Newsletter for the week ending 31 March 2006

 

 

ILC Core Conference Starts Tomorrow

The long awaited International Limousin core conference gets underway tomorrow evening with the opening dinner at the Airport Hilton Hotel in Melbourne. 

 

On Sunday we will travel to Albury with lunch at Brown Brothers winery and a visit to the well known Homestation Limousin herd at Wangaratta.  On Monday we will see cattle representing 10 different studs at Donna Valley and then on to Kensal Limousins at Culcairn.

 

A quick visit to Wodonga sale yards before a visit to Birubi Limousin, Angus and Lim-Flex studs at Borambola and then on to Canberra on Tuesday.

 

Wednesday will be some sightseeing in Canberra in the morning and on to Sydney.  Thursday is the Business and Technical Conference at Taronga Park Auditorium followed by a harbour cruise.  Friday is steer judging and the final dinner and Saturday is the largest ever showing of Limousin in Australia with 230 head to be judged by David Bondfield.

 

Pre Tours a Hit

By all reports the pre tour to Western Australia was enjoyed by all delegates and the pre tour from Adelaide to Melbourne is also going well.  A big thank you to all Limousin breeders who helped with organization and put their herds on display for the visitors.

 

The Queensland post tour is small in numbers (8) but is sure to be a great experience for those taking it.

 

Female Sales on the Horizon

Three significant female sales are listed for May and June.  Tramahler Limousins will hold their Annual Female sale at Gympie on 27th May.

 

Talana Limousins will hold a "Heart of the Herd" sale on Saturday 17th June at Kingaroy and will offer 49 mature cows, 3 embryo lots and two stud sires representing the complete dispersal of all "W" and older cows.

 

The Homestation Limousin stud at Wangaratta will be completely dispersed in several stages.  The first stage will be about 120 breeding females to be offered on Friday 23rd June.

 

Wilson Sale Toppers

John Wilson of Moorlands Limousins at Neville in NSW had an excellent sale at Orange recently.  He sold 14 Limousin X calves weighing 185 kg for 260 c/kg or $480.

 

Get Well Glenn

Greg & Mary Withers' son Glenn was in a very serious car accident early last Saturday morning.  He was stablized at the Wagga Wagga hospital and then flown to Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney in a critical condition.  Last reports are that his condition is improving but he is still in intensive care.  We wish him a speedy and complete recovery.

 

Vale Carol Wilson

Carol Wilson, wife of John and mother of Cyndal passed away on 8th February due to a blood clot resulting from a routine operation.  Our condolences to John, Cyndal and other family members.  Both John and Cyndal are keen to continue the Moorlands stud in which Carol played a major role.

 

Colac Sale

Results of the Colac Sale are now available.  Thirty seven of 42 bulls sold to a top of $6,000 and an average of $3,493.

 

Two of three cows and calves sold to a top of $3,000 and an average of $2,375 and 16 of 18 heifers sold to a top of $3,000 and an average of $1,780.

 

The Eyrie Limousin Stud sold four bulls for an average of $5,062 and a top of $6,000.  The Eyrie also sold six heifers for an average of $1,550. 

 

Bilati Limousin Stud sold three bulls for an average of $3,917 and a top of $5,000. 

 

Sandra Keatley sold five bulls for an average of $3,500 and a top of $5,000.

 

West Moreton Sale

The West Moreton Sale at Laidley (Qld) was very well supported.  Thirteen cow/calf pairs topped at $5,000 and averaged $3,077.  Three cows in calf topped at $2,750 and averaged $2,667.  Three heifers in calf topped at $2,750 are averaged $2,500.  Six heifers topped at $2,500 and averaged $2,025. 

 

Volume sellers Jock and Laurel Taylor sold 10 cows with calves at foot to a top of $4,250 and an average of $2,425  They also sold four heifers to a top of $2,70 and an average of $2,512.

 

David and Leonie Washband sold two cows and calves to a top of $4,750 and an average of $3,750.

 

Nine bulls sold to a top of $4,750 and an average of $2,722.  Top priced bull was a Crystal Park bull sold account Adam Greer for $4,750.

 

Tamworth Feature Show

In a lead up to the Sydney Royal, Tamworth Show staged a Limousin Feature Show last weekend.  With 60 entries from 13 exhibitors it proved to be a very strong showing.  Judged by Landmark agent and well known identity David Gittoes the results were as follows:

 

Junior Champion Heifer – Warregah Zodiac

Reserve Junior Champion Heifer – Junction Lucinda 23A

Senior Champion Female – Stevens Bridgets Choice R9

Reserve Senior Champion Female – Ballina Xylene

Grand Champion Female – Stevens Bridget 23A

Junior Champion Bull – Junction Zorro Z91

Reserve Junior Champion Bull – Warregah Zin Zan

Senior Champion Bull – Oakdale Zeus

Reserve Senior Champion Bull – Froghollow Yakka Y137

Grand Champion Bull – Junction Zorro Z91

Supreme Exhibit – Stevens Bridget 23A (a 10 year old cow)

 

Junction Zorro Z91 jointly owned by Junction and Jaarnella Limousin studs went ton to win the Interbreed Bull award.

 

A pair of heifers exhibited by Geoff and Bronwyn Nielsen won the Interbreed Pair of Heifers.

 

Wingham Show Results (9 breeds exhibited)

Interbreed Junior Champion Bull – Kippax Valley Star Gazer

Interbreed Senior Champion Female – Kippax Valley Star Dust

Intermediate Breeders Group – Kippax Valley Limousins

Junior Champion Limousin Female – Roma Park Glorie-Bee

 

Denise and Denis McKinnon of Kippax Valley Limousins announced after the show that their entire female herd had been sold to new breeders Paul and Janelle Relf and family of the Warrigal Limousin stud, Wingham.

 

 

Shylie Wins Qld Heifers

The West Moreton Limousin group raffle a heifer each year.  This year the heifer donated by the Burnstead Limousin Stud was won by Victorian member Shylie Humphreys a relatively new stud at Balnarring in Victoria.

 

Hoof and Hook Wins at Tamworth

The Tamworth Show runs a range of led and unled steer competitions.  Limousins were to the fore in most classes.  Highlights were:

 

Champion Led Steer - Calrossy/Cowper Schools with a Limousin X Hereford bred by Geoff and Bronwyn Nielsen.

Reserve Champion Led Animal was a Limousin heifer bred by Dean and Charmaine Kesby and exhibited by Quirindi High School.

Champion Unled Steer was a Limousin exhibited by Warregah Limousins and Reserve Champion was a Limousin exhibited by H and FC Dart.

 

In the carcase competition the Champion Unled Carcase wins a Limousin X Murray Grey exhibited by St Josephs High School at Aberdeen.  Reserve Champion Carcase was a Limousin X Angus exhibited by D and C McGilchrist of Quirindi.  This calf was by a Brigalow bull.

 

Sydney Steers

There are some 60 Limousin steers among the 245 entries in the Sydney Royal Show Led Steer Competition.  We look forward to some successes in front of our international visitors.  Most of these steers are prepared and shown by schools.

 

Limos Top Moreton

Geoff Haack emailed in the following report from this week's Moreton (Qld) sale,

 

"The Limo premiums were quite extreme at Moreton Saleyards on Tuesday.  The only breed to sell for more than $2 per kg live were Limo and Limo cross.  Tops were from Noel Zabel selling for 220c to Robbie Shaw a Simmental Stud breeder who also supplies home delivered bulk meat to Brisbane residents. Interestingly Robbie tends to buy many more Limos for this purpose than her own breed."

 

Window Stickers

All members will receive a window sticker with the Annual Report mailed this week.  There are no instructions with them but please note that they go on the inside of your back window.  I hope to see one on every Limousin breeders' back window.

 

History of Limousin

You will receive a flyer on the soon to be released book "Herd; The History of Limousin in Australia".  The book will be launched at the final dinner of the ILC core conference next week and is a great read for those interested in the development of Limousin in Australia and the people involved.

 

Office Closure

Due to ILC commitments the ALBS office will be closed from Wednesday 5th April to Friday 7th April.

 

Newsletters Rest

There will not be an email newsletter for the next two weeks.

 

 

 

Yours in Limousin

Alex McDonald