Newsletter for the week ending 23 April 2004

National Show and Sale
The National Show and Sale is now only a week away and despite the dry conditions in the south I am optimistic that the sale will be strong (have just had a report of 40mm of rain at Geelong and lesser amounts in other parts of Victoria). I look forward to saying hello to many members at the White Lakes barbeque on the Thursday evening, the Show and Sale and the dinner on Friday evening. If you are new members I have not met, please introduce yourselves to me.

Limousin Juniors do well at Handlers School
Junior members Matt Stiles and Nicholas Consett along with Benedict Fels and eight year old son Michael participated at the Victorian Stud Beef Handlers School held at the Melbourne Showgrounds recently.
The 84 participants including 10 in the "geriatric" section came from Victoria, NSW and Tasmania to attend what is a very popular and well organised event.
Proud mother and grandmother Marie Fels said son Benedict who has little previous experience in parading cattle was awarded an "encouragement award" for his effort of patiently educating a young bull which had previously had no handling at all.
Good to see there is a succession plan in place for the successful Ingleside Limousin Stud at Balnarring in Victoria (not that it will be needed for a long time yet Marie!)
The stud beef handlers school which is held the week after Easter each year is recommended to all who would like to learn how to educate and parade stud cattle.

Auctions Plus Sale Toppers
G.W. Warden and Sons run a 400 cow high content Limousin herd at Loomberah near Tamworth NSW. Their calves are nearly always sold on the electronic auction system Auctions Plus.
Last Friday they offered 74 second cross Limousin steer calves weighing 284kg on farm. They sold for the outstanding price of 230.6 c/kg or $655 on farm.
In the same sale the Wardens offered 54 pure Angus calves from bought in cows which weighed 306kg and made 201 c/kg or $615. Twenty two kilograms heavier these calves made $40 per head less than the Limousins!

Gunnedah Tops
Don Riley called in to say that Charlie Pyke topped the Gunnedah NSW Market last week with 10 Limousin X Angus steer calves 383kg @ 203.8 c/kg or $780.
Some pure Limousin steers weighing 450kg sold to supermarket giant Coles for 1.90 c/kg at Gunnedah. This is about 20 c/kg above the going price for steers of this weight.

Southern NSW Field Days
About 10 Limousin studs were open to visitors and potential buyers in the southern NSW Field Days last week. The level of enquiry was mixed but Glenn Trout who manages the Birubi Stud at Crookwell NSW reported a steady trickle of people and sale of three bulls. "Certainly something we can build on" was Glenn's comment.
Max and Val Atkins also reported a steady trickle of interested people to their Willow Park Stud at Nowra NSW.
Glenn also had some interesting comments on sales at Crookwell and Moss Vale.
"Moss Vale and Goulburn markets are getting flooded at present with 2000 at Moss Vale and 1500 at Goulburn this week.
At Moss Vale we are used to getting a premium for any cattle with any Limousin content. Goulburn has not always shown this but interestingly on a line of black Limousin cross weaner heifers there was a 10 c/kg premium on the market. Times are changing!"

Good Sales at Dalby
Jon Gaffney from Dalby Qld reports: "We sold 13 Limo X vealers to Dalby Ag College for led steers and Woolies carcase competitions. Average weight 237kg at $2.30/kg = $545.10 each at 6 months of age.
At Dalby sale we sold Limo calves one month old for $232.00 each."
That is big money for little calves!

Vale Ben Bullen Gloria
Ben Bullen Gloria was purchased by Robert and Marylin Bulley in 1989 as one of the foundation cows for their Roma-Park Limousin Stud at Coopernook on the Central Coast of NSW.
Gloria has recently departed to "cow heaven" at the age of 17 years and for the sum of $1030. She leaves 63 progeny and many grand and great grand progeny. A very influential cow is now at rest.

Excited Email
Young Limousin breeder from Latrobe in Tasmania spent time in the USA last year working for the renowned Deer Valley Farms Limousin Stud. While there she acquired a young heifer DVFC Fun N Games which is currently in the DVFC Show Team.
Had an excited email from Hayley this week to say Deer Valley Farms had just sold a flush mate heifer for $50,000 US to top their sale.

Stop Press
Result of the ballot for two Nationally Elected Directors:

Andrew Cross 124
Matthew Friend 106
Keith Grimshaw 52
John McCarthy 51
Alwyn Wolff 49

Andrew Cross and Matthew Friend are the elected Directors.


Yours in Limousin

Alex McDonald