DUE to COVID-19 restrictions, the lanes were bare of any crowd at the WALSA Boyanup weaner sale last week, but it was just vendors and spectators missing.
The small gallery of buyers maintained the very strong values of recent times to see steer calves top at $1952 and 514c/kg, while heifers reached $1720 and 470c/kg.
This resulted in steers lifting slightly over the previous week's sale and heifers easing minutely.
Quality and weights were surprising for the time of year, especially in the Nutrien Livestock section where numerous pens of heavy cattle with bloom sold to strong enquiry.
Agents and commission buyers had extra buying orders, creating consistent and strong competition on all classes of cattle.
A total of 1700 weaners were penned with Nutrien Livestock offering the lion's share with 1175 head.
Nutrien Livestock
Starting with a pen of 10 Angus cross from Westbourne Holdings, Nutrien Livestock, auctioneer, Chris Waddingham, knocked the 444 kilogram steers down to Harvey Beef Farms at 436c/kg and $1938, to start the sale on a positive note.
A few pens later, Harvey Beef Farms paid the top of $1952 for eight Murray Grey steers weighing 511kg from Kea Construction, after bidding to 382c/kg.
Later a pen of nine steers from MG Armstrong, Northcliffe, cost $1874 at 432c/kg.
Nutrien Livestock, Boyup Brook agent Jamie Abbs was quick out of the blocks, buying three pens of the Westbourne Holdings' calves for his client.
Two pens sold at 434c/kg and one at 436c/kg to return from $1603 to $1811.
Graham Brown, buying mainly for Princess Royal Trading, Burra, South Australia, then bid to 433c/kg and $1870 for 433kg steers from John McLeod before adding nine sold by Tandar Pty Ltd, Busselton, at 430c/kg and $1653.
Lotfeeder orders were strong, with Kevin Armstrong buying for Kalgrains, Wannamal, as well as for Willowbank, Benger.
The first pen from MG Armstrong, were 11 grey steers weighing 390kg and these went to Kalgrains at 426c/kg to cost $1661.
Two pens of Limousin cross were then added to the truck, from EP & DK Gardiner, these cost $1868 and $1787 at 436c/kg.
Nutrien Livestock, Margaret River agent Jock Embry secured a pen for his lotfeeder order, paying 440c/kg and $1494 for the 339kg steers in the Gardiner draft.
Angus weighing 419kg from J Shine & Co, Brunswick, went to Kalgrains at 434c/kg to cost $1821.
The next pen of Shine steers were then snapped up by Elders, Margaret River at 440c/kg and $1650.
A line of eight Murray Grey steers weighing 411kg from Casual Flats, Peaceful Bay, were bought for Princess Royal Trading, costing $1779 and 432c/kg.
The six grey steers from TH & M Rimmer, Waterloo, then sold for $1724 when Mr Brown bid to 432c/kg.
A small pen of three sold by AJ & JW Whiteford made one of the better returns when the 436kg steers sold at 418c/kg to cost Kalgrains, $1825.
Nutrien Livestock, Harvey representative Ralph Mosca paid the top of 514c/kg, for 12 Black Market Angus weighing 260kg that returned $1336.
The best of the heifers were 11 Angus from Casual Flats that weighed 398kg and were bought by Benger Cow Depot at $1720 and 432c/kg.
The top of 470c/kg went to six Angus weighing 225kg from Balajup, Bridgetown, when bought by Mr Brown for a New South Wales operation at $1061.
Natures Valley, Donnybrook, sold several pens of lightweight heifers with Mr Abbs buying most for up to 444c/kg.
Elders
A starting pen of 10 Simangus from Yornup Holdings, consisting of 444kg steers were snapped up by Harvey Beef Farms for $1911 at 430c/kg.
The next pen of 10 steers from AG Jacobs, weighing 380kg were bought for Wilfs Ridge by Elders Margaret River at 440c/kg to return $1674.
A line of 15 Simmental steers sold by KL Edwards, Manjimup, joined these at $1576 when the 356kg steers sold at 442c/kg.
A heavier line of the Edwards steers were bought for Princess Royal Trading, weighing 421kg and making 426c/kg these cost $1794.
Elders, Brunswick/Harvey representative Craig Martin added to the competition on behalf of a Great Southern feedlot, first buying 18 Angus weighing 373kg for $1658 at 444c/kg from RH & LM Rose, Manjimup.
Mr Brown added several pens, including six calves weighing 257kg from F J Colreavy, Nannup, that cost $1210 and 470c/kg and were destined for Wodonga, Victoria.
Also making 470c/kg were 18 steers weighing 246kg from Bonza Farms that went to Mr Pollock, returning $1158.
Mr Pollock also paid 480c/kg and $1236 for steers from Cotton Holdings, Picton.
The top in the Elders section was paid for four Angus weighing 260c/kg when Mr Abbs bid to the top of 492c/kg to spend $1279.
A pen of 11 classy Angus heifers weighing 389kg from AG & MC Jacobs set the top female result of 426c/kg when Elders, Boyanup representative Alex Roberts secured the pen for HW Griffiths, Ferguson, to outlay $1659.
The top of $1712 was paid for a single heifer from Harris and Fazey, weighing 535kg, and bought by Elders, Capel representative Rob Gibbings.
Several pens of lighter heifers were purchased to go to the Eastern States, particularly the Wodonga region.
