*46 of 46 bulls sold to $10,000, av $6522.
Dry conditions failed to dampen enthusiasm among bull buyers, at the annual Lawson Angus spring sale, Yea, with a total clearance of all stud animals offered.
“It was a great result,” stud principal Harry Lawson said.
“When you look at the catalogue, the bulls were pretty even from top to bottom, and there was good support across all the sire groups.”
He said the bulls were outstanding in balance, birth weight, growth, moderate cow size and elite carcase measurement. “They are all like peas in a pod really. I think that showed, as the price range was pretty even.”
The top priced bull was sold to the Condons, Codrington, Victoria.
The March 2017-drop bull, Lawsons Judd N25, was sired by Paringa Judd J5, out of Lawson’s Bartel, E7 J981. He weighed 618kilograms and had a birth weight of 2.5kg.
Judd had estimated breeding values of a rib fat measurement of 0.4millimetres, rump fat of 0.5mm, an eye muscle area of 6.7square centimetres and intramuscular fat of three per cent.
Mr Lawson said he hoped to build up sale numbers at the new Claremont selling centre, just south of Yea.
“These bulls are a little bit older, normally we just sell yearling bulls,” Mr Lawson said.
“There are a lot more spring calving herds, in Victoria than there were 20 years ago, so we have those options available.”
He said the result was particularly impressive, given the female sell-off in northern Australia.
“Its a horrific year for a lot of people, including us,” Mr Lawson said.
“We are in the lowest ever recorded rainfall in Western Australia.”
Auctioneer Brian Leslie, DLS, said buyers came from Victoria, South Australia and NSW,
“I think King Island was represented as well, so it was very successful,” Mr Leslie said.
“The low birth and carcase information is so consistent. If they didn’t get this one, they could get the next one, because he’s just about the same.”
He said Lawson cattle were very easy care, which worked well in tough times.
The sale was conducted by DLS.