THIS year, the Litchfield family of Hazeldean Pty Ltd are celebrating 150 years of seedstock Angus and Merino production.
The pastoral enterprise, which began in 1865, now holds production sales in its home state of NSW as well as Qld and SA.
In SA, a joint venture between Jim and Libby Litchfield and Guy and Sarah Cunningham, Gumbowie, Willalooka, allows Hazeldean Angus to meet the requirements of its SA and Western Vic clients.
A strong endorsement of the program by way of a solid bull sale on Tuesday was a fitting way to kick off celebrations for Hazeldean.
In an extremely consistent sale which rarely lapsed, 34 of 37 bulls sold to a modest $7500 while averaging a rewarding $4970 - up $714 on last year's average.
Bidding reached a peak for lot three, Hazeldean Jaffar J1590, a 706 kilogram son of GAR Prophet from a Te Mania Berkley B1 daughter.
Stephen and Glenda Smith, Lucindale, selected the bull for its thickness and length, structural soundness and good feet.
"He just stood up very well and will carry his weight well as an older bull," Mr Smith said.
The bull had the numbers to match, including Angus, domestic and heavy grass indexes all in the top one per cent of the breed.
It was in the top 5pc for the heavy grain index, as well as for birthweight, milk, 200- and 400-day weight and days to calving, and the top 10pc for calving ease daughters and intramuscular fat.
An eye muscle area figure of 6.6 also put it in the top 15pc for that trait, along with 600-day weight, carcase weight and calving ease direct.
The Smiths also purchased one other bull at $6000.
Two bulls made $7000, the first of these being Hazeldean Jehu J1585, another GAR Prophet son from a Berkley daughter.
Max and Briony Schleuniger, Akeringa Pastoral Company, Bray - buyers of last year's top bull - secured the bull and one other at $6500.
The final lot of the day, Hazeldean Julius J1611 - by Hazeldean Giotto G1600 and from a Kenny's Creek Sandy S15 cow - finished off the sale in fine fashion when it too attracted a $7000 final bid.
The 644kg bull was knocked down to Hillcrest Pastoral Company, Avenue Range, who were the volume buyers with a draft of five bulls which averaged $5700.
Other volume buyers included Kangaringa Station, Keith, which took three bulls averaging $5500, and JH Ryan, Lucindale, also took three at a $5000 average.
Hazeldean's Guy Cunningham said he was very pleased with the sale result and the "very solid" buying throughout.
The sale was conducted by Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen with Spence Dix & Co's Jono Spence sharing auctioneering duties with PPHS' Josh Manser.