Lawsons Angus, Yea, attracts loyal buyers, as a local again pays top price

Lawsons Home Town S660, which sold for $24,000, was among bulls that went to bidders from King and Flinders Islands, mainland Tasmania, Queensland, NSW, SA and throughout Victoria.

It was another total clearance for the Yea stud, with bulls selling for as much as $18,000 even until late in the sale.

Lawsons stud co-principal Harry Lawson said the top-selling bull, Lot 1, had perfect balance of numbers and phenotype.

"He really outperformed all his mates, from a visual and estimated breeding value point of view," Mr Lawson said.

"He was just a top bull."

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Mr Lawson said he had known Glendaloch station manager Les Hall for 30 years, as they had formerly been neighbours of a previous property.

"It's good to have that support," he said.

There were a number of volume buyers, including from South Australia, Tasmania and Queensland.

Western Australian bidders were also active on AuctionsPlus.

Among the prominent buyers were Paraway Pastoral, which has properties across three states, TRT Pastoral and Panshanger Estate, Tasmania.

Home Town S660, lot 1, was a June-2021 bull, by GAR Home Town out of Lawsons Judd Q402.

He had estimated breeding values of 1.9 per cent for calving ease and -4.9 for DTRS, a birthweight of 5.6 kilograms, a 200-day weight of 66kg, 400-day weight of 114kg and 600-day weight of 149kg.

Home Town S660 had a rib measurement of -2.4 millimetres, a rump of -3.8mm and eye muscle area of 11.5 square centimetres.

His retail beef yield was 0.8 per cent and his intramuscular fat was 3.8pc.

The catalogue notes described Home Town as having "an enormous amount of growth and grass conversion".

He was the heaviest bull in the sale, at 764kg and had a scrotal circumference of 37cm..

Home Town S660 was in the top 1pc for heavy grain index, coming in at $363; he had a $A index of $269.

The second-top priced bulls were lot 31 Lawsons Home Town S519 and lot 64 Lawsons Quantum S772, which both went for $20,000 each.

Mr Lawson said there were a lot of family-run operations, with 500-600 cow herds, buying at the sale as well.

"They buy their three or four bulls and they are just as important to us as the larger, volume buyers," he said.

A wet winter was followed by a bushfire, last month, which had presented challenges for the stud, he said.

"The bulls were a bit lighter, at the end of spring, but they have come up really well - I think our clients know our bulls are not over fed and trust our breeding programs," he said.

"We are breeding the sort of cattle clients want and what the market wants."

Dairy Livestock Services auctioneer Brian Leslie said it was a very strong sale, with bulls selling to several states.

"What was evident was the tremendous number of return buyers, including the AuctionsPlus buyers - they are obviously very happy, so keep coming back," Mr Leslie said.

"Lawsons produce a 'no-risk calving' bull, with plenty of growth and high intramuscular fat."

He said Lawsons used the best and latest genetics possible.

"They stack their pedigrees, that is why the reliability is so good in their cattle.

"I was talking to a fella here from Tasmania, and he has been buying off Lawsons for 50 years - they wouldn't keep coming back if the bulls didn't do the job, would they?"