THE cattle market continued on its merry way at the Landmark Boyanup sale last week when nearly 1700 head of cattle were penned.
Very few of these could be described as inferior, with most of outstanding quality and weights, resulting in another excellent result for vendors and agents alike.
Sales grossing more than $1.5 million and averaging close to $1000 are pleasing for the beef industry.
Friesian steers selling liveweight topped at $1527 and 272c/kg while those sold appraisal made up to $930.
Both beef steers and heifers attracted extreme competition resulting in steers topping at $1632 while medium weights sold up to 370c/kg.
Appraisal steers reached $1050.
Outstanding beef heifers sold to $1237 and 334c/kg, with the top end purchased for future breeders.
A very small selection of first-cross females were offered with the best of these making $980.
A mixed quality offering of cows and cows and calves saw cows reach $1160 and those with calves at foot to $1840.
Competition was widespread from graziers and lotfeeders with agents having pockets full of buying orders from clients.
The sale started with a pen of 17 heavy Friesian steers weighing 631kg with these bought for Melrose Enterprises, Donnybrook, for $1527 at 242c/kg.
The next sold by C & P Barber, Manjimup, joined them on the truck at $1469 and 258c/kg.
Out of the 34 pens of liveweight Friesian steers, only one line failed to sell for more than $1000, with most around $1200.
The tops from Hester Brook Cattle Co made $1336 and 262c/kg when bought by Matt Watts, Landmark Bridgetown.
A little lighter at 475kg, a pen of 12 from Kitchen Farms oozed quality and sold to Mitchells Farms at $1292 and the top of 272c/kg.
N & E Haddon had 11 pens of mediumweight steers with most selling for more than $1100 with nine pens bought by a Brunswick buyer who has been missing from sales for a few years.
DE Craigie and WS Partridge also sold steers to this buyer for $1278 and $1232 respectively.
Beef steers topped at $1632, paid for a well-conditioned Hereford from Cecilia Obal, Brunswick, when Greg Jones bid to 240c/kg for the 680kg animal.
A Murray Grey in the pen returned $1560, also at 240c/kg.
Kelly-Brae sold steers to $1450, with Laureldene topping at $1485 with its first 13 Angus weighing 498kg going to Harvey Beef Farms (HBF).
M & AJ Bell, Elgin, had several pens with the first 12 Angus making $1511 at 306c/kg when bought for HBF, with 13 Shorthorns from the Bell offering staying with these at $1515 and 314c/kg.
Cattle from Boddington presented well with 13 sold by AJ Batt making $1461 going to HBF, with Yackaboon Grazing reaching $1378 and 370c/kg for steers bought by RA Rogers.
Williams grazier RG Major sold pens of grey and black steers to $1324, with Landmark South West livestock manager, Darren Chatley, buying for Haseley stud.
Laureldene Farms, Boyanup, started the beef heifers section with two pens of Angus heifers that sold for $1237 and $1171 when Owen Hopkins, Chapman Hill, bid to 300c/kg and 298c/kg respectively.
Mr Hopkins added another pen of Laureldene heifers later in the sale for $1216 and 320c/kg.
The Williams and Boddington heifers reached $1145 and 322c/kg.
The top of 334c/kg was paid for seven Simmental cross from Mostert Dairies when bought for B & M Waddell's feedlot.
Tasca Holdings presented the top appraisal beef steers when the 11 Angus sold to Galati Family Trust for $1050, with another 12 steers joining them at $965.
The Galati account then added two grey steers sold by G & PA Angi at $930.
Laureldene Farms sold the top appraisal Friesian steers when the 19 steers were bought for MB & PS Gelmi at $930 with another 15 bought by Greycliffe for $930 also.
Lyndsay Flemming, Landmark Brunswick, was busy bidding and among the cattle she secured were 12 Kitchen Farms steers for $925.
Greg Jones also competed on the appraisal cattle securing several pens for Ballantyne Group for up to $830.
The few first-cross bucket-reared heifers were mixed ages and quality.
A line of eight Shorthorn cross from G & PA Angi were appealing and sold to Hutton Pastoral, Witchcliffe, for the top of $980.
Richard Pollock, Landmark Waroona, was active on the Angi heifers, buying two lots for $750 and one at $560, with MJ & CS Scott, Elgin, also paying $750 for 11 of the soft Shorthorn cross heifers.
A single Angus first-cross cow and calf from G, G, D & M Tartaglia topped the section at $1840.
Bill Kessell, Elders Donnybrook, had buying instructions and took several units for up to $1760 for Red Angus cows sold by R & M Italiano, Harvey.
Ann Harris sold Blonde d'Aquitaine mated cows to $1160 with the three pens all bought by Richard Pollock.
