ELDERS ended the season's weaner sales with a bang at its Boyanup weaner sale last week when the quality beef weaner females sold to a new high with the top of 438c/kg, eclipsing the previous day's record of 430c/kg, at a liveweight sale.
Almost 1100 calves were offered, with some first drafts setting the quality standards.
Producers were rewarded for weaning the calves, possibly easing the heat stress on the hot day.
Steers sold to $1445 and 410c/kg but once again were overshadowed by their sisters which topped at $1575 and 438c/kg.
Agents, lotfeeders, live exporters and graziers again purchased, creating strong competition for the weaners.
The top price steers were from Rim Rock Grazing, Boyup Brook and they sold to Willowbank, Benger, for $1445 when the 424kg steers were knocked down for 324c/kg.
Another 12 Rim Rock steers were bought for RA Rogers at $1334 and 332c/kg, before Greg Jones spent $1257 at 340c/kg for a pen of 12.
Numerous pens of Angus calves from RF & RE Walker, Wilga, were standouts, with the growth and quality of these a credit to the breed and breeder.
The first pen sold early in the sale to L & S Miaolo, Donnybrook, costing $1418 at 334c/kg.
Further into the sale a pen of 15 weighing 398kg were secured by GJ Watt, Cowaramup, who paid $1330 and 334c/kg.
Elders Boyanup agent Mal Barrett then bid to 360c/kg for another 15 Walker calves averaging 367kg to cost $1322 before adding another 15 for $1290.
At the lighter end of the draft, Elders Busselton agent Ross Tyson paid the top of 410c/kg for nine weighing 258kg that returned $1057.
The black calves from K & AL Payne always attract interest and their first pen of 13 sold for $1335 and 330c/kg to RA Rogers.
Yates Family Trust, Collie, opened the sale with a pen of 13 Black Simmental calves and the 402kg calves sold for $1341 and 334c/kg to RA Rogers.
Rodney Galati selected suitable cattle for the boats, paying $1228 at 364c/kg for 10 Charolais weighing 337kg from CM & DJ Forrest, Capel, before upping things for 10 Callanish Grazing calves weighing 334kg that cost $1256 at 376c/kg.
By sale's end Mr Galati was the dominant buyer for Livestock Shipping Services (LSS).
Promoting the Hereford breed were several pens of quality calves sold account JL & J Gibbs, Boddington and these topped at $1276 when Melrose Enterprises, Donnybrook, bid to 348c/kg for a pen weighing 366kg.
Another 11 weighing 333kg also went to Melrose for $1191 and 358c/kg.
Colin Avery, Busselton, also paid 358c/kg for 11 weighing 315kg that cost $1129.
Landmark Waroona agent Richard Pollock joined in, taking two pens for up to 383c/kg.
Sydney Wheatley sold pens of Simmental calves with a line of 10 weighing 410kg topping at $1353.
Heifers again proved popular, not only with heifer specialists looking for replacements, although these buyers paid the top prices for the top heifers.
Ferguson producer Howard Griffiths paid the top of $1574 when the first pen of 15 Angus heifers, from K & AL Payne weighing 362kg, were knocked down at 434c/kg.
The next 14 heifers, averaging 345kg, joined them when Mr Griffiths bid to the top of 438c/kg to return $1511 for vendors, MD & LJ Armstrong, Northcliffe.
Later in the sale 13 Angus heifers from MD & LJ Armstrong sold for $1271 and 400c/kg, joining the earlier Griffiths purchases.
The last of the Payne heifers were bought by SH Fry & Sons, Benger, with the 15 weighing 337kg making $1162 at 344c/kg.
The first 14 Black Simmental heifers from Yates Family Trust were bought by PJ Tognolini for $1455 when the 375 kg cattle made 388c/kg.
Another 14 weighing 344kg sold to LG & RJ Pitter, Waroona, who bid to 360c/kg and $1241.
Charolais heifers sold by Callanish Grazing, saw a line of 14 weighing 339kg sell to Mr Barrett for $1215 and 358c/kg.
Mediumweight Euro heifers saw Mr Galati bidding strongly on behalf of LSS, buying several pens from Callanish Grazing, CM & DJ Forrest, Yates Family Trust and BF Scott.
Geoff Willis, Capel bought the 438c/kg top heifers from RF & RE Walker, paying $1052 for the 294kg calves.
Three pens of the Hereford heifers from JL & J Gibbs saw John Piscioneri buy the first pen of 10 for $992 when the 283kg females sold for 350c/kg.
The other two lines were bought by Mr Willis for
AS Polinelli, with these lighter calves selling at 340c/kg.
Callanish Grazing then sold a line of five Angus heifers weighing 322kg, with these making $1004 at 312c/kg when bought by Mr Jones.
Roemarie Enterprises also sold eight Angus heifers averaging 282kg for $909 when West Beef Holdings bid to 322c/kg.
