FEATURED BREEDER
Battalion Speckle Park (BAT) Located in the high country of Dundee in the New England region of NSW, this small Speckle Park stud was born out of a long history of breeding horned Hereford. But by adding the Speckle Park breed to their herd, owners Grant and Kylie Kniepp are implanting up to 80 embryos a year to fast track their progress and their most recent results prove they are doing a great job at it. From the first eight Speckle Park embryos, four calves were born; two bulls and two heifers. The two bulls were sold to average $22,000 at the record top of $26,000 at the Scone multi vendor sale in 2018. The heifers were kept and became foundation females; one of which delivered the top price bull this year and the other female (Heartbreaker M1) being the dam of their top price heifer this year (Heartbreaker P6) at $30,000. Grant Kniepp is a born and bred cattle man, growing up in a commercial cattle operation. A self confessed, one man band,
Grant breeds, feeds, prepares and markets for Battalion. Kylie, a qualified veterinary nurse, shares Grant’s passion for cattle and, with her additional skills in graphic design, they make a formidable all-in-one team for stud and commercial production and sales of cattle. Grant’s experience stems from childhood. His first taste of breeding success was afforded him at the age of eight, when his father offered him a pick of the commercial heifers. This decision was one he had to stand by to prove his selection and breeding skills over the years. He soon realised the importance of strategic joining and the speed of genetic gain. After finally convincing his father to use one of the better sires over his commercial female, Grant bred a number of good quality replacement females. Money saved out of the steers from that female funded the purchase of his first stud Hereford female at the age of 14. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Speckle Park Beef Society Bulletin October 2020 | 7
FEATURED BREEDER
Australian Speckle Park Society’s
