NUTRIEN Livestock opened the 2021/22 South West beef female selling season in strong fashion last week at the company's annual mated first cross heifer sale at Boyanup.
The increased catalogue of 391 springing first cross heifers was widely regarded as the best seen at the fixture, with the vendors' meticulous preparation of their PTIC bucket-reared, vendor guaranteed heifers not going unnoticed.
The dominant numbers of Angus-Friesian heifers were joined by a selection of Montbeliarde, Hereford and Murray Grey crosses, AI and naturally mated to Angus and Limousin bulls to calve in the summer and early autumn.
The top line-up of heifers attracted a register of 36 prospective buyers and at completion of selling, auctioneer Chris Waddingham and the Nutrien Livestock South West selling team had notched up a complete clearance of the catalogue to average $3033 and values topping at $3500 on two occasions.
In the breakdown, 357 Angus-Friesian heifers topped the sale at $3500 and averaged $3034, 12 Montbeliarde-Angus-Friesian heifers sold for $3000 each, as did nine Hereford-Angus-Friesian heifers and 12 Murray Grey-Angus-Friesian heifers topped at $3100 to average $3066.
While the sale may have tempered on some expectations, particularly at the top end, it was a very consistent sale from start to finish with an elevated average by $317 on increased numbers from last year.
Last year there was a total clearance of 258 PTIC Angus-Friesian heifers at an average of $2716 with values reaching $3100.
Black Dog Ride charity heifer Clementine 10 again took the honour of opening the sale with all funds from the sale donated to the Black Dog Ride initiative that raises awareness and funds for mental health and suicide prevention.
The PTIC Poll Hereford-Friesian heifer was again generously donated by the Daubney Family, Bannister Downs Dairy, Northcliffe and beautifully prepared by Peter and Judy Milton, Copplestone Charolais stud, Dardanup.
The quiet halter broken, eye-catching two-year-old heifer is PTIC to Limousin bull Merryvale Quamby and is due to calve from February 17.
All sale proceeds of Clementine 10 will be donated to the Black Dog Ride with Nutrien Livestock waiving all selling costs and commissions.
For the fourth year in row, the Black Dog Ride charity heifer was purchased by passionate supporters of the cause Kim and Kerrie Dunnet, OM Dunnet & Co, Nannup, for $3100.
Although the Dunnets were unable to attend the sale this year, Nutrien Livestock, Margaret River/Busselton agent Jock Embry happily purchased the heifer on their behalf.
The sale's $3500 top prices were recorded from the outset.
Volume vendor NL & E Haddon, Yoongi Downs dairy, Busselton, offered a quality team of 138 Angus-Friesian heifers PTIC to low birthweight Angus bulls based on Whitlock 179, S Chisum 6175 and Pathfinder Genesis G357 bloodlines.
The Haddons kicked the sale off with three pens of six roomy heifers which were all AI to an Angus bull and due to calve from January 30.
Nannup Fresh Fruit, Nannup, paid top dollar for the first pen and later added a further two pens of Haddon heifers to their account.
AG, AM & BJ Norton, Pinjarra, collected the next two pens of Haddon heifers, paying $3500 and the $3400 equal second top price.
RA Adams & Co, Ravenswood, operated at the top of the market for two pens of six Haddon heifers, paying the second top price of $3400 twice with the first pen a natural joining due to calve from March 10 to April 20 and the others AI and due from January 30.
The Ryan family, Goodonga Farms, Manjimup, offered 39 Angus-Friesian heifers at the sale and achieved the $3300 third top price on two occasions for pens of five and six heifers respectively that were AI joined to a Black Limousin bull and due to calve from February 18.
Both pens were snapped up by regular buyer of Goodonga Farms heifers Ross Thornton, Thornton Farms, Denmark.
Mr Thornton said the heifers are lovely and quiet and appreciated the follow up service from the Ryan family.
The Noakes family's, Chapman Brook Pty Ltd, Warner Glen, draft of 47 predominantly Angus-Friesian also sold to $3300 with another Denmark buyer G Boccuzzi & Co, collecting a pen of six heifers due to calve to Diamond Tree and Lawsons Angus bulls from January 30 to April 3.
The Boccuzzis added another four Haddon heifers to their account for $3000.
The Noakes' two pens totalling 12 stylish Montbeliarde-Angus-Friesian heifers with the same calving details were purchased by Hyde Park Grazing, Manjimup, for $3000.
Candyup Farms, Boyup Brook, presented a draft of 53 PTIC heifers of various breeding and joinings.
Nutrien Livestock, Waroona agent Richard Pollock snapped up all five pens of Angus-Friesian heifers that were either AI mated to a Balamara Limousin bull due to calve from January 14 to February 4 or naturally joined to Sheron Farm Angus bulls to calve from February 11 to April 8.
Mr Pollock was one of the sale's volume buyers, finishing with 11 pens of heifers on his account.
Jacques Martinson, Elders, Busselton, armed with two orders purchased Candyup Farms' nine Hereford-Angus-Friesian heifers for $3000 each, five of which were AI to an Angus bull and due to calve from February 11 to March 4 and the balance to Angus bulls, while he paid $3100 for eight Murray Grey-Angus-Friesian heifers AI to a Limousin bull and the balance to Angus bulls with the same calving dates as previously mentioned.
The MacDonald family, KM, EJ & LK MacDonald, Cookernup, offered 36 Angus-Friesian heifers due to calve from February 2 to April 2 to a Willendaise Limousin bull with the draft's $3100 top-priced pen of seven heifers knocked down to Nutrien Livestock, Brunswick/Harvey agent Errol Gardiner.
The Kitchen family's, Kitchen Farms, Boyanup, sale team of 30 Angus-Friesian heifers topped at $3200 with GR Lee, Nannup, paying top price for six heifers AI-mated and backed up to a Unison Limousin bull and due to calve from February 2 to April 4.
The sale's other prominent buyer was Nutrien Livestock, Boyup Brook agent Jamie Abbs who purchased 11 pens of Angus-Friesian heifers for two orders.
One of Mr Abbs' accounts totalled 56 heifers for a Balingup grazier which cost to $3200 for Haddon heifers and also included the $3100 top price from the draft of 20 Angus-Friesian heifers offered by Clews Asset Management Pty Ltd, Boyanup, which were AI joined to an Angus bull and due to calve from February 20.
There were plenty of buyers who collected two pens of heifers at the sale but the other buyer to to secure three pens was Brimic Farms, Collie, who outlaid from $2900 to $3000 for three consecutive pens of heifers from the Haddon draft.
What the agent said:
NUTRIEN Livestock sale auctioneer and Capel agent Chris Waddingham said it was a solid result which represented good value for vendors and buyers.
"The majority of the females sold from $2800 to $3200 and we thought it was a solid result without being spectacular and possibly reflected the returns for slaughter grade calves in the current WA processing market," Mr Waddingham said.
"Calves from first cross females have reduced in numbers over the years and there has been some pressure on price this year and I think buyers reflected this with their purchases."
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