CATTLEMEN received better than expected prices at an upbeat Independent Rural Agents AuctionPlus sale at Pemberton on Monday.
After last year’s record grossing sale, vendors were prepared for a check in cattle prices but after years of endeavour and success they had confidence in the quality of their product and better than expected results did not come as a complete surprise.
The two-hour selling session amassed $1,699,922 and averaged $1144 across the 1486 head sold in 62 lines.
This compares with $2.12 million for 1551 animals that averaged $1367 last year.
Only one 15-head mated heifer line was passed-in when bidding failed to meet the reserve price while another16-head mated heifer line topped the sale at $2425.
The sale was billed as the 26th IRA Pemberton Elite Vealer, Weaner and Breeder Sale and instigator and AuctionsPlus level one assessor Colin Thexton and Partner Kerry excelled in their efforts to promote the event.
They succeeded in attracting 41 registered bidders – 10 more than last year – and 42 guest viewers at several venues on both sides of Australia as well as a crowd of about 50 people who followed the sale’s progress on the big screen at the Pemberton Sports Club.
Of the 14 active bidders, 11 were successful including one buyer from Casterton in Victorian who bought seven lines of store steers.
In a show of supreme confidence, buyers had already registered bids at the reserve price on 18 lines before the on-line auction started.
With time to briefly analyse the results Mr Thexton said it was one of the more satisfying sales.
“I am wrapt with this year,” Mr Thexton said.
“Fifteen hundred head is a good number and full credit to the vendors who keep trying to improve year-in and year-out.
“The market is obviously back on 2016 and we knew it would be but some types of cattle were dearer than last year.
“It just goes to show you cannot go wrong with quality cattle and the improvement they have made has given them the rewards.”
For vendors values were even sweeter considering all prices were on-farm with no curfew or freight deductions.
He thanked all sellers for their support but singled out John Bendotti and family, trading as G & B Bendotti, Pemberton, for their enduring participation at every one of the 26 sales saying they were the only remaining original vendor.
PTIC heifers
Vendor Dennis Barnsby, Pemberton, who has been both vendor and buyer at the sale for almost 20 years, topped the auction at $2425 with one of his five lines of mated Angus heifers.
The top pen comprised 16 head and although he passed-in a line of 15 his others made $2275 for 12; $2250 for 15 and $2200 for nine.
Buyers’ names are confidential but Mr Barnsby told Farm Weekly he was successful on several weaned heifer lines totalling 109 head.
They will be joined to Angus bulls and continue the PTIC heifer selling tradition he started in 1999.
A total of 75 mated heifers were available and the only other vendor was KL & SM Roche, Pemberton, who sold eight Angus PTIC heifers for $2025.
Feeder steers & heifers
The majority of the sale comprised 1102 weaned feeder steers and heifers presented in 40 separate lines sold on a per head basis.
Last year steer prices topped at $1380 a head and heifers made up to $1025 but this year values were reversed under competition from graziers wanting potential breeders.
The $1260 top price heifer line (22 head) was set by the Bendotti family who offered a total of 198 head across all categories on the day.
Their 8 to 9-month-old heifers weighed an average 361.1 kilograms liveweight (LW) and equated to 349 cents a kilogram.
They also received the $1250 equal second top price for another 12 of the same description that averaged 347.5kg LW and fetched the equivalent of 362.5c/kg.
Mr Bendotti was pleased with the result saying prices were realistic.
“After last year’s extreme values prices are at a level where they should be,” he said.
With a hint of uncertainty in the national cattle market he was also confident people buying quality could not lose if markets fell in the future.
JM & DA MacDonald & CM Iversen, Northcliffe, also received $1250 for 39 7-8mo Angus heifers with an average 340kg LW to make 367.6c/kg.
DW & MA Radomiljac, Pemberton, offered 102 weaners and topped the steer offering with 30 8-9mo Angus with an average 394.5kg LW that made $1185.
The Radomiljac family was again prominent with a draft of 23 8-9mo heifers averaging 347.5kg selling for $1140.
Local vendors Felix and Sam Detri’s younger 7-8mo lines sold strongly with 23 heifers (331.6kg LW) making $1170 and the equivalent 30-head steer line (371.6kg LW) returning the same price per head.
JCC Love Family Trust, Northcliffe, put up 66 Angus steers with the top draft of five 9-10mo weaners making $1175 (466.2kg LW) and a second draft of 13 younger brothers making $1150 (382.4kg LW).
Sale watchers kept a keen eye on the big 111-head line of young 7-8mo Angus weaner steers from Magyanup offered by Doug Cumming, Jarrahlea Pty Ltd.
The volume and maths made for extra interest and they made $1150 a head and weighed an average 353.1kg LW.
Also from Mayanup was another big line of 62 pure South Devon steers bred by Scott Nix.
They weighed 340kg and were assessed in lighter fat score one condition after a tough winter but still made a strong $1090.
The sale was dominated by Angus, but 14 weaned steers account NW Harding, Boyup Brook, were straight Charolais and returned $1140 for a line that averaged 321.2kg.
Another sizeable 81-head draft of Angus steers came from Henderson Glendale, Mayanup.
They were 7-8mo with an estimated 354.2kg LW and 189.9kg DW and made $1155 a head.
Vealers
Butchers swung into the bidding to get most but not all of the 12 vealer lines totalling 252 head.
Prices ranged from 482.1c/kg to 524.8c/kg DW for the heavier lines with six Angus steers offered by the Radomiljac family fetching the $1276 top money on a per head basis and returning 481.2c/kg DW.
They weighed 485kg and were estimated to dress 264.7kg.
The 524.8c/kg DW top price was shared by Dennis Barnsby and BJ & KA Hulcup, Manjimup.
On a per head basis, Mr Barnsby pipped his contemporary by $20 receiving $1185 for his 13 7-9mo Angus steer that weighed 401.8kg live and 225.8kg DW.
The Hulcups’ 27 mixed sex offering by Charolais bulls out of Angus-Friesian mothers were 8-9mo with a 407.3kg LW and 222kg DW.
Charcol Springs, Manjimup, was among the top prices paid for vealers receiving 524.7c/kg DW ($1212/head) for 15 7-8mo Angus steers that weighed 415kg average with a predicted 231kg DW.
Yearlings
Just two yearling lines were available with the first line of six Angus steers offered by the Bendotti family making $1345.
They were 18-20mo with an average 523.5kg LW and estimated to dress 286kg (DW) giving a 470.3c/kg return.
The other line from MR & EM Walker, Balingup, returned a similar DW price and were a 13 16-18mo mixed sex line with an average 489.3kg LW that made $1219.
Slaughter Cows
Three lines of Angus slaughter cows were red hot
with the 59 on offer all selling at prices estimated to be at least 30c/kg above going rates.
Prices ranged from 372.8c-383.6 c/kg DW, comparing favourably with the 360-400c/kg achieved last year and returned $1208-$1499 a head
on the hoof.
The Walkers’ seven old Angus girls topped at 383.6c/kg but it was the Bendottis’ line of 35 that claimed the $1499 top/head price and the Radomiljacs’ 11 head made $1477.
