THERE was no evidence of store cattle numbers running out when Elders filled the Boyanup yards to capacity at its monthly store sale last Friday, even asking some clients to wait for the next sale, however the heated bidding would indicate buyers may have been concerned for future supplies.
The 1676 cattle offered grossed $3.23 million and averaged $1927 from start to finish, so saying prices lifted or fell is a futile debate.
Beef steers selling liveweight reached $2556 and 680c/kg for lightweights.
Heifers topped at $2235 and 638c/kg.
Beef cross steers topped at $2254 and 516c/kg to better the sale average.
Friesian steers were of excellent quality and weights, making up to $2571 and 492c/kg, while those selling by appraisal saw a high of $1790.
Friesian poddies were all older calves with these continuing their high demand when selling to $1560.
Beef cross poddies also reached a top of $1560.
First cross bucket-reared heifers sold over a wide range due to varied ages and quality to top at $2500, while a handful of lower quality cows and calves made up to $2500.
One of the larger crowds filled the rails for the start of the sale with eight Charolais steers weighing 617kg from Parclay Contracting making the top price of $2556 at 414c/kg when regular buyer Kookabrook Livestock Trust bought them.
Three pens with 10 Angus steers in each from LG & CJ Robinson all went to Harvey Beef for $2509, $2526 and $2536 at 492c/kg to set the sale tone early.
Kalgrains once again was a name recorded in the clerking sheets regularly, starting with eight steers weighing 428kg at 506c/kg and $2166 from Baypoint Holdings.
Two other pens from Baypoint Holdings went the same way for $2273 and $2185.
Most pens sold for more than $2000 with one of the higher returns going to three Hereford steers from Mooroo Grazing, Busselton, when JIG Grazing paid $2422 for the 538kg steers.
R & R Robertson, Capel, sold 11 Murray Grey steers of 446kg for $2359, going to the bid of Kalgrains.
Camden Hill Grazing sold 12 Black Simmental steers weighing 415kg to Ucarty Holdings to cost $2336 before Welldon Beef, Williams, bought another pen of these for $2265.
Well into the beef steers Ucarty Holdings paid $2354 for 13 Charolais steers weighing 411kg from D Bruce & Son to spend $2354.
Alec Roberts, Elders, Capel, was active throughout the sale with one of the earlier pens secured being 12 Angus of 387kg from IG & SB Rutherford costing $2317 at 598c/kg.
Near the end of the beef steers a line of 13 Limousin cross from J & I Cilemanoff, Manjimup, made $2234 when Welldon Beef bid to 628c/kg for the 355kg steers.
The top of 680c/kg went to ultra light bulls from Melvin Hettner when the 177kg cattle cost the Chorleys $1203.
A run of nine pens of Angus heifers from Alcoa Farmlands set the tone in the beef heifers as Mr Roberts set an equal dominance by snapping up the first eight pens.
These included the top price pen of $2235 for 416kg cattle at 518c/kg.
The cheapest pen was $2012 and between 500-538c/kg.
KJ Grazing got the final pen for $2069.
Youda Racing Stables sold 12 heifers of 537kg to Harvey Beef for $2212, while Cambden Hill Grazing sold 16 black heifers weighing 375kg to Kalgrains for $2085 at 554c/kg to be among the higher prices.
Alcoa Farmlands then sold three pens of Murray Grey heifers with Kalgrains paying $2083 for 10 with Mr Roberts taking the other two for $2075 and $2009, all at 510c/kg.
Two pens of Poll Hereford heifers from JL & J Gibbs, Boddington, both went to be future breeders with the first 11 going to Mackline Farms at $1984 with the lighter 15 purchased for Steve and Sharon Clunie, Greenbushes, at $1892.
A line of 12 Red Angus heifers weighing 282kg sold for the top of 638c/kg when T & A Peovitus outlaid $1802.
The best of the beef cross steers went to nine Angus cross from M Tosana, Mullalyup, when Harvey Beef paid $2254 for the 531kg steers, adding another nine at $2232.
Close behind were two pens of Hereford cross sold by KG Tyrrell, Waterloo, when Larry Maiolo took both pens at $2337 and $2119.
A large number of Friesian steers were penned with the first line of 14 steers weighing 683kg from GP Murphy, Bridgetown, topping at $2571 when bought by Harvey Beef at 376c/kg, before adding another 21 of 640kg for $2444.
Dudinalup Pastoral, Nannup, sold four pens of seven with Harvey Beef paying their top of $2524 also for $2495 at 376c/kg.
Western Meat Packers (WMP) bid to 360c/kg and $2193, while Melrose Enterprises bought a pen at $2181.
The best of the steers from KG Tyrrell made $2135, going to Delaney Livestock Services.
Jock Embry, Nutrien Livestock Margaret River/Busselton, paid the top of 492c/kg for nine steers weighing 357kg sold by VR Pitter, Waroona, to cost $1757.
Mediumweight Friesian steers sold appraisal topped at $1790 when Aintree Dairy Farm took the 12 steers sold account GW Smith, Manjimup.
A run of older Friesian poddies continued recent high values when the first two pens offered made $1560 when bought by Terry Tarbotton, Elders, Nannup.
The first line of 12 were sold by CT Blakers Farming and 14 from WL Olsthoorn, Dardanup.
Another 19 Smith calves also went to Mr Tarbotton at $1540.
Younger calves from CA Panetta, Harvey, made $1360.
The first cross bucket-reared heifers saw KG Tyrrell blitz the field with six Hereford cross making the top of $2500 and another eight close behind at $2475 with these going to DH Reid, Nillup, and Robert Gibbings, Elders, Capel, respectively.
The best of the Angus cross heifers from J & J Drennen sold to K L & AJ Jilley for $1820.
What the agent said:
ELDERS auctioneer and Margaret River agent Alec Williams said the quality and weight of the 1676 cattle yarded was again exceptional, due to the excellent season experienced so far.
"The majority of the liveweight yarding were in score three or better condition and had very good liveweights also," Mr Williams said.
"The heavier end of trade suitable beef and Friesian lines saw improved slaughter and feeder values.
"The lotfeeder suitable calves also firmed on steers but eased slightly on heifers.
"A strong result was achieved on both Angus-Friesian and Friesian grazier drafts with first cross heifers following suit to a high of $2500 per head.
"An indication of how strong the market is at present, is the fact that the dollar per head average was up $107 on last month's already dear values to average $1927."
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