Newsletter for the Week Ending 18 June 2004
Bulls Selling Well in NZ
Have just had an email from Danny and Bethley O'Shea in New Zealand to say they
had a very good bull sale with 14 of 18 bulls offered selling to a top of $5,600
and an average of $3,100.
The top priced bull went to Phillip and Pauline Gaudin and parents Vivienne
and Geoff of Aria in King Country who were featured in the last Limousin Australia.
Tops at Camden
In this weeks issue of The Land Mike Harvey reports an outstanding sale of nine
lot fed Limousin yearlings at the Camden (NSW) Saleyards.
The top priced steer weighing 380 kg sold for 244.2 c/kg or $928. The five heifers
and four steers averaged 372 kg and 220.2 c/kg to make $818.62. They were sold
account Sam Pace of Londonderry (NSW), who regularly tops the Camden sale with
Limousin and Limousin X cattle, and sold by Rick Harris of William Inglis &
Son of Camden.
Limo X Droughtmasters at Winton (QLD)
Mike Harvey also reported the sale of 128 Limousin X Droughtmaster store steers
13-15 months that made 194 c/kg on Auctions Plus, the electronic auction system.
The steers were at Winton in central Queensland. This was a very good sale.
And at Singleton (NSW)
Long time Limousin devotee Alan Badior topped the Singleton market this week
with three steer milk vealers by Murray Grey bulls from pure Limousin heifers.
The calves weighed 343 kg and made 217.2 c/kg or $746. Who said Limousins don't
have good maternal abilities? (Alan has bred some grey purebred Limousins which
I think is quite unusual).
Beef Genetic Horizons Workshop
Along with James Maxwell of Crawford Park Limousins I attended the first of
three Genetic Horizons Workshops in Armidale this week. It was a stimulating
and challenging two days with presentations by MLA representatives, leading
genetics researchers, gene marker company Genetic Solutions, Bill Cornell of
ABS Australia and Warren Stiff the General Manager of Jay Dee Meats in Warrick
Qld.
There were a number of group sessions including my presentation on the effects
of selection for docility on the eating quality (tenderness) of beef which had
a packed audience of breeders keen to hear what we have as a breed have done
to address docility.
We may be the first breed to have an EBV for tenderness based on docility scores
and gene markers in 2005.
I can thoroughly recommend the next two workshops at Hamilton on 24/25 June
and Rockhampton on 26/27 August for those who want to learn about the current
and future technology in cattle breeding presented in a broad beef industry
context.
Correction
At the Esk Limousin Feature Show reported two weeks ago the carrier pigeon gave
me some incorrect information.
The best pair of Limousin bulls and the best pair of Limousin females was won
by Ken and Tanya Falkenhagen of Tanview Limousin Stud.
The Limousin Sires Progeny Group and Limousin Females Progeny Group were won
by John and Rosemaree's Rosehill Stud.
The All Breeds Breeders Group of three animals representing both sexes was won
by the Rosehill Limousin Stud to complete a very successful day for Rosehill
and Limousin.
Northern NSW Field Days
The two Limousin studs which will be open on Friday 25th June are Phil and Barbara
Bricknell's King Creek Stud at Currabubula and Charles and Vicky Carmichael's
Timor Stud at Coonabarabran. Visitors are welcome with or without their cheque
books.
Yours in Limousin
Alex McDonald