Leawood Angus, Flynn, sees a total clearance, to a top of $16,000

Leawood Laz S414 (AI) lot 4 in the auction, sold for $16,000 to Kevin Opray, Hedley.

Laz was by Tiamate Lazarus L12 out of Leawood Vanilla L343.

The August 2021-drop bull had the highest 250-day weight gain in the catalogue.

Stud co-principal Luke Stuckey said he was very happy with the total clearance and top price.

"It was a great day, it exceeded our expectations, for sure, in the environment we are in at the moment," Mr Stuckey said.

"Everybody got a good bull, which is the main thing."

He said the sale went a lot better than Leawood had thought.

Mr Stuckey said the stud had "stuck to its guns" and bred the type of cattle they liked.

"Our cattle suit a lot of people's programs, which is good to see," he said

"We focus mainly on New Zealand genetics.

"We source a lot of semen from across the ditch, looking for moderate framed - but perfect - structure, without the issues that other people seem to be having.

"We are looking for that medium to thick animal, which gets everyone a bit extra profit in their pocket."

Most buyers were from the Gippsland area.

"We really don't sell many bulls out of the area, no-one knows why, if we could find the answers, that would be nice," he said.

A lot of buyers went out of the area to by bulls, but Mr Stuckey said there were many good animals in Gippsland "right across the board."

The weather hadn't had an impact on the preparation of the bulls.

"You couldn't write any better season, to be honest, you don't mind a bit of a dry spell through summer, to tidy up a few weeds and other issues," he said.

"You couldn't have asked for better timing for the autumn break, we've just had."

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Laz had a birthweight of 38kilograms, a 250-day weight of 385kg, a 400-day weight of 594kg and a 500-day weight of 7.48kg.

His weight gain was measured at 1.35 kg a day from birth, until late March, when he weighed in at 804kg.

The bull had a frame score of 7.1 and scrotal circumference of 42 centimetres.

His rump and rib measurement were both nine millimetres, while he had an eye muscle area of 5.9 square centimetres.

Buyer, Kevin Opray, Hedley, said he paid more than he had expected - "but if you want him, that's what you have to do," he said.

"He stands out and we haven't got any [bulls] of that particular line," he said.

"We hope that improves our herd.

"It's mainly the maternal side of things - we have probably got good bulls, but we probably haven't quite got there with the cows."

Mr Opray said he was a "very regular" buyer of Leawood bulls.

He said he was running about 700 breeders, turning off cattle for feedlots and bullock fatteners.

Most steers and heifers were turned off through the Victorian Livestock Exchange, Koonwarra.

"It's disappointing the prices have come off, quite so much, but I guess we had some pretty high prices last year - maybe if it could meet somewhere in the middle, that would be good," he said.

Mr Opray also bought the top-priced bull at Leawood last autumn, lot 4, Leawood Express R545, for $25,000.

A number of buyers bought two bulls each, including Brian Cantwell, Stony Creek, NP and JA Chandler, Hedley, D and G Hunter, Trafalgar East, Nethercote Trading, Flynn and BJ Buckley Partnership, Buffalo.

Eamon Bourke, French Island, also bought a bull.

Many of the cattle went back to Gippsland, through agents Nutrien EGL, Alex Scott & Staff, Nutrien SGL, Delaney Livestock and Property and Phelan & Henderson.

The top cow and calf unit sold for $3400 (four), while the highest priced heifer went for $2020 (10).

Brad Rinaldi, West Creek, bought all the cows and calves that were sold.