Speckle Park: Justin and Amy Dickens gross $1.8m off just 90 animals

A huge top price at Yeoval highlighted the commercial viability of the breed, on an unbelievable day where the cash didn’t stop flowing.

Speckle Park enthusiasts have invested almost $1.8 million on just 90 stud and commercial animals at a sale near Yeoval, NSW late last week.

The sale, which included commercial cattle as well as stud genetics, grossed $1.7m for JAD Speckle Park principals Justin and Amy Dickens.

Mr Dickens said the result reflected how the relatively new breed is seen in the industry and that he was “in awe of what has happened”.

“This year was the year for the bulls, and it was great to see the losing bidders on some of the stud bulls were actually some of our loyal commercial clients,” he said.

Mr Dickens said the rising prices for beef cattle in general came with a responsibility to the consumer to deliver high quality.

“We need to do a better job as a product to deliver that high quality, and I’ve said it for a while, that these cattle (Speckle Park) are the cattle that do have that (quality),” he said.

“We have a lot of people coming to our sales, everyone from first time clients to loyal clients who are there to buy the cattle because they believe in the product they are getting.”

Mrs Dickens said Speckle Parks had “moved beyond pretty coats and females”.

“F1 (first cross) Speckle Parks have topped Tamworth and Yea sales, and there are boots on the ground on what the breed is achieving.”

The reach of the breed is also extending, with cattle from last week’s sale sold to Victoria, Queensland, NSW, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania.

“The cattle (Speckle Parks) are very adaptable due to the way they are put together and their efficiency and they are getting a big spread on,” Mr Dickens said.

While the stud cattle attracted the top prices (a top of $55,000 to fellow breeder Minnamurra Speckle Parks), Mr Dickens said the future of the breed had to be based around commercial interest.

“Without the commercial support, the breed does not have a future,” he said.

Mr Dickens said they were thrilled to see their line-up of commercial PTIC heifers selling so well, topping at $7000 for a pen of commercial Speckle Park-Angus heifers (F2 and F3) which were due to calve in spring.