BUYERS looking for new breeders should look no further than this week's Ray Norman Memorial Breeders Sale at Mt Barker.
The sale scheduled for Tuesday, December 17 will commence at 1pm at the Mt Barker Regional Saleyards and will feature a yarding of 700 quality breeders.
Elders Albany livestock manager Wayne Mitchell said a feature of the sale again this year would be the auction of 16 charity heifers with sale proceeds going to the Albany Hospice.
"This charity was selected by Wendy Norman and family after the sad loss of Ray, whom the sale is dedicated to, as a great local charity which has touched many people in the Great Southern area," Mr Mitchell said.
"This year once again 16 heifers will be a part of this charity sale including three Angus PTIC heifers, three Murray Grey PTIC heifers and 10 unjoined heifers.
"The auction was a great success last year raising nearly $20,000 for the Albany Hospice."
When it comes to the sale itself the Elders Albany and Mt Barker teams have put together a top offering of 700 quality PTIC heifers, PTIC cows and guaranteed unmated heifers (GUM).
The PTIC heifer portion of the sale will see 420 heifers from a number of repeat vendors and handful of new vendors go under the hammer.
In this section for the first time in the sale's history a run of first-cross Angus-Freisian heifers will be offered.
These heifers will be offered by Candyup Farms and all have been synchronised AI mated on April 16 and then backed up with a Limousin bull.
Along with the run of Angus-Friesian heifers there will also be a good run of Angus heifers from repeat vendors Dajara Farms, O Moreth, GA Brown (formally Green Valley) as well as Bott Livestock Trust, GT & JF Couper and Gatti Bros.
Angus-Simmental cross heifers from Dajara Farms will also feature along with Murray Grey heifers from KG Wolfe and GT & JF Couper.
Mr Mitchell said most of the beef heifers were joined to calve from late February for 12 weeks to Angus bulls.
"The large offering of heifers from Bott Livestock Trust will be offered in sire lines for ease of bull selection and their offering represents the operation's entire 2018-drop of heifers," Mr Mitchell said.
A very good selection of 160 young cows will also be offered by Hillcrest Farms, Dajara Farms, Mindaree Grazing, NJ & SJ Day, G & M Davy, Gamezon Enterprises and O Moreth.
These are all Angus females and will mainly calve from March to May 2020.
A big percentage of these cows are only second and third calvers joined to Angus bulls from leading local and interstate studs.
The sale will round out with an offering of 30 Angus-Friesian cross unjoined heifers from three vendors being TA Hick & Co, Fairview Farms and Roy Rural.
These heifers will be vet checked unmated and represent an opportunity to secure heifers to join locally.
Mr Mitchell said the charity sale would start proceedings followed by the rising second calvers, then PTIC heifers, PTIC cows and unjoined heifers.
"The sale represents a great opportunity to secure quality breeders from noted Great Southern producers to replace older cows or expand breeding numbers," he said.
"Attendance is recommended and appreciated."
Feeding and holding facilities are available at the saleyards to assist with transport requirements.
