WHILE for the first time in several weeks no records were broken at the WALSA weaner sale at Boyanup, average values were similar overall compared with other sales.
The main change was a greater number of calves going to agents and graziers and less crossing the Nullarbor.
Live export purchases were strong with more than 25 pens clerked for this destination.
Local lotfeeders were able to secure cattle for backgrounding and feeding as well.
Steer weaners topped at $1621 and 545c/kg for lightweights, while heifer calves reached $1435 and 452c/kg.
While these were back 40c/kg and 20c/kg respectively on the last sale, taking the sale average overall shows very little difference for the sale average.
Combined the agents grossed $1.32 million making for many happy vendors.
Once again, AuctionsPlus did not affect the result, with no lines clerked to this system.
ELDERS
With 523 calves penned, price levels were set early when the third pen offered topped the steers at $1621 when they were one of the few pens bought for Princess Royal Trading, Burra, South Australia, when the seven steers weighing 440 kilogram from CR De Campo, Manjimup, made 368c/kg.
Bowie Beef, Bridgetown, had the first two pens in the sale, with 18 steers weighing 370kg going to Elders Boyanup at 416c/kg and $1539.
The next pen of 14 Angus steers weighing 356kg were also bought by Elders Boyanup, costing $1516 at 426c/kg.
A pen of 13 steers from Jasper Hill Resources joined these when the 367kg cattle sold at 414c/kg and $1520.
Graeme Browne was the bulk buyer at the sale, putting together a team of 27 pens for live export, clerked to Bassem Dabbah with 14 Simmental weighing 369kg sold account Bass & Pinch costing $1537 at 416c/kg.
SimAngus steers from Yornup Holdings fitted the criteria for the client of John Gallop who bought two pens of these.
The first 16 weighing 319kg sold for $1352 and 424c/kg, while the next 16 made $1364 and 432c/kg.
Lexden Park, Capel, bid to 440c/kg for the final pen of eight weighing 302kg that cost $1331.
Three pens of 14 steers each from Alcoa Farmlands, Waroona, saw the first line weighing 369kg go to Elders Boyanup for $1589 and 430c/kg, while Wilfs Ridge Grazing paid $1449 and $1404 at 430 and 442c/kg respectively.
The best of the grey steers from Bass and Pinch went to Bassem Dabbah when the 14 weighing 366kg made $1553 at 424c/kg.
Nutrien Livestock, Boyanup and Capel agent Chris Waddingham bid to 390c/kg for another eight weighing 395kg, spending $1540 for his client.
The top of 545c/kg was paid by Mifflin Farms for 20 ultra light grey steers from Brenton Hettner that returned $848.
Galati Family Trust lifted the competition by paying the top heifer price of $1434 for 12 Limousin cross heifers, sold account MC & CL Telini with the 367kg heifers making 390c/kg.
Harris Beef secured two pens of Telini heifers, costing $1343 and $1326 at 404 and 402c/kg.
Alcoa Farmlands had several pens of Angus heifers, including the Elders top price of 422c/kg that went to the bid of Terry Tarbotton, Elders Nannup.
NUTRIEN LIVESTOCK
With the larger number of 920 calves, Nutrien Livestock agents got their sale off strongly with Nutrien Livestock, Margaret River agent Jock Embry buying the first two pens from RJ & M Della-Sale, Mullalyup, with 10 making $1561 at 388c/kg and the next 15 selling for $1560 and 416c/kg.
Nutrien Livestock, Boyup Brook agent Jamie Abbs then bid to 376c/kg to buy 11 Charolais from Altham Pastoral costing $1560.
Semini Enterprises made the trip worthwhile when it bought 11 Angus from SR Latch for $1494 and 390c/kg, along with another 11 from
P & S Barbetti weighing 405kg for $1573.
Mr Embry out bid others on several pens, paying to $1571 for 11 Angus sold by Falcinella Brothers at 412c/kg.
Bassem Dabbah bought the major portion of the steers, also taking a pen of the Falcinella Brothers steers at 424c/kg and $1525.
Welldon Beef, Williams, was another feedlot to buy numbers, starting with 13 from the Wills family, Busselton, costing $1568 and 414c/kg.
Elders, Boyanup representative Alex Roberts was unstoppable on the four pens of Angus sold by AR & GR Fawcett, paying $1420 down to $1355 and a high of 446c/kg.
Two pens of Angus cross steers sold by RA Maiolo & Sons, Narrogin, faced the long trip back to Williams when Welldon Beef secured both pens for $1528 and $1470 at 428 and 430c/kg, with a third pen snapped for Bassem Dabbah at $1533.
The top of $1605 was paid for 16 steers weighing 391kg from D Prestidge when bought by Mr Gallop at 410c/kg.
Oldpenny Holdings took the top of 502c/kg when the 15 Angus steers weighing 261kg went to the bid of Maywill Farms to cost $1313.
One of the five lines of Hereford calves from Forrest View Grazing were close behind when Nutrien Livestock, Brunswick and Harvey agent Errol Gardiner bid to 500c/kg for the 11 weighing 226kg to spend $1131.
Elders Boyanup paid $1240 at 490c/kg for 14 while Nutrien Livestock, Bridgetown agent Ben Cooper took the other three pens all at 480c/kg for close to a $1200 average.
Falcinella Brothers topped the heifer section with a pen of 11 Angus weighing 356kg making $1425 when Welldon Beef, bid to 400c/kg.
A line of 11 Limousin cross from R & M Della-Sale were close when they sold for $1420 with Mr Embry bidding to 398c/kg for these.
Also making 400c/kg were nine Simmental cross from WB & BM Schulz, Williams, with Mr Embry paying $1388 for the 347kg cattle.
Angus heifers from Springhills Estate saw both sold for 400c/kg as well, with I & D Edgar outlaying $1349 and $1213 for the 337 and 303kg females.
Among cattle in higher cents per kilogram prices were the 13 Herefords from Forrest View weighing 254kg, bought by Mr Gardiner at 420c/kg to cost $1067.
