Buyers came for the bulls but also got to experience the new Roma Saleyards stud stock selling ring, when Lawsons Angus sold 71 lots to a top of $12,000 on Friday.
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The first sale to be conducted in the new complex, Harry and Ruth Lawson, Victoria, achieved a 100 per cent clearance rate and average of $6850, courtesy of 34 registered bidders from Queensland's central coast, central west and south west regions, as well as northern NSW.
Vincent Grazing, Reedsdale, Roma, paid top money to secure Lawsons Kodak P1203.
Sired by Rennylea Kodak K522 and out of Lawsons Advance M936, the two-year-old entered the ring at 754 kilograms and had a scrotal circumference of 42 centimetres.
In the top 10pc of the breed for heavy grain index and marbling, the slick coated sire prospect boasted estimated breeding values of 5.2 for eye muscle area, 3.5 for intramuscular fat, and 1.9 birth weight.
Shortly after, Davidson Livestock, Cheshire, Tambo, also paid the top money of $12,000 to take home Lawsons Judd P1037.
A son of Paringa Judd J5 and from a Gar Prophet daughter, the 26-month-old bull weighed 778kg and had a 39cm scrotal circumference, with EBVs of 7.8 EMA, 3.4 IMF and 2.7 BWT.
The second-top price was reached early in the sale when WF and ME Allison, Broadlands, McKinlay, paid $11,000 for Lawsons Momentum P1542.
Sired by Gar Momentum, from Laswons Judd M34, the bull weighed 818kg and measured 41cm for scrotal circumference, with EBVs of 11.1 EMA and 3.8 IMF, putting him in the top 5pc of the breed for both scores.
Davidson Livestock were also the top volume buyers, purchasing eight bulls for an average of $8000, while Wayne and Karen Brown, Roma; J and M Kerr, Giberoo, Quilpie; Taldora Grazing, Miriam Vale; and Ridgemont Pastoral, Dundee, NSW, each purchased four bulls.
Mr Lawson, who couldn't attend the sale because of COVID travel restrictions, said he was very happy with such a positive sale result.
"It was pretty tough [not attending] and nerve-wracking leading up to the sale, but the Nutrien team and the people from B Feeders, Warwick, and their team were really supportive and pulled together an amazing result," he said.
"We've been selling larger numbers of bulls to Queensland for 30 years now and have got a really good, supportive client base.
"What was really encouraging leading up to the sale was all the feedback we had from clients on how our bulls are performing and surviving tough years and because they've been there so long too, they really see the value of what our bulls do in terms of calving ease, growth, carcase and fertility."
Big believers in performance recording, Mr Lawson said it's become increasingly apparent that people have had more time to study things online, and they're understanding the Breedplan figures more and what the difference in the Lawsons bulls are.
"Another thing that was a strong feature of the sale and it's symptomatic of the times too, there was a lot more interest on AuctionsPlus and good underlying support from people bidding online," he said.
"People are getting more confident in relying on information and technology to source and buy bulls."
- Selling agents: Nutrien Livestock, with AuctionsPlus
