Strong results for Wattletop’s return to on-farm sale

26th May 2026

On Thursday, May 21st , Wattletop Livestock held a successful on-property bull sale for the first time in more than two decades.
Jess and Henry MacDougall hosted an offering of 48 bulls to a strong field of buyers and achieving a 100 per cent clearance.
The sale reached a top price of $24,000, achieved twice, and recorded an overall average of $11,541, reflecting solid demand despite challenging seasonal conditions across the region.
Stud principal Jess MacDougall said the result was especially rewarding given both the scale of the offering and the return to a traditional on-property format.
“We were very pleased to be back on farm, sharing the sale personally with local clients, friends and family,” she said. “The last bull sale was held at Wattletop about 20 years ago, so it’s great to have the old sale shed back in action.”
Since taking over Jess’s family property in 2018, the MacDougall’s have steadily expanded stud numbers, using Auctions Plus for previous bull sales.
Jess said the strong clearance was particularly pleasing given they had increased numbers for this year’s sale.
“We were stoked with the clearance, as we were offering an additional 20 bulls, which is a very big deal for us, and conditions locally are well below average,” she said.
Despite the dry seasonal outlook, buyer confidence remained strong, with bulls purchased by a mix of repeat and new clients.
A significant portion of the draft remained within the local district, heading to established clients in Ebor, Bundarra, and Glen Innes, while 19 bulls were also purchased for Queensland operations.
The sale was conducted by APL Guyra & Armidale and catering by the Bald Blair P&C.
Top-priced lots included Lot 12, purchased by Dalkeith Grazing of Uralla, and Lot 50A, secured by WS & EM Dunn of Glenelgin, NSW.
The result reflects Wattletop Livestock’s growing reputation in the stud cattle industry and highlights continued demand for quality genetics.

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Strong results for Wattletop’s return to on-farm sale

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