Stud principal says the south-west has a growing interest in Limousin breed

Pelican Rise Limousin stud principal Chris Meade, Irrewarra, hosted the Pelican Rise Invitational sale, which follows Stock & Land Beef Week, with Tooronga and Railway Limousin studs.

He said the sale featured several returning buyers from the different studs, and new buyers including a smaller stud from Mount Gambier, SA.

"It was a bit of a tough game," he said.

"We had some new buyers who had followed us for a few years and came to buy, and we had a few bulls to sell fortunately."

He said Limousin bulls were still very active by seven or eight years old, and there was a lower turnover of replacement bulls.

The sale had 17 of 30 bull lots sell to $9000, with an average price of $5853.

Meanwhile, the sale offered six heifers and sold one, Lot 35, to $7000, and one lot of semen from Tooronga Compliant Q5.

Graham and Heather Perkins, Sparrowvale, Barwon Heads, bought the top-priced bull Lot 13, Tooronga Bubba Texas T7, for $9000.

Its estimated breeding values included a birth weight of +0.9 kilograms, a carcase weight of +51kg, an eye muscle area of 3.3 square centimetres, and 0.2 per cent intramuscular fat.

The bull was sired by Ivy's Bubba Watson HTZ24B and out of Warrawindi National Treasure.

"The top bull was certainly a very good, shapely bull," Mr Meade said.

He said in his stud, they focused on 200 and 400-day growth figures, temperament, short gestation and calving ease.

Mr Meade said he believed there was a "resurgence" in black Limousins near Colac after receiving inquiries from potential new buyers during Stock & Land Beef Week.

"There was plenty of interest in the apricots and the black Limousins as well, with more growing interest in the black Limousins in this area," he said.

"I think a lot of people have been anxious because of the low vealer prices for the last 12 months which made them hang onto bulls that they would've otherwise traded in.

He said some commercial farms seemed interested in using black Limousins as an alternative to Angus.

"More people turned up for Stock & Land Beef Week this year, people were seriously looking at buying, it's only marginally up on other years but there is a resurgence on the Limo breed."