Yonkers is the big apple of Gresford beef producer's eye at Harlees' sale
Black Limousin bulls were the key attraction at the Harlees Limousin and Angus Helmsman sale, Loomberah, on Thursday, August 28, with the best of the bull clearances at the annual sale.
Ten of 16 Limousin bulls sold at auction to a top price of $12,000, averaging $7000, compared to last year's result, where the Limousin bulls averaged $5857.
Nine of 16 Angus bulls sold at auction, with a top price of $8000, averaging $6000.
The top-priced Limousin at $12,000 was Harleees U45 Yonkers, sired by Wulfs Yonkers K682Y out of a Manali Fiction F53 female.
Harlees' principal, Andrew Harries, said Yonkers U45 showed the most muscle expression in the sale group.
"He will put some punch into any breeding program," Mr Harries said.
U45's estimated breeding values included a +57 for docility, +41 for carcase weight and +2.4 for eye muscle area and a +0.4 for intramuscular fat.
Yonkers U45 was bought by the Brown family, Gresford, in the Lower Hunter.
Repeat buyers were the Medd family, Merriwa, who bought three bulls, including Harlees U121, by homebred sire Harlees Ripsnorter, for $7000.
In the Angus catalogue, Southwell Grazing, Bingara, were the volume buyer with two bulls to join the heifers in their Angus operation.
R Mann, Dungowan, bought one of the two equal top-priced bulls, Harlees U80, sired by Texas Maverick R740 out of a Thomas Grade Up K220 female.
Mr Harries said U80 was the first Texas Maverick bull to sell from his stud, and it matched phenotype with genotype.
"This is reflected in his balanced EBVs. He has been a tank from birth, is very quiet and he has done it all on grass," he said.
The Bailey family, Loomberah, also bought one of the equal top price bulls, Harlees U20, sired by Exar Stiock Fund 9097B out of a Musgrave Crackerjack female.
"This is the first of our Exar Stockfund bulls to sell, and what a cracker," he said.
"He offers some outcross genetics with his sire who has stamped power and docility on his offspring.
The selling agents were Davidson Cameron and Company, Tamworth, with a Helmsman auction. AuctionsPlus providing the online interface.
