LAWSONS ANGUS
Total clearance of 129 bulls to $24,000, av $8615
LAWSONS Angus had a very successful sale last Friday, clearing all 129 bulls on offer for an average of $8615.
Lot 1 Lawsons Linkedin L483 had garnered a lot of pre-sale interest. The heaviest bull in the sale draft at 786 kilograms and with the equal scrotal size (SS) of 44 centimetres, Linkedin met the hype, and was knocked down for the sale high of $24,000 to Payne Family Farming, King Island.
Robbie Payne said the bull stood out for its “general completeness”, quiet temperament and butt shape, and its impressive phenotype was backed up my balanced BreedPlan estimated breeding values (EBVs) of +58kg 200-day weight, +107kg 400-day weight, and +150kg for 600-day weight – the last of which is in the top one per cent of the breed. He was also in the top 1pc for Heavy Grain Index at +$190 and scrotal size EBV of +3.4cm. His intramuscular fat (IMF or marbling) EBV of 3.5pc puts it in the top 5pc of the breed.
Mr Payne, who has been buying bulls from the Lawson family for about 20 years, said the 20 month-old son of Paringa Judd J5, out of a Lawson Bartel cow, had really good carcase traits and should be ideal for producing MSA compliant cattle – which they aim for with their 1200-cow herd. They grow out steers to be 300-320kg carcase weight. Mr Payne said the bull’s progeny would also perform well in feedlots, which they sold cattle into when seasons were tight.
Lot 66 was knocked down for the second highest price of the sale at $21,000, to Glenaloch Pastoral Company, Yea, Vic. Lawsons Intensity L199, by HPCA Intensity 7102, was one of the highest scanning EMA bulls of its contemporary group and its EBV for EMA was +10.3sqcm, which put it in the top 1pc of the breed. The late September 2015 drop bull was also in the top 1pc for its Heavy Grain Index of +$181 and 600-day weight of +134kg. The 696kg-bull’s EBV for IMF of 3pc puts it in the top 10pc of the breed.
These bulls were among the 103 18 month-old bulls that averaged $9126.
The 26 yearling bulls offered also all cleared and averaged $6577.
The yearling draft topped at $10,000 for Lot 78, Lawsons Momentum M18. By Gar Momentum and out of Lawsons Ambassador J953, the bull’s EBVs included 3.8pc IMF, putting it in the top 1pc, and its Heavy Grain Index of +$161 and 9.9sqcm EMA are both in the top 5pc of the breed.
Overall, home-bred sires, including Lawsons Incredible H803, Lawsons Prosperity H382 and Lawsons Bartel E7 H653 and Lawsons Bartel E7 H205 sired 48 of the bulls in the sale catalogue, which were keenly sought after.
Before the sale started, Harry Lawson said long-time friend with whom Lawsons Angus has an exclusive partnership, the Gardiners from Kansas, US, had suffered huge stock losses when a fire tore through their property. Lawsons Angus had 55 bulls by GAR sires in their catalogue this year, and Mr Lawson said the Gardiners have had a major influence on Australian Angus genetics.
The biggest volume buyer was Brad Reid who was buying for Reid Agriculture, which has farms in Echuca and near Goondiwindi, Queensland, and others.
Mr Reid bought 47 bulls, including from both the 18 month-old and yearling drafts, which also included a some for Len Bode who also farms near Goondiwindi.
He said they “couldn’t go anywhere else” to get that number of bulls that all ranked in the top 10pc for traits important to their operation.
“We know everything will be right,” Mr Reid said.
Volume buyers included Consolidated Pastoral Co, New Castle Water Station, Elliot, NT, which bought 22 bulls to $12,000 av $9773.
Other volume buyers were Panshanger Estate, Longford, Tasmania, with eight bulls av $8375 and with four bulls each: MR&MT Clift, Tambo, Queensland (av $12,250), B&K McKinnon, Dartmoor, Vic (av $12,000), Lagoon Creek, Cootamundra, NSW (av $8500), and LJ&CD Cox, Lady Barron, Tas (av $5750).
More than 20 bulls were sold through AuctionsPlus. The online company’s representative Emily Porter said 29 registered bidders logged onto the sale on AuctionsPlus and 58 guest viewers logged onto it too. They placed 208 online bids over 137 lots, and were successful in securing 23 lots, and these bulls are going to Queensland, Western Australian and Tasmania.
Ruth Lawson said it from this Victorian sale, bulls were sold to every Australian state and the Northern Territory. She said buyers from all jurisdictions bought Lawsons Angus bulls because they “...thrive in all climates because we run them tough”. She said the stud herd was run in a high stocking rate and not pampered, and they still performed to combine production and carcase traits.
Mrs Lawson said the team was very happy with the “fantastic result” that reflected buoyant cattle prices.
She said the bulk of bulls were sold to loyal clients, some of whom had been buying from the Lawson family for 20 years.
She said clients returning year-in, year-out validated Lawsons Angus’ genetics and consistent performance.