CONTINUOUS rain and some winter sun are assisting in pasture growth and has influenced a large percentage of owner-bred dairy steers and their crosses coming in to next week's Elders Boyanup store cattle sale.
The sale will be held on Friday, July 19, commencing at 1pm and it's time for backgrounders and grass fatteners to secure cattle requirements with confidence.
The Elders South West team will put together a yarding of 1100 dairy and beef cattle that are of excellent quality for the sale.
Dairy steers will feature with 600 Friesian steers ranging from three to 18-months-old being the biggest category offered.
Other dairy descriptions include 150 first-cross Angus and Hereford steers with a smaller number of 30 first-cross Angus-Friesian heifers up for grabs.
The beef yarding will consist of 100 beef steers of mostly Angus breeding and 100 beef heifers of various British and European types.
Rounding out the sale will be a substantial line of 42 Angus-Friesian cows with large beef cross calves at foot.
Elders South West livestock manager Michael Carroll said with a big percentage of the stores being owner-bred and reserved for this month's sale, they have some excellent lines coming in.
"The availability of beef cattle is fewer this month but there are still good numbers of first-cross and dairy steers available," Mr Carroll said.
"Now that there is some grass needing grazing, it's a good opportunity to buy Friesian steers as they will grow like mushrooms.
"We also have a good line-up of first-cross cows coming in that have big calves at foot and have been running back to the bull."
Largest dairy vendor to offer 67 quality Friesian steers is DD & E Hutton, Witchcliffe.
The 18 to 20-month-old steers were purchased as poddies and backgrounded to be sold in this sale.
Elders Margaret River agent Alec Williams said the steers were in good forward store condition and 50 per cent of the draft will suit graziers, while the top half should entice graziers and or lotfeeders.
"They had a Dectomax backline drench in late April and have also had access to Prominavite lick blocks," Mr Williams said.
With a substantial yarding of 60 Friesian steers is Clive Elson, CW & YR Elson, Karridale.
Mr Elson's black and whites are 14-17 months and Mr Williams said they were in good forward store condition to suit graziers who required well-grown steers to grow out to the next level.
"They are predominantly owner bred, with a percentage of the draft being purchased as week old calves from a respected dairy and reared with their own calves," he said.
"These steers are recommended for any graziers requiring quality steers."
In terms of health treatments, the line was backlined drenched in late June and has had access to minerals through water and lick blocks.
Another draft sure to impress is 60 four to six-month-old Friesian steers from regular vendor Negus Enterprises, Tutunup.
The Negus youngsters have been dehorned and given all the correct treatments prior to auction.
Jesmond Dairy, Rosa Brook, will have 30 Friesian steers up for the takings which are aged 12-14 months, while Busselton producer PM Johnson will have 23 black and white steers penned nearby at 16-18 months of age.
Nominating 20 Friesian steers each at 10-14 months old are FE & PA Parravicini, Cookernup and BE & JE Taylor, while Elgin dairy farmers West and Haggerty will offer 15 Friesian and 10 Angus-Friesian at the sale.
Other vendors in the dairy cross steer section include CA Panetta, Harvey, with 30 Angus-Friesians aged eight to 10 months and R & N May, Cowaramup, with 18 Angus-Frisian steers at six to eight months-old.
D & A Campbell, Warner Glen, has nominated a line of 30 first-cross Angus-Friesian heifers for sale.
The well-bred heifers are aged 12-14 months and will be delivered with 15 Friesian steer sale counterparts of a similar age.
Dardanup operation Depiazzi Agriculture will truck in its first annual draft of 50 Angus heifer yearlings at 14-16-months-of-age (March/April drop).
The extremely quite youngsters which have been grazing on irrigation flats since early December are expected to average 300-320kg and are ideal for backgrounders or grass fatteners.
From a gradually progressing herd of 350 Angus breeders, the weaners are based on predominantly Monterey Angus genetics and have been treated to a 5in1 vaccination and drench.
RB McNab & Co, Scott River, will have 25 Angus heifers and 25 Angus steers up for the takings and all are expected to weigh 320-400kg at 12-14 months.
Twenty black steers and 15 black heifers from BF & RA Scott, Donnybrook, are sure to catch the eye.
The 12-14-month-old youngsters are estimated to weigh from 200-220kg, while Bowie Beef, Bridgetown, pen of 13 Angus steers aren't to be missed.
The older 14-16-month-old cattle are expected to weigh between 340-350kg.
An opportunity to purchase 42 productive Angus-Friesian cows with four to six-month-old (January/April born) Simmental calves at foot will be available.
The third to eighth calvers will be nominated by Tempra Brothers, Manjimup, and are for genuine sale due to the farm being sold.
The females were originally purchased as heifer at the Elders supreme first-cross female sale with the enterprise always buying the better-quality pens.
They have been running back with black and traditional Simmental bulls since early April and are worth a good look.