LAWSONS Angus held its inaugural bull sale at Cataby last Wednesday with a line-up of 55 bulls providing WA cattle producers with another opportunity to buy quality Angus genetics during this bull sale season.
The result was a resounding success for the first-time sale with a top of $12,000, average of $6229 and only seven sires passed in at auction with private negotiations continuing after the sale.
The sale average and clearance were solid results for the Lawsons team and the Ruralco sale team of Primaries of WA and Dairy Livestock Services (DLS), based out of Victoria.
DLS auctioneer Brian Leslie travelled from Shepparton, Victoria, to preside over the sale and said he thought it was a very strong result for a first sale.
“I’ve been selling Lawsons bulls at auction in Victoria for more than 20 years and over that time I’ve seen the Lawsons team continue to deliver quality to their clients,” Mr Leslie said.
“They’ve got a tremendously strong rate of return from clients because the bulls do what they’re supposed to do and the genetics continue to move forward.
“This was a fast paced sale with plenty of competition throughout the shed and on AuctionsPlus which reflected the quality of presentation of the bulls available.
“I think we’ll continue to see strong demand for Lawsons genetics.”
Primaries livestock manager Paul Mahony and Primaries general manager Andrew Lindsay said they were very pleased with the inaugural sale.
“We think this is a very positive starting point for future sales at Lawsons here in Cataby and Ruralco is delighted to be involved,” they said.
“The quality of the Angus genetics on offer was impressive and there was a bull in the catalogue for all purchasers.
“In terms of attendance, the number of people on the day was above expectations and it was fantastic to see a range of producers from the local area and further away.”
The top priced buyer on the day was Sirona Capital, which landed a Gar Prophet son in lot 14 for $12,000.
Perth-based Sam Wilson was making the bids and said the bull not only had the visual outlook but good numbers to back it up.
The new purchase will be headed to a property at Bullsbrook where it will go to work in a small herd of Angus breeders focused on driving quality.
The Lawsons team described Lawsons Prophet M777 as “elite on many levels” and it certainly caught attention in the sale ring with plenty of well-muscled presence.
It had the highest IMF score in the catalogue at +4.3 which also ranks it in the top 1 per cent of the Angus breed.
The rest of Prophet M777’s figures were well-rounded including positive rib and rump figures, +6.5 EMA (top 15pc), +22 milk (top 5pc) and growth rates of +57, +101 and +125 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights (top 5-10pc).
It was also in the top 1pc of the breed for domestic index and the top 5pc for heavy grain and grass indexes.
The second top priced bull on the day went to Jarrahlea, Boyup Brook, when lot eight sold for $10,500.
The early July 2016-drop son of Gar Sure Fire complements the team of Lawson bulls bought by the Jarrahlea operation the week earlier at the Jerdacuttup sale.
Lawsons Sure Fire M220 ranks in the top 1pc of the breed for domestic index and in the top 5pc for heavy grain and grass indexes.
It also had EBVs in the top 5pc for EMA and retail beef yield and strong growth figures at +49, +90 and +114 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
One of the volume buyers on the day, Peter Mackie, GP Mackie, New Norcia, came away with a total of six Lawsons sires including an equal third top priced bull at $9000.
Mr Mackie, who runs about 700 Angus breeders, bought at Lawsons for the first time last year and was happy with the performance of those bulls so far.
“I like the EBVs on the Lawsons bulls,” he said.
“Specifically the moderate mature cow weights, good EMA and IMF figures were appealing.”
Progeny from Gar Sure Fire continued to prove popular with Mr Mackie’s top priced selection featuring the bloodline.
Lawsons Sure Fire M197 was an early July 2016-drop calf out of Lawsons Invincible G514 and had a full contingent of index values within the top 1-10pc of the breed.
The young bull had a stand out EMA EBV of +9.4, placing it in the top 5pc of the breed and also had IMF and birthweight EBVs ranking in the top 15pc of the breed.
Buying at Lawsons for the first time was James Redford, Mogumber Holdings, Red Gully.
“Typically we like to buy locally and now Lawsons has set up in Cataby we were interested in the sale because of the figures behind the bulls,” Mr Redford said.
“In particular the birthweight figures stand out and the bulls we bought also have good growth rates.”
Mr Redford said their operation includes about 400 Angus breeders.
By sale’s end, five bulls were knocked down to the Mogumber Holdings account including one of the equal third top priced bulls at $9000.
Lot nine was a Gar Sure Fire son, born as a late June 2016-drop calf from Lawsons Tank B1155 G547.
It ranked in the top 1pc of the breed for domestic index and also had impressive carcase EBV figures placing it in the top 10pc for EMA and retail beef yield, along with growth EBVs ranking in the top 10-20pc across the board.
The overall volume buyers on the day were brothers Glen and Todd Quartermaine, Ucarty Holdings, Dowerin, who finished up with nine Lawsons sires including a top of $8000 which was paid for a Gar Sure Fire son.
Glen Quartermaine said the operation which runs 700 Angus breeders had been buying out of the Lawsons Jerdacuttup sale for the past 7-8 years.
“We were after a nice, even line of good doing bulls,” he said.
“EBVs we look at closely are mature cow weights, good 200 and 400-day growth and good maternal traits.”
The Quartermaines have seen good results out of the Lawsons genetics which keeps them coming back.
“The Lawsons bulls and progeny do really well for us, in particular on the growth side of things,” they said.
“We have no issues getting to a good 280 kilograms dress weight for our calves with Lawsons blood.”
Having the Lawsons genetics available a lot closer to home is positive as well.
“We usually would buy over the phone or through AuctionsPlus at the Jerdacuttup sale,” Mr Quartermaine said.
“So it’s great to have a sale more locally that we can get along to and see the bulls beforehand.”
Lawsons stud principal Harry Lawson said it was exciting for his family to be presenting the first Lawsons sale at Cataby and he was pleased with the support received from new and returning clients.