223 who was secured by Crown Speckle Park, Upper Lurg, for $23,000.
Return buyer Clayton Horsepol, Charles Stewart Nash McVilly, was a volume buyer for the day securing three bulls.
"We are looking to continue our Speckle lines over F1 and F2 cattle, keeping to the best lines we can to keep those speckle-coated calves coming through," Mr Horsepol said.
"The bulls secured here will go into predominantly autumn-calving herds, and then the progeny from those matings will start to come through the Mortlake weaner sales from December through to February."
Black Diamond stud principal Murray Van Der Drift was pleased with the overall sale result.
"It's a really good feeling to have the crowd of people attend that we did, and the interest we received leading up to the sale," he said.
"The female offering was extremely well supported, with interest coming in from studs across eastern Australia.
"We have been sourcing new genetics in from overseas the last few years, creating some outcross lines that can be used over here.
"Those lines were really well supported in the sale on the day, particularly with our embryo offerings."