ON the back of a good feed year and plenty of weight in the weaners early this season, many have already been sold and as a result Landmark will host its final stand-alone Boyanup weaner sale for the season next week.
The sale on Wednesday, January 18, will feature about 800 weaners from throughout the South West.
Once again the Angus calves will make up the majority of the yarding, however, there will also be a range of Red Angus and Charolais calves in the yarding for buyers looking for something which isn't black.
Like previous Wednesday weaner sales for Landmark at Boyanup, all the calves on offer in the sale will have been weaned for a minimum of 10 days prior to the sale day, meaning all the work is done for buyers.
Landmark recommends its clients wean their calves in accordance with Meat and Livestock Australia guidelines.
Landmark South West livestock manager Darren Chatley said after consideration and looking at the numbers, it was decided to make the sale the final Wednesday weaner sale for the year.
"Going forward we will market clients' weaners in our monthly store sales and weekly trade sales at Boyanup," he said.
"In terms of this sale it will be another quality yarding of young weaned cattle to suit a range of buyers, with numerous drafts of cattle descending from long-time weaned sale supporters, and there will be a couple of vendors offering first drafts for the season," Mr Chatley said.
"The cattle will be drafted into weight ranges to suit buyers' requirements.
"With close to 800 weaners expected to be yarded, the sale is an ideal opportunity for lotfeeders, backgrounders and grass fatteners to secure numbers of quality, well-bred, weaned cattle."
The biggest vendor in the sale will be Frank Tomasi Nominees, Karridale, with a draft of 110 Angus steers.
The 10-11mo calves are sired by Mordallup Angus bulls and out of cows based on Mordallup and Monterey Angus bloodlines.
The classy black calves are expected to weigh from 330-440kg, so there will be plenty of range for buyers in the draft from lotfeeders to backgrounders.
The line has been vaccinated twice with 5in1 and Vitamin B12 and selenium.
Donnybrook operation Kinjarling Downs will also have a big draft of Angus steers on offer when it trucks in 70 calves.
The 9-10mo calves are by Black Market Angus bulls and out of Treeton Lake females purchased in from the Landmark Boyanup Beef female sale in 2015.
This line was weaned on December 20 and will weigh from 300-400kg.
They have been treated with Cydectin, vitamin AD&E and had their 7in1 booster.
A feature of the sale in the heifer lanes will be an impressive run of Angus heifers from Southwest Pastoral Co, Pinjarra.
The operation will offer 90 classy, black heifers based on Mordallup, Monterey and Diamond Tree bloodlines.
The nine to 10-month-old calves were weaned in early December and there are plenty in the draft which show promise as future breeders.
Mr Chatley said the top heifer lines offered by the operation in past years have been highly sought after and have been purchased as future breeders.
"This line is once again outstanding and the quality is as good as ever," Mr Chatley said.
"There will certainly be plenty of future breeders in it, while the rest will be ideal for either the feedlot or grass fattening.
"The top line will range between 300 to 340 kilograms."
Gelorup operation Kelly-Brae will also fill a number of pens in the heifer lanes with 44 Angus heifers.
The heifers aged 9-10mo are bred from Cherylton and New Generation Angus bloodlines and were weaned before Christmas.
The line will weigh between 300-340kg.
Another big draft of Angus heifers will come from Kandalee Grazing, Bridgetown, which has nominated 40 head.
The 9-11mo heifers will weigh 280-400kg and there will be some potential future breeders among them.
Come sale day they will have been weaned for four weeks.
Other sizable drafts of Angus calves will come from Hall & Co, Manjimup, which will offer 25 steers and 15 heifers based on Mordallup blood and aged 9-10 months, while Prenton Park Pastoral Co, Donnybrook, will offer 30 Angus steers aged 9-10 months based on Black Market bloodlines.
For buyers that are looking for something that isn't black, then the 70 Red Angus calves (35 steers and 35 heifers) from Nannup producers Gary and Renae Dickson, GL & RK Dickson, may fit the bill.
The calves are aged 9-10 months and based on Willandra Red Angus bloodlines.
The draft will weigh between 270-300kg and will be weaned for a month.
After selling his first draft of calves back in December Len and Jen Blyth, LV Blyth, Manjimup, will offer another quality line of Charolais cross calves, which will be ideal for either lotfeeders or grass fatteners.
The draft will consist of 35 steers and 55 heifers, which are sired by Wandilup Charolais bulls and out of Angus, Red Angus and Murray Grey cows.
The 9-10mo calves will weigh 300-360kg and will be weaned for six weeks come sale day.