Friday's combined sale of Warrigal and Harlees Limousin bulls at The Longyard, Loomberah via Tamworth, reached a peak of $8000 twice, for an average of $5330 with six out of 19 sires sold.
Repeat clients and top bidders two years in a row, Alexander Downs at Merriwa, came away with the black hetero poll Warrigal Proven Identity P5 by Paul and Jannelle Relf's homebred sire Warrigal Lebron L12 - last year's sale topper.
The 18 month old bull, from a proven Warrigal Foxy Lady, presented at 854 kilograms with a scrotal circumference of 40 centimetres, an eye muscle area of 140 square centimetres and intra muscular fat at 4.4 per cent. In Breedplan figures, the sire showed remarkable docility at +60 (+39 breed average for 2017 born calves), with +24 for 200 day growth (+19 average), +44 for 400 days (+32 average), +66 for 600 days (+44 average) and milk at +11 (+6).
Bidder Stephen Gill, a sixth generation on the Downs, which is best known for the quality and popularity of its milled feed rations, will put his new bull to Angus and Limflex cows to breed Limflex heifers for the farm's own use.
Steers by Proven Identity will join the other 400, every week, that are turned off grain to supply butchers and wholesalers from Sydney to the Queensland border and west to Tamworth and Mudgee.
Bryce and Annika Whale, formerly Glenliam Farm Murray Greys at Glen William, bought Warrigal Prime Star P3, also by Lebron which has brought early finishing, and body to their commercial herd.
This soft sire presented at 698kg, 39cm scrotal, 130sq cm EMA and 5pc IMF. Breedplan figures include +53 for docilty, +22 for 200 day, +37 for 400 day and +50 for 600 day weights along with +12 for milk.
Volume buyer Rick Austen, Hartley Grazing near Lithgow, took home four sires at $4000 including the black poll Harlees Yonkers N31 by Wulfs Yonkers, bred by Andrew Harries and Jenny Lees from Harlees Limousins, with country at Loomberah and Niangala.
Presented like the rest, on lean supplements, the rising two year old weighed 695kg with 35cm scotal and 122sq cm EMA while presenting figures like +57 for docility, and above average weights for 400 and 600 day growth (+39 and +54).
Mr Austen also bought Harlees Jock N22 by home bred sire Mr Jock, 760kg, 38cm scrotal, +4.3 IMF and above average figures for growth and milk.
The 18 month old red poll Ryradan Park Pheonix P1, by RPY Paynes Derby 46Z and bred by Ryan and Rachel Relf, Wingham, presented at 661kg with excellent growth.
This bull also went to the Hartley enterprise which will put these sires over cross bred British cows with vealers supplying the butchers' market out of Camden. "We're looking for cross-bred vigour," he said.
The Relf family from Wherrol Flat via Wingham, garnered this year's Sydney Royal Show reserve champion middleweight ribbon for their 12-month-old steer by Riviere Vue Look at Me L16.
The sale was conducted by Davidson Cameron and Company with Scott Newberry as the auctioneer.