VALUES remained strong at the Elders store cattle sale at Boyanup on August 20 as per-head prices were pushed to a top of $2415 for a pen of Simmental cross steers.
After a very wet July a bit of sunshine was a welcome change at the Boyanup saleyards.
For this month's store sale, the Elders South West team put together a yarding of 1127 head, grossing nearly $1.8 million for an overall average of $1594.
Again it was mostly South Western graziers and feedlot buyers who encouraged competition.
Weaner steers sold for between 520-680c/kg and yearling steers reached 382c/kg for Friesians and up to a top of 655c/kg for lightweight British crossbreds.
Weaner heifers were in high demand selling from 470-635c/kg, while yearling heifers made 510c/kg.
The appraisal portion of the sale consisted of mostly Friesian yearling steers which sold at $1110-$1270, while younger pens sold for $810-$1090.
First cross heifers returned $1475-$2040 and younger pens earned $910-$1025.
Angus and Murray Grey cow/calf units sold from $3000-$3550.
Topping the sale in dollars per head terms, was a pen of three Simmental cross steers weighing 525kg, offered by RJ & LG McDonald which made $2415 at 460/kg paid by Harvey Beef.
At the top end of prices, Harvey Beef secured a pen of nine Charolais cross steers weighing 513kg at $2402 and 468c/kg from Parumba Plains Pastoral.
Harvey Beef went on to buy a pen of five Angus steers weighing 519kg from Geoffrey C Davies at the second top price of $2387 and 460c/kg.
The next best price was $2336 at 472c/kg for 11 Charolais steers weighing 495kg from Hartville Downs Grazing, also purchased by Harvey Beef.
Seven Charolais steers weighing 483kg sold for $2327 at 482c/kg from Callanish Grazing Co to Harvey Beef.
Kookabrook Livestock Trust bought one Angus cross steer weighing 580kg at $2320 at 400c/kg, offered by MA Gilmore.
B & E Marchetti sold a pen of six Angus steers weighing 438kg at $2306 and 526c/kg and was bought by Harvey Beef.
Kookabrook Livestock Trust went on to secure three Charolais cross steers weighing 538kg for $2282 and 424c/kg from RL & EA Thorn.
The operation secured 10 more pens including some Friesian steers, stag, beef steers and first cross steers for a total of 12 pens.
Another pen purchased by Harvey Beef made $2267 and 476c/kg, consisting of eight Charolais cross steers weighing 476kg from Parumba Plains Pastoral.
Harvey Beef purchased right through the sale to total 12 pens of steers.
Regular sale supporter John Gallop was bidding on behalf of O'Meehan & Co and managed to secure a total of 12 pens of steers,
As for the lighter weights, a pen of three Angus cross steers averaging 145kg offered by Ashvale Pastoral Co earned 680c/kg and $986 selling to MR & JL Piggott.
The second top price for lightweights was 665c/kg at $1396 for 11 Angus cross steers from Jelf Superannuation Fund to L Pfitzner.
MR & JL Piggott purchased another pen for 660c/kg at $1307, consisting of five Angus cross steers weighing 198kg from Ashvale Pastoral Co.
The Piggots bought one other pen of first cross steers and two lines of appraisal first cross steers.
Also paying 660c/kg at $1278 was Crathes Park stud for a pen of 15 Red Angus steers, weighing 194kg offered by Capercup Pty Ltd.
The next best price was 655c/kg at $1438 paid by MR Ward for 10 Speckle Park steers weighing 220kg offered by Rodwell Farms.
Harris Beef Enterprise paid 542c/kg at $1602 for nine Angus cross steers from D & A Campbell.
In the heifers portion of the sale prices peaked at $2120 at 502c/kg when Harvey Beef selected a pen of 11 Charolais heifers weighing 422kg from Callanish Grazing Co.
The second top price for heifers was $2040 paid by KL & AJ Jilley for 13 Angus cross heifers from FE & PA Parravicini & Son.
Partridge D Nas purchased a pen of four Simmental heifers weighing 393kg for $2002 and 510c/kg offered by T & L Kitchen.
J & DL Bogoias sold a pen of 19 Angus heifers weighing 397kg at $1970 and 496c/kg to RA Rogers & Co.
Central Stockcare bought a pen of 10 Charolais heifers weighing 382kg for $1918 at 502c/kg from Callanish Grazing Co.
A pen of three Murray Grey heifers weighing 382kg was secured by Telkel Pty Ltd for $1916 and 502c/kg and was offered by Glen Mervyn Grazing Co.
Crathes Park stud paid the top lightweight price of 635c/kg at $1250 for 14 Red Angus heifers weighing 197kg from Capercup Pty Ltd.
The second best lightweight price was 510c/kg and $740 paid by JT & CA Warwick Pty Ltd for one Murray Grey heifer weighing $145 from JD & JP Hettner.
The Warwicks operated right through the sale and were the volume buyer with 17 pens of steers, stags and heifers.
Telkel Pty Ltd paid 502c/kg at $1879 for a pen of seven Murray Grey heifers weighing 374kg from JH McTaggart.
Seven Limousin heifers weighing 311kg offered by Olga Frammartino made 500c/kg and $1554 and was paid by Telkel Pty Ltd.
Telkel Pty Ltd went on to purchase one Simmental heifer weighing 290kg for 500c/kg and $1450 from T & L Kitchen.
Telkel Pty Ltd finished the day with six pens of heifers.
A pen of thirteen Angus cross heifers weighing 345kg sold for 496c/kg at $1713 by BM Kirkpatrick & LC Inger to Central Stockcare.
Central Stockcare ended the day with 15 pens of steers and heifers.
Towards the backend of the sale, there were also some appraisal cattle consisting mostly of Friesian steers, with with a pen of 14 offered by T & E Enterprises weighing 519kg topping at $1953 (376c/kg).
A pen of 15 Friesian steers from Ryeland Dairy weighing 306kg sold for 442c/kg at $1353 to Nutrien Ag Solutions.
Prices for cow/calf units topped at $3550 and was for six Murray Grey cross cows and calves from MW Tucker and sold to Ryeland Dairy.
Ryeland Dairy also picked up an Angus cow/calf unit for $3000, offered by Alfredo Filippone.
LJ & KD Little sold a pen of 11 Murray Grey cross cows and calves for $3000 to Tara Grazing.
Tara Grazing picked up two more pens of cow/calf units paying $2500 for a pen of two Charolais cows and calves from BB Contractors before paying $2400 for two Angus cow/calf units offered by HL & DF Evans & Co.
Ebery & Blacklock also paid $2500 for two Galloway cows and calves from G & VJ Willis.
WHAT THE AGENT SAID
ELDERS auctioneer and Margaret River agent Alec Williams said it was a good yarding of 1127 head of cattle offered.
"Once again the yarding was in good forward condition, showing the effect of a good season, despite a wet July," Mr Williams said.
"Heavy beef steers were met with solid demand from two prominent buyers again, with medium to heavy store steers finding homes to local graziers.
"Heavy Friesian steers also met with good grazier demand, to be slightly dearer compared to the July sale.
"Beef weaner steers and heifers were also keenly sought after by graziers and feedlotters for late contracts to supply.
"The first cross steers of all weight categories also sold well to graziers/backgrounders.
"The best value buying for the day were the 12 to 15-month-old Friesian steers which in comparison to other categories were down in value on last sale.
"So were Friesian poddies, but not to the same level as the previous age group.
"Cows and calves sold well again to top $3550 a unit.
"The next sale will be on Friday, September 17."