A RECORD $2 million plus result fuelled 25th anniversary celebrations at the annual Independent Rural Agents elite vealer, weaner and breeder sale on AuctionsPlus on Monday.
IRA Pemberton principal and AuctionsPlus level one professional assessor Colin Thexton, with his loyal band of clients and a dedicated approach to breeding improvement and marketing, has grown the sale to make it one of the State's marquee commercial cattle fixtures.
The sale's reputation for quality beef products drafted and presented for specific market demands has resonated with buyers who continue their ongoing support for Mr Thexton and the sale.
The sale attracted 31 registered bidders on AuctionsPlus with multiple buyers also operating at several venues including the Pemberton Sports Club where the sale was televised on a big screen with 45 guests also monitoring the sale's progress online.
Lotfeeders, graziers and processors bid actively on the quality catalogue of 1551 vealers, weaners, breeding heifers, slaughter yearlings and cows and amidst a buoyant beef market, drove the sale's gross beyond $2m for the first time.
The new record $2,120,263 gross equalled a $1367 average across all descriptions with all prices on-farm with no freight and curfews.
The anniversary sale overshadowed last year's record result where 1564 cattle grossed $1.932 million and averaged $1235.
Mr Thexton thanked all his clients and buyers at the sale for their continued support and wished everyone all the best for 2017.
Feeder steers
The majority of the catalogue was made up of feeder steers with 836 head offered.
Values ranged from $870 to $1380 per head and 317 to 394c/kg liveweight (LW).
Original sale vendors G & B Bendotti, Pemberton, recorded excellent sale results across several categories starting with the top per head stakes for feeder steers.
The line of 65 Angus steer weaners averaged 401kg and sold for $1380 and 344c/kg LW.
Another long-time sale supporter DW & MA Radomiljac, Pemberton, banked $1360 (329c/kg LW) for a 30 Angus steer weaners weighing 413kg while BJ & KA Halcup, Quinninup, sold 29 Angus steer weaners weighing 404kg for $1335 (330c/kg LW).
A large line of 143 South Devon steer weaners averaging 389kg from SC Nix, Mayanup, sold for $1300 (334c/kg LW) and MR & EM Walker, Balingup, also received $1300 (336c/kg LW) for a draft of 46 Angus steer weaners averaging 387kg.
In their sale debut TP Collins & GL Della Gola, Pemberton, blitzed the top liveweight price with their line of 26 Angus steer weaners weighing 295kg fetching 394c/kg LW ($1160 per head).
The next highest price was 345c/kg LW ($1155) paid for 56 Angus steer weaners averaging 335kg from JM & DA MacDonald & IM Iverson, Northcliffe.
The Cumming family, Jarrahlea Pty Ltd, Mayanup, received 339c/kg ($1240) for 92 Angus and Angus sired steer weaners averaging 365kg as did Collins Bros, Pemberton, for 42 Angus steer weaners weighing 366kg ($1240) while Henderson-Glendale, Mayanup, was a cent shy with their big line of 113 Angus and Angus-Hereford cross steer weaners averaging 377kg that sold for 338c/kg ($1275).
Feeder heifers
The offering of 90 feeder heifers saw values of $840 to $1025 per head and 300 and 302c/kg LW with Henderson-Glendale and PW & SM Barnsby, Pemberton, sharing the $1025 top-priced honours.
Both vendors recorded 300c/kg for lines of 15 Angus and Angus-Hereford cross heifer weaners weighing 342kg and six 341kg Angus heifer weaners respectively.
Winnejup graziers NW & LW Harding also received 300c/kg and $975 for 11 Angus and Charolais sired heifer weaners weighing 325kg.
While there was only two cents difference in liveweight values, the top price of 302c/kg went to G & B Bendotti for eight Angus heifer weaners weighing 315kg ($950) and MR?&?EM Walker sold 11 Angus heifer weaners averaging 309kg for 301c/kg ($930).
Unmated breeding heifers
A specially selected group of 99 unmated Angus heifers recommended for future breeding duties were offered from four different herds and sold to strong restocker inquiry.
G & B Bendotti's young Angus heifers attract a premium every year and this year was no exception with their two lines of 17 and 21 head selling for the $1430 top price each.
Mrs F Detri, Northcliffe, sold 19 Angus heifers for $1415 while the MR?&?EM Walker's 20 Angus heifers returned them $1370.
PTIC heifers & cows
Following the success of last year's sale, a feature lineup of 104 of PTIC rising two-year-old Angus heifers again sold extremely well with prices reaching $3400.
The $3400 top price was paid for 11 Lawsons Angus stud bred heifers PTIC to AI and backup Lawsons Angus bulls offered by BA & RN Ravenhill, Albany.
PW & SM Barnsby offered a volume number of 83 locally bred Angus heifers PTIC to Lawsons and Strathtay Angus bulls in five lines with prices reaching $2600 for lines of 19 and 10 heifers.
ML & NJ Aldridge, Greenbushes, received $2450 for 10 owner-bred Angus heifers PTIC to an AI Lawsons Angus sire and Blue Ribbon back up bulls.
G & B Bendotti offered 10 rising nine and 10-year-old Angus cows that are PTIC to Lawsons and Strathtay Angus bulls for $2000.
Slaughter vealers
A total of 232 mixed sex slaughter vealers headed the sale catalogue and sold from $1183 to $1454 per head and 560 to 576c/kg dressed weight (DW).
G & B Bendotti topped the per head values with 73 Angus steer vealers weighing 260kg DW that sold for $1454 (560c/kg DW).
BJ & KA Halcup received $1386 (560c/kg DW) for 35 mixed sex Charolais-Angus/Hereford-Friesian vealers averaging 248kg DW and PW & SM Barnsby sold 13 Angus steer vealers weighing 239kg DW for $1344 ($562c/kg DW).
The 577c/kg top dressed weight price was paid for 41 mixed sex Charolais-Angus vealers weighing 213kg DW ($1226) from G & S Mead, Chowerup while the Mayanup Progress Association sold 21 Angus sired mixed sex vealers averaging 209kg DW for 565c/kg DW ($1183).
Slaughter cows
Vendors utilised the sale opportunity to sell trade cows with 117 head offered and realised from $1308 to $1561 per head and 360 to 400c/kg dressed weight.
Mayanup Progress Association was back among the top prices with its 23 South Devon, Hereford and Murray Grey cows weighing 435kg DW that sold for the top per head price of $1561 (360c/kg DW).
The balance of the cows all sold for 400c/kg DW with the heavier drafts from G & B Bendotti with 29 Angus cows weighing 378kg DW ($1512) and Collins Bros with 47 Angus cows averaging 363kg DW ($1451).
Slaughter yearlings
A small offering of 44 slaughter yearling cattle ranged from $1426 to $1596 per head and 500 to 520c/kg dressed weight.
The Halcup family sold nine Charolais and Angus sired mixed sex yearlings weighing 319kg DW for $1596 and 500c/kg DW while BA & RN Ravenhill's 24 mainly Angus mixed sex yearlings averaging 283kg DW for 520c/kg DW ($1469).