ELDERS agents and yard staff excelled in penning and presenting 1438 weaners at Boyanup last week where in spite of fears of a lack of lotfeeder support for the sale, values lifted in places by as much as 20 cents a kilogram.
Despite the late date and recent nutrition-spoiling rains cattle in general were presented in excellent order.
Some of the larger offerings were first time drafts for vendors with others selling the last of the calves for the season.
Steer calves sold to $1183 and 402c/kg for the lightweights while heifers pipped them by reaching $1243 and 332c/kg.
The gross was well over a commendable $1.3 million with an average getting close to $1000.
The top steer price was paid for 12 Angus sold by K & AL Payne, Capel, with these calves always well received by buyers and bought on this occasion by Treeton lotfeeder GJ & J Watt for $1183 when the 410kg steers made 288c/kg.
Mr Watt had earlier bought the first pen of 13 Black Simmental calves weighing 387kg from Glen Omera Pty Ltd, Bridgetown, for $1068 and 276c/kg.
Elders Boyanup agent Mal Barrett started his day off buying numbers with the next pen of 25 Glen Omera calves, with these weighing 347kg, costing $1069 and 308c/kg.
The best of the black calves sold by BJ & RJ Feutril, Vasse, made $1135 when the 402kg calves went to GJ & J Watt at 290c/kg.
Kalgrains, Wannamal, was a strong supporter also, buying numerous pens, paying $1127 and 284c/kg early in the sale for 10 Charolais steers of 397kg sold by Marc Piantoni.
Rodney Galati had a good day buying for several entities, starting with seven Charolais from Tandar Pty Ltd for 240c/kg.
Graham Brown helped keep values strong buying for Otway Exports and taking 10 steers sold by PP & B Smith, Busselton, at 288c/kg.
Michael Carroll, Elders Bunbury, was active buying for an eastern feedlot, taking the first pen of 16 black calves sold by P & F Giadresco, Stratham, costing $1088 at 308c/kg.
The next pen of 12 sold account Bacchus Cattle, Busselton, and went on the truck at 312c/kg and $1075.
The draft of Angus calves from RF & RE Walker, Wilga, were of the usual quality and attracted strong support to reach $1104 when Mr Barrett bid to 310c/kg for the 356kg calves.
Mr Barrett went on to secure another two pens of these, paying $1094 and $1044 at 315c/kg and 320c/kg respectively.
Delaney Livestock Services, Busselton, purchased for a southern client, paying up to $1019 and 346c/kg for Walker calves.
Trucked from Boddington, the Hereford calves from JL & J Gibbs, were a credit to the breed and sold accordingly.
Elders Nannup agent Terry Tarbotton took the first three pens of steers, paying between 318c/kg and 350c/kg to top at $1037 for a pen of 13 weighing 326c/kg, for client D Ganzer.
The top of 402c/kg was paid in the second run of Walker calves when a pen averaging 238kg was knocked down to Rory S Coffey, Bridgetown, to cost $956.
Mr Galati lifted the tempo on the lighter calves, buying numerous pens for Livestock Shipping Services (LSS) from 330-346c/kg.
Heifer weaners found renewed interest and a sizeable lift in values over recent sales.
K & AL Payne took the double when their pen of 10 Angus heifers weighing 375kg attracted the future breeder market with these purchased for HW Griffiths, Ferguson, for $1243 and 332c/kg.
Landmark Capel agent Chris Waddingham was after this type of female and added strong competition paying $1226 for the next nine Payne heifers with the 372kg females making 330c/kg, later adding 14 sold by Bacchus Cattle at 290c/kg.
A pen of 10 sold by P & F Giadresco weighed 334kg and sold at 294c/kg to cost $982.
Mr Barrett picked up a line of 10 Charolais heifers weighing 378kg from Marc Piantoni, paying 296c/kg and $1120.
I & D Edgar, Witchcliffe, secured a number of pens throughout the heifer section, paying to 290c/kg for lightweight calves from several vendors, starting with a pen of 13 from MD & LJ Armstrong, Northcliffe.
Later a pen of 12 from K & AL Payne was added at 282c/kg with the 278kg calves costing $784.
G & RM Telini had quality Angus heifers for sale with a pen of 15 going to Mr Edgar at 280c/kg.
Mr Barrett bid to 300c/kg for the first two pens of heifers from P & F Giandresco, spending $1031 for the first line weighing 344kg and $972 for 14 weighing 324 kg.
Landmark Bridgetown agent Ben Cooper is always a strong buyer of lightweight heifers and once again collected a number of lines.
Included in these were Angus cross from Farris Family Trust, Busselton, at 264c/kg, before a line of the Telini heifers at 278c/kg that cost $893.
A line of 13 sold by Darwonga Investments, Dardanup, went to Mr Tarbotton buying for HNH Grazing with these selling for one of the higher prices at 320c/kg.