A quality yarding of beef weaners and heightened demand from local and Eastern States' buyers combined for one of the strongest sales of the season at the WALSA weaner cattle sale at Boyanup last week.
The second last and 10th standalone weaner fixture for the selling season saw the Elders and Nutrien Livestock teams present a combined yarding of 1121 steer and heifer calves, weaned for a minimum of 10 days.
Despite the time of year, the yarding continued to show good weights and condition reflecting the favourable South West season last year and vendors' high breeding and management standards.
Increased demand from local and interstate lotfeeders and graziers battled it out to lift steer values across all weight categories and hold the heifer market firm except for lighter weights, which eased slightly from the previous sale.
The sale was interfaced on AuctionsPlus with 345 catalogue views resulting in 18 registered bidders logged in locally and from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland and placing 142 bids with 159 head sold online.
Light weaner steers (to 280kg) sold from 420-526c/kg to average 492c/kg, up 30c/kg, mediumweights (280-330kg) 426-486c/kg to average 467c/kg, up 7c/kg and heavyweights (330kg plus) 400-464 to average 448c/kg, up 13c/kg.
While in the heifer line-up in the same weight ranges sold from 400-452c/kg to average 442c/kg, down 10c/kg, mediumweights 398-428c/kg to average 425c/kg, firm and heavyweights 292-432c/kg to average 415c/kg, firm.
At the completion of selling, auctioneers Alec Williams, Elders, Margaret River and Chris Waddingham, Nutrien Livestock, Capel, had notched up a combined gross of $1,682,918 at an overall average of $1501.
Elders
The Elders South West livestock team penned 346 steers and heifers to open proceedings for this sale.
Armed with a significant New South Wales' order, Jamie Abbs, Nutrien Livestock, Boyup Brook, was a prolific buyer and paid the Elders' $1775 top price at 438c/kg for 18 Angus steers weighing 405kg, offered by MD & LJ Armstrong.
The opening pen of 10 Red Angus steers averaging 417kg offered by Biljedup Pty Ltd sold for the next highest price at $1766 at 424c/kg to Kevin Armstrong, Willowbank, for a lotfeeding order and also paid $1723 at 428c/kg for six Charolais steers averaging 403kg from GL & KR Farley.
Craig Martin, Elders, Collie/Brunswick, also buying for a lotfeeder, paid $1682 at 446c/kg for seven Charolais cross steers weighing 377kg from AS & M Campbell & Son, Keysbrook and $1641 at 430c/kg for the second pen offered containing six Red Angus steers averaging 382kg from R & A Morgan.
JL & J Gibbs, Boddington, presented an even, well-bred draft of Hereford steers which sold to the section's 492c/kg top liveweight price for a line of 12 steers weighing 257kg to cost an active buyer on AuctionsPlus at $1265.
This same buyer sourced numerous pens of steers including the next highest price of 490c/kg for the following 11 Gibbs steers weighing 238kg at $1167.
Terry Tarbotton, Elders, Nannup, collected three consecutive pens of the Gibbs' steers, paying a 486c/kg top liveweight price for 12 steers weighing 284kg to cost $1381.
Alex Roberts, Elders, Boyanup, bid 482c/kg at $1402 for 11 Murray Grey steers averaging 291kg from the paddocks of Ironstone Rise.
The Armstrong's also topped Elders heifer prices with eight Angus heifers weighing 394kg, knocked down to Pearce Watling, Elders, Donnybrook, for $1701 at 432c/kg, who also snapped their next pen of lighter heifers.
Mr Waddingham sourced a few lines of steers and heifers for a local order, paying a top heifer price of $1532 at 418c/kg for seven Charolais cross heifers averaging 366kg from the Farley consignment and $1449 at 420c/kg for six Charolais cross heifers weighing 345kg offered by the Campbell family.
The Campbell's Angus cross heifers also featured in the top prices with Ben Cooper, Nutrien Livestock, Bridgetown, paying $1499 at 426c/kg for a draft of eight heifers weighing 352kg and also collected a further two pens of Angus cross heifers from other vendors.
Jacques Martinson, Elders Busselton, picked up a couple of pens of heifers at the top of the liveweight market including Elders 452c/kg top liveweight price at $1160 for three Murray Grey heifers averaging 257kg consigned by Jemocon Nominees Pty Ltd and earlier 448c/kg at $1198 for six Charolais cross heifers weighing 269kg offered by CA & SJ Jones.
The AuctionsPlus account continued its buying into the heifer line-up with a few pens costing to 436c/kg at $1201 for 12 Murray Grey heifers averaging 275kg from the Ironstone Rise sale draft.
Nutrien Livestock
The Nutrien Livestock selling team took over selling with their yarding of 775 steer and heifer weaners.
It wasn't until the 14th pen of steers that the sale's $1888 top price was recorded for four Angus steers weighing 435kg, offered by JA & GF Van Hazendonk with Graham Brown, representing a South Australian order, paying 434c/kg.
Mr Brown sourced several pens of heavier steers for this order including $1817 at 440c/kg for 12 Charolais steers weighing 413kg, offered by Flybrook Angus stud and $1802 also at 440c/kg for nine Angus steers averaging 409kg, consigned by P & A Macleay.
Mr Armstrong took a liking to the draft of Limousin cross steers from the paddocks of Benger Cow Depot, paying to $1836 at 440c/kg for 11 steers weighing 417kg and $1818 at 438c/kg for the previous pen of 11 steers weighing 415kg.
Murray River Farms, Waroona, was the sale's volume vendor presenting a total draft of 177 Angus steers and opened the section with 11 pens (131 head) weighing from 342kg to 396kg which were all knocked down to Mr Abbs for the NSW order.
Mr Abbs paid a $1766 top price for the heaviest pen of 11 costing 446c/kg and to 464c/kg liveweight for the 12 lightest steers and went on to collect a further five pens of steers for this account.
Mr Martin added a couple more pens of steers to his order including seven Angus cross steers weighing 373kg, offered by LE & EF Brooks, costing $1655 and 444c/kg, while Jock Embry, Nutrien Livestock, Margaret River, took over buying for Mr Waddingham's order, with a further six pens of steers paying to $1648 at 438c/kg for 11 Charolais steers weighing 367kg, offered by NL Johnston.
The sale's 526c/kg top liveweight price was paid by Alan Neil, AJ Neil, for 10 Angus steers weighing 247kg offered by Black Market Angus, Boyanup, to cost $1299.
Mr Neil also paid the next highest price of 510c/kg at $1254 for 12 Angus steers weighing 246kg trucked in by Grow With Grace.
A further four pens of steers were added to the AuctionsPlus account with prices reaching 500c/kg for 12 Angus steers averaging 266kg from the Murray River Farms draft to cost $1329.
Benger Cow Depots Limousin featured again with 12 heifers averaging 408kg selling for the sale's $1731 top price, again paid by Mr Armstrong at 424c/kg.
Mr Armstrong later snapped up two pens of Black Simmental cross heifers offered by GL & VJ Roberts, paying to $1705 at 422c/kg for a pen of 10 averaging 404kg.
Tawkin Super Fund secured the first three pens of heifers, paying to $1683 at 424c/kg for 10 Angus cross heifers weighing 397kg from the Campbell family's sale draft.
Mr Embry added four heifer pens for the same account costing to $1578 at 428c/kg for 12 Limousins weighing 369kg from the Benger Cow Depot draft.
Mr Martinson also paid Nutrien's 448c/kg top heifer liveweight price for 11 Angus averaging 223kg from the Grow With Grace draft.
Mr Embry secured a further three pens of heifers for another account, paying to 428c/kg for 15 Murray Grey cross heifers averaging 328kg from the paddocks of MW Baldock to cost $1405.
Harris Beef also bid to 428c/kg for their heifer selections collecting 12 Limousins weighing 311kg from Benger Cow Depot to cost $1332.