'It's the best sale we've ever had': Limousin matrons achieve equal top price

Quality females were in high demand at the 2025 Limousin National show and sale, held at Albury Showground, April 26.

Two proven females rose to the top of the sale, selling for $16,000 each.

The first, Warrigal Tilly T12, exhibited by Mick and Mary Parsons, Kia Ora Limousin stud, Roslyn, was purchased by Edward and Hamish Maclure, Keajura Park Limousins, Tarcutta.

After placing second in her class earlier in the day by judges Peter Sykes, Mawarra Genetics, and Harrison Rees, Gerrigeerup, Vic, the three-year-old cow was offered with a heifer calf at foot by Warrigal Queue Up Q36.

The Ryradan Park Fortune Q3 daughter out of Mandayen Krystal J2411 was pregnancy-tested in calf to Wulf Excellsior.

She recorded a 200-day weight expected progeny difference (EPD) in the top three per cent of the breed with a figure of +31, while having rib and P8 fat figures of +0.7 and +0.9, placing her in the top 5pc and 9pc, respectively.

Kia Ora stud principal Mary Parsons said the couple purchased the female as a heifer during the stud's reduction sale in 2023.

Mrs Parsons said she was very happy with the sale.

"We were hoping to get close to $10,000 but anything above is a bonus," she said.

"We're getting a bit dry up there, so we had to sell someone and have one good enough to bring, and that was her.

"It's the best sale we've ever had."

Purchaser Hamish Maclure, Keajura Park Limousins, Tarcutta, said he had been on the lookout for a new cow for the family-run operation for a couple of years.

"She's one who suits our program well; she's a complete outcross genetics for us," he said.

"We chase something with a bit of barrel that can walk, has good structure, clean fronted, long, plenty of muscle."

Mr Maclure said the family currently runs 15 breeding females and registers about 45 calves a year through embryo transfer programs, with the plan for Tilly T12 to be flushed to some of the stud's own bulls.

Earlier in the day, she placed first in the last class of females with judge Mr Peter Sykes commenting 'she was a female you could put a lot of bulls over and she would work with them'.

"She's a female with good structure and a lot of performance," he said.

The other equal top-priced female was Summit Meadowgrass R46, offered by Jasmine and Hayden Green, Summit Livestock, Roslyn, who was purchased by Unison Limousins, Boyanup, Western Australia and Red Oak Limousin, Kapunda, South Australia for $16,000.

The four-year-old cow was offered with twin heifer calves beside her, sired by US sire RUNL Justified.

She ranked in the top 3 3pc for her 200-day weight figure of +31, while also ranking in the top 2pc for 400-day weight with a value of +56.

The Cottage Lake Big Star daughter out of Summit Meadowgrass H39 also ranked in the top 7pc for 600-day weight, scrotal size and carcase weight with figures of +72, +2 and +45, respectively.

Summit Livestock co-principal Jasmine Green said the couple were really happy with their sale results, with repeat clients securing the trio.

"She's a fantastic female out of our Meadowgrass line, which has been very successful for us," she said.

"That cow has a huge amount of potential, so we think she'll do a great job for the operation she's gone to, and it's fantastic to be able to contribute back into the breed.

"The Meadowgrass family is such a strong cow line, so she will make a big difference in the breed and give those guys something really useful to breed from."

The stud continued their successful sale results, also achieving top-priced bull with Summit Gold Rush U443, who was purchased by Butchers Pastoral, Theebine, Qld, for $11,000.

The 20-month-old Anchor B Gold Rush 48G son weighed 870 kilograms with a scrotal measurement of 42 centimetres, as well as recording rib and P8 fat scans of 11 millimetres and 8mm.

He also recorded an eye muscle area of 140sq cm.

He placed in the top 1pc with a 200-day figure of +39, while ranking in the top 3pc for 400-day with a figure of +55 and in the top 4pc for 600-day with a value of +75, as well as with a carcase weight value of +47.

The young sire was awarded reserve champion junior bull, alongside stablemate Summit Genius U807, who went on to be sashed junior and grand champion bull.

Mrs Green said the bull was a proud and powerful animal, who ticked a lot of boxes, creating good interest before the sale.

"He's by a bull that we bought out of Canada that's bred really well for us," she said.

"His brought a lot of power into the calves.

"And that bull's the same, he's got plenty of power and performance for those guys, and he'll do a really good job for them as well."

The couple also sold the top-priced genetic lot of the sale, a pick of the 2024 calf crop, which was purchased for $10,000 by Mick and Mary Parsons, Roslyn.

This is the third time the Parson's family has purchased this opportunity from Summit.

Mrs Green said it was a fantastic result.

"They've obviously had some success with their genetics from before and it's great to give people a chance at first pick of our calf crop, which is pretty exciting," she said.

"Last year's pick of the calf drop just went on to be an interbreed heifer at the Sydney show, which is pretty fantastic for the people that bought her."

Another sale highlight was Bush Park Fifi U9, exhibited by Patrick Halloran, Kyneton, Vic, who sold for $11,000 to Western Australian purchaser Michael Mamo, Wokalop.

The young female was sashed reserve champion senior female.

Overall, nine of 12 bulls sold to a top of $11,000 to average $6111, while six cow and calf units sold to a top of $16,000 to average $9083.

In the heifer draft, two of six PTIC females sold to $11,000 to average $7500, while seven of 11 unjoined heifers sold to a top of $5500 for an average of $4214.

The top price genetic package was the pick of the 2024 calf drop offered by Summit Livestock, which was purchased for $10,000, while semen packages sold for $175 a straw and an embryo package was purchased for $900 each.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien stud stock with Peter Godbolt and Tim Woodham as auctioneers.

AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.