BILLED as a feature unmated first-cross female and store cattle sale, with 1340 cattle penned, the Elders Boyanup Store Sale on Friday, January 15, certainly proved the unmated first-cross heifers as an outstanding feature when topping at $2100.
Beef steers reached $2301 for very heavy types with mediumweights making to 434c/kg.
There were no lightweights that have made around 500c/kg like at recent sales.
Beef heifers topped at $2058 and 415c/kg while beef cross steers reached $2253 and 406c/kg.
Friesian steers made up to $2131 at a top of 398c/kg.
Friesian steers selling appraisal saw the small number reach $1105, while Friesian poddies continued on their merry way to peak at $1010.
Mated cows made to $2550 while cows and calves sold to $2250.
All classes were similar to recent sales with some up slightly, some the same and a few lines higher, to return a sale result of equal to the best.
With the AuctionsPlus platform not used for the sale, it allowed local buyers more opportunity, with graziers, live exporters, lotfeeders and agents to compete successfully.
The sale commenced with the magnificent selection of first-cross heifers.
A pen of 16 Angus cross from SM & P D'Opera, Busselton, opened the sale and sold to LM & E Crouch for $1860.
Kookabrook Livestock took the next eight heifers from HD Harrison at $1760.
Boyanup producers KL & AJ Jilley secured four early pens, two from RJ & G Parravicini at $1740 and $1780, followed by two sold by PM & TL Duggan, Cowaramup, at $1840 each.
Elders Capel, representative Rob Gibbings was busy buying for a client, paying to $1860 for four sold account Ashvale Pastoral.
It was a pen of 15 Murray Grey heifers sold by Uduc Brook Farms, Harvey, that topped the heifers at $2100 when sold to Mr Gibbings.
Ten Hereford cross sold by BL Nicol, Manjimup, were snapped up by Nutrien Livestock, Harvey/Brunswick agent Errol Gardiner at $1820.
The top beef steer price was paid by Kookabrook Livestock for a single steer weighing 650kg that returned $2301 at 354c/kg to V Gizzarelli, Nannup.
Kookabrook Livestock later bought the single steer weighing 615kg from VW Byrd for $2017 and 328c/kg.
Rodney Galati was busy all sale, buying for Central Stockcare (CSC) and Livestock Shipping (LSS).
The top pen bought for LSS contained two grey steers sold by TR Watson when the 527kg steers made 348c/kg and $1835.
Soon added were four Charolais from F Moriarty weighing 490kg that sold at 358c/kg to cost $1754.
Kookabrook Livestock was after heavy cattle, also paying $2058 for a single 705kg heifer from PB Maughan at 292c/kg, as well as 340c/kg for a Hereford weighing 510kg to cost $1734.
Beef cross steers were in favour, reaching $2253 paid for a single Angus steer weighing 655kg from PB Maughan, while singles offered account VW Byrd made $2011 and $1678 when bought by Kookabrook Livestock.
Mr Galati was the volume buyer for LSS, securing five pens to a top of $1785 and 340c/kg from RA Casagrande, Dardanup, as well as 11 steers averaging 507kg from F Moriarty at 346c/kg to cost $1745.
Some very heavy Friesian steers were penned, topping with a single steer weighing 900kg from VW Byrd that went to Western Meat Packers for $1620 and 180c/kg.
The top price of $2131 was also paid for a single steer weighing 740kg from PB Maughan when Kookabrook bid to 288c/kg.
Greg Jones bought the first line of 10 Dudinalup steers weighing 569kg at 250c/kg to cost $1422.
Melrose Enterprises, Donnybrook, bought the next two pens for $1550 and $1530 at 276 and 286c/kg respectively.
Melrose Enterprises also paid $1477 at 296c/kg for nine steers sold by Fortuna Farms which sold 10 steers for $1534 to David Lofthouse, Wokalup, as well.
The top of 398c/kg went to 13 steers weighing 337kg sold by Newbrook Investments, Busselton, and these were bought by Elders, Nannup agent Terry Tarbotton for Gralyn Estate, costing $1342.
Only a few pens of appraisal dairy steers were offered, topping at $1105 for 11 from Agtrade Pastoral when bought by Mr Gardiner. Dairy poddies were strong again to reach $1010, paid by Nutrien Livestock, Busselton agent Wayne Hams for 12 from LJ & RA Brennen.
Geoff Sales paid $990 for six while Elders, Harvey/Brunswick representative Craig Martin also bought 11 of the Brennen calves for $910.
Mr Martin also paid $910 for 18 younger poddies from West and Haggerty.
Mated beef cows which were in larger numbers, were mainly offered by the WA College of Agriculture, Harvey.
Its top pen of seven second calvers went to the bid of Cameron Harris, Elders, Manjimup, at $2550.
Elders, Donnybrook representative Pearce Watling paid $2300 for another seven, while Mr Jones bought two pens of older cows at $1980 and $1900.
Seven first calving heifers from Willowbank made $1850 with these going to Elders Busselton.
Several lots of cows and calves were sold by Marri Downs Holdings, topping at $2250 paid by A Vizzari for a single unit while six Herefords made $2200 paid by Alex Roberts, Elders Boyanup.
Mr Jones selected several pens between $1880 and $2225.
WHAT THE AGENT SAID
ELDERS, Margaret River agent and sale auctioneer Alec Williams said this month's yarding saw 1350 cattle offered, with the feature component being more than 400 first-cross, unjoined heifers.
"These sold consistently from $1600 to $1860 to average $1750 for heavier/older lines and the younger types, averaged $1380," Mr Williams said.
"The Murray Grey-Friesian cross heifers sold well to reach a high of $2100 to average $2000 each and Hereford-Friesian cross $1820.
"A good line-up of heavy liveweight Friesian steers, saw reduced grazier competition with values easing 20c/kg, while most mediumweights sold to recent rates, with some easing due to condition score.
"There was only a few beef weaners yarded but there was a good run of medium to heavy beef steer yearlings offered and these met with recent shipper enquiry.
"The Friesian poddies maintained recent grazier demand to return good dollar per head values, selling up to $1010.
"Cows and calves sold to a top of $2225 and well-bred young PTIC Angus cows made to $2550."