DUE to withdrawals, Elders yarded just over 1400 cattle at its December 21 Boyanup store sale, held in the first day of extreme heat for the summer.
A variety of quality cattle were penned giving buyers a virtual smorgasbord to choose from.
The numbers were dominated by Friesian steers with only a very small offering of beef steers available.
An excellent selection of mated cows were penned and sold accordingly.
In spite of the festive season looming, a good gallery of buyers were present to keep values close to recent sales, with some up slightly and others cheaper, and it meant the sale averaged very similar to the last couple of fixtures at Boyanup.
The small number of beef steers topped at $1082 with weaner calves reaching 344c/kg, while beef heifers saw a high of $1152 and 280c/kg.
Some growthy beef cross steers sold to $1264 and 224c/kg and the appraisal beef steers sold similar to recent sales to top at $950.
Friesian steers selling liveweight made up to $1246 and 224c/kg in the large offering.
Appraisal dairy steers saw a high of $800 and mature dairy poddies topped at $415.
First-cross, bucket-reared heifers were smaller and younger and these sold to $625.
There was a larger than usual offering of mated cows, due to a herd dispersal, and under strong interest and competition sold to $2000.
The better cows and calves sold over the tight variation of $1440 to $1500.
The beef steer top was paid for a single Murray Grey steer from Chateau June Jerome.
The 330 kilogram steer was bought by Elders Manjimup representative Cameron Harris for $1082 at 328c/kg.
The dominant buyer in the sale was Greg Jones and he started his purchasing spree with a pen of five Angus sold account Gumnut Downs, which returned $1031 when the 416kg steers sold at 242c/kg.
The top cents per kilogram price of 344c/kg for beef steers went to a pen of 20 young Hereford steers from GB & SM Varis, Bowelling, that were bought by Mr Harris.
Losing bidder on the pen was Elders Brunswick representative Alex Roberts, who paid 320c/kg for another 19 of the Varis youngsters.
The beef heifers started well when four Charolais from DA & AE Thompson, Dinninup, sold for the top of $1152 when RD Crabb bid to 272c/kg for the 423kg females.
A single heifer from CA Panetta weighing 410kg made $1057 when bought for Milyeanup Pastoral at 258c/kg.
Livestock Shipping Services paid to a top of 280c/kg for two heifers sold by Jackson Brothers, Manjimup, returning $910.
Beef cross steers topped at $1264, paid for six Angus cross from S & A Parker, with Elders Boyanup agent Mal Barrett bidding 202c/kg for them.
The top cents per kilogram price for the run of 224c/kg went to Busselton Livestock steers weighing 387kg when bought for Kalhatten Enterprises.
An excellent offering of Friesian steers sold to $1246 paid by L & S Miaolo for three weighing 685kg sold by Matt Cook Transport.
Not far behind were seven weighing 635kg sold by Perron Developments when Mr Barrett bid to 188c/kg to outlay $1194.
Others to sell well were steers from PE Meschiati when Melrose Enterprises bid to 180c/kg and $1082.
The best of the Dudinallup steers made $1044, going to Western Meat Packers while GW Duncan sold nine for $1105 and 192c/kg.
The top cents per kilogram price for Friesian steers was set 222c/kg and was paid by Lexden Park, Capel, for 14 sold account PS DeCheira.
A pen of 12 Angus cross steers topped the beef appraisal cattle when VA Edwards paid $950 for the first pen of 12 from S Sargent.
Next best was $855 for nine grey steers sold by Riverview Grazing, going to TD Credaro, Carbanup.
Greycliffe Farm, Burekup, bought the top price appraisal Friesian steers for $800, with these one of the pens from JA Munday, Busselton.
Friesian poddies were all older calves but sold to steady demand, topping at $415 paid by Russo Family Trust for 15 Negus Enterprises poddies.
First Australian Farms also sold a pen for $415, bought by Errol Gardiner, Landmark Brunswick.
A line of 11 Angus-Friesian, first-cross heifers from AJS Pastoral, Busselton, made $625 when S & T Granucci, Manjimup, placed the winning bid.
Buyers flocked to the sale to secure some of the genuine dispersal cows from Mayfield Park Farms, Manjimup, with two pens of these topping at $2000, first paid by PR Gelmi for six mixed age while the next pen sold for the same to BN Walker.
Other buyers of the Mayfield Park cows were IC Tippett, to $1530 and Max Kerr buying six at $1410.
JP Guimelli & Son sold Angus cows also and these reached $1560 when bought by GJ & GM Allen, Busselton.
Four cows and calves from GA Catalano were snapped up by BR & DR Marsh, Alexandra Bridge, for the top of $1500 to end a sound sale.
What the agent said:
Elders South West livestock manager Michael Carroll said the sale attracted a large yarding of store cattle, which was over advertised numbers and an outstanding line-up of Friesian steers made up a big percentage of the yarding.
“The bulk of the Friesian steers were sold by liveweight and despite being one of the biggest line-ups of liveweight Friesian steers this year they sold very well to graziers and finishers,” Mr Carroll said.
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“The liveweight beef steers and heifers were mixed in quality and sold accordingly.
“Values kicked in the appraisal section by up to $50 per head with only Jersey crosses harder to sell but all sold.
“A feature of the sale was a quality line-up of breeders with most making from $1400-$2000 to local graziers.
“The Elders South West team would like to thank all vendors, buyers and underbidders for their continual support in the 2018 season and look forward to working with you in 2019.”