ELDERS ended the 2021 selling season when it yarded 1614 cattle at its monthly Boyanup store sale last week.
The yarding was dominated by Friesian steers of all weights with 1000 head of the cattle penned being of dairy origin, with 600 selling liveweight and the balance by appraisal auction.
Quality continued to be excellent with many of the heavier beef cattle fit for slaughter.
A large crowd attended however there was less demand from the usual lotfeeder support, although a number of pens were still secured for that section of the industry.
Beef steers topped at $2535, back a little on the previous sale while lighter weights reached 740c/kg.
Beef heifers sold to $2466, paid for a single older female with the top pen price being $2083, with 650c/kg the top, up slightly on the last sale.
Beef cross steers were mainly heavier types resulting in a high of $2381 and 646c/kg with most making more than $2000.
While big in numbers, the Friesian steers and poddies of all weights eased in price with heavy cattle making up to $2250 and to 504c/kg, while appraisal steers topped at $1590 and poddies at the mature end making to $1470.
Gladstone Mining, Busselton, opened the sale with eight Angus steers weighing 525kg and these went to Harvey Beef account number two at 464c/kg to cost $2438.
Harvey Beef was a strong contender again, buying numerous pens of the heavy cattle.
Busselton Beef saw its top pen of 11 steers weighing 522kg return $2436 when Harvey Beef bid to 466c/kg.
Graeme Brown, buying for Princess Royal Trading, Burra, South Australia, paid $2302 at 546c/kg for three steers from MA Gilmour weighing 421kg.
Harvey Beef secured a number of the heavy pens, including four grey steers of 503kg from KW & NG Prowse, Harvey, that cost $2407, as well as steers sold by DJ Klein to $2234.
It was not until pen 23 that the top of $2535 was paid by Harvey Beef for 11 Red Angus from BJ & CJ Ford, Busselton, when the 519kg steers sold at 488c/kg.
Semini Enterprises upped the competition by buying several pens of steers, paying a top of $2188 for seven grey steers from Bloomfield and Kay.
Tawkin Super Fund again added support paying to $2101 for steers from SW Valentine.
A line of 15 Hereford steers weighing 467kg from RE & PL Taylor, Capel, suited the specifications for Princess Royal Trading, with Mr Brown bidding to $2168 to secure them.
Rodney Galati, Brunswick, had some orders, paying $2030 for Central Stock Care when bidding to 514c/kg for eight steers sold account Lean and Green Produce.
The top of 740c/kg was paid by JG Fry, Brunswick, for seven appealing Limousin steers weighing 230kg from Kelside West, Harvey, that returned $1702.
A smaller number of beef heifers were presented with a single heavy Angus weighing 685kg topping at $2466 when Kookabrook Livestock bid to 360c/kg.
A pen of Angus weighing 394kg sold to Willowbank, Benger, for $2082 to be the top pen on return.
Semini Enterprises bought 11 weighing 430kg from S Payne to cost $2038, to be among the better returns.
The top of 650c/kg went to two grey heifers from Melvin Hettner and their weight belied their age when the 162kg cattle returned $1056.
Kookabrook Livestock snapped up the heavier beef cross steers, paying the top of $2181 for eight weighing 607kg from Riverview Grazing as well as 10 from C & D Morgan for $2346 at 398c/kg.
Later, nine weighing 551kg from R & R Robertson, Ludlow, went on the truck at $2239 and 406c/kg.
As the weights came back, Terry Tarbotton, Elders Nannup, was hard to beat when he purchased nine pens in succession for two clients.
The top of $2203 went to Marmax Pty Ltd for four steers sold by PM Johnson, while lighter steers from DM Carter went to VA Edwards at $1710.
Peppi Cavallo paid the top of 646c/kg for five Simmental cross from WL Olsthoorn costing $1350.
Greg Jones came to life on the early heavy Friesian steers buying five of the first six pens for Minninup Pastoral.
Three of those came from the Dudinallup draft, costing $2217 to $2084 at a high of 340c/kg.
Mader Group Holdings saw its top pen join those at $2053 at 326c/kg.
It was well through the sale before the top of $2250 was paid for a single steer weighing 750kg from W Rogers, Capel, when Cam Harris, Elders Manjimup, bid to 300c/kg for it.
Buyers of multiple pens included Richard Pollock, Nutrien Livestock Waroona, Lexden Park, Capel, Errol Gardiner, Nutrien Livestock Brunswick and David and Peter Lofthouse, Wokalup, careful not to bid against each other.
The top of 504c/kg was paid by RJ & LE Blackburn for nine steers weighing 334kg, returning $1685 for JR & AM Hohnen.
Rodwell Farms, Boyanup, sold 44 Friesian steers appraisal with the top aged 14 months making $1590 when bought by an Elders Margaret River account.
Elders Boyanup representative Alex Roberts snapped up two more pens of these for $1420 and $1410.
The mature poddies saw a high of $1470, paid by Mr Roberts when the line of 15 calves sold account LJ & RA Brennen created competition.
WHAT THE AGENT SAID
ELDERS Margaret River agent and auctioneer Alec Williams said the last store sale of the year saw the Elders South West team offer 1600 head of cattle.
"Once again the quality of the cattle reflected the good seasonal conditions with most in score three condition," Mr Williams.
"Values on all grades and categories eased, with a more subdued buyer interest than previous sales.
"Which was understandably so, due to the volume of cattle being sold lately, with Boyanup saleyards contributing 5000 head this week alone.
"Overall it was still a good result considering, with an average of $1800 a head achieved across the yarding."
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