Prices in the first Friesian X vealer mother sales held in Warrnambool, Vic, on 2 January, were a little below expectation with most pens of mated cows and heifers selling for $700 to $950 per head.

However, the top price was for a pen of two and a half year old Angus x Friesian heifers mated to a Limousin bull at $1,100. About 75% of the yarding were mated to Limousin bulls indicating the popularity of Limousin as the breed to use over Friesian X females.

Beverley McIntyre from the Chateau Limousin Stud in Wangaratta sent in an analysis of the 2000 mated F1 heifers to be offered at Camperdown, Vic, today.

Almost exactly two thirds of the heifers were mated to Limousin bulls.

Comments on some of the lots specifically stated that they were mated to low birth weight Limousin bulls which suggests that EBVs for birth weight are being used in the selection of Limousin bulls to mate to these heifers.

Rick and Sandralyn Tindal from Holbrook NSW report an outstanding private sale of Limousin cows to a commercial breeder at Moss Vale NSW.

They sold 16 cows just calved or close to calving for $1675 per head.

Prices like these certainly underpin the value of stud Limousin females.

Rick also said Cargills are very keen to again buy his commercial steers which include quite a few high content Limousins. It is highly likely that Cargills will feed them for about 70 days for their Woolworths contract.

Interesting comparison reported in last weeks' Stock & Land.

Back page featured a photo of Landmark agents who sold Limousin X vealers at the Koonwarra, Vic, sale for 185 c/kg.

Inside back page had a photo of the vendors who sold Hereford X Angus steer vealers weighing 345kg for 158 c/kg.

By my calculation that is a difference of $93 per head and that doesn't allow for the likely extra weight of the Limousin X vealers or discounts for the British breed heifers.

A pen of B2 (probably Limousin X) vealers weighing 451kg sold for 195 c/kg or $879 at Packenham Vic on 5 January.

Queensland is our most difficult market but it was pleasing to hear from Ken and Tanya Falkenhagen, who run about 40 Limousin cows at Croftby south of Brisbane, that they have completely sold out of bulls including a herd sire they did not really want to sell.

WA Limousin breeder James Morris reports that the Morris family sold two older bulls over the hooks to EG Green 964kg live (62% DP) = 598kg carcase @ $2.20/kg = $1315. Also a 6 month bull 687kg live (64% DP) = 440kg carcase @ $2.20 = $968.

Although still to be confirmed Limousin judging at Sydney Royal is likely to be 1.00pm Saturday 3rd April.

The judge will be Graeme Williams who formerly managed the Kayenbe Limousin Stud at Canberra.

I have spent some time this week looking at the changes in the average docility EBV of calves and cows over the last few years in Limousin BREEDPLAN herds.

In some herds the changes are outstanding while in other herds the genetic change is disappointing.

The average EBV for calves can be changed quite rapidly by simply changing the sire battery. However, changing the average EBV for the cow herd is much slower because it relies on culling of low EBV cows and introduction of high EBV heifers to the herd.

Genetic improvement is just as easy in a small herd as a large herd. Below are some examples of impressive genetic change for docility in Limousin herds.

Herd B 45 cows

Herd C 3 cows

Herd D 17 cows

Herd E 140 cows

Some herds have improved the average EBV of their calves with little change in the average EBV of their cow herd.

A few herds have made little genetic change.

It is disappointing that some herds have not submitted docility scores for the last couple of years so it is not possible to track genetic change in those herds.

On the positive side, 17 herds which are not BREEDPLAN herds have submitted docility scores in 2003 and will receive their first report with docility EBVs for some or all of their animals in the near future.

On an even more positive note a significant proportion of the breed is making good genetic progress for docility. The average EBV for 2003 born calves recorded so far with EBVs is +6.4 compared to an average EBV of +2.0 for calves with EBVs born in 2000.

Over the same period the average EBV for cows with EBVs has improved from +0.8 to +2.8.

Genetics is a powerful tool, and as the examples above show, change for a trait such as docility can be quite rapid once the tools are available.

However, genetic evaluation relies on measurements and scores. If you have not been submitting docility scores for your calves and would like to do so please contact the ALBS office. It is very important to the long term success of the breed and you will find the feedback on your herd interesting.

The committment of ALBS Directors to the docility issue is demonstrated by the fact that all submitted docility scores for their calves in 2003.

Yours in Limousin
Alex McDonald