STRONG values continued into the new year when Nutrien Livestock hosted its first store cattle sale for 2022 at the Muchea Livestock Centre last Friday.
The Nutrien Livestock team, along with returning and first-time vendors, yarded an outstanding line-up of heifers and steers, which drew in a sizeable crowd of both buyers and onlookers.
A total of 998 head of cattle were sold, exceeding the advertised total of 950 head and averaged $1803 and 583c/kg.
Broken down, steers averaged $1928, while heifers averaged $1670.
The sale was sequentially interfaced with AuctionsPlus with Nutrien Livestock's sale co-ordinator and AuctionsPlus level one assessor Simon Green bidding on behalf of buyers via the platform.
AuctionsPlus online activity showed there were 1521 catalogue views with 72 logins, which included 42 users, eight viewers and 22 guests.
There was one active online bidder, with two lots selling online.
Bidding was consistent throughout the entirety of the sale and good competition encouraged higher prices to be achieved for the cattle on offer.
The top price per head honours went to Nutrien Livestock sale co-ordinator Simon Green who was bidding on behalf of a local client and paid $2325 and 594c/kg for a pen of six Angus steers weighing 391kg, offered by Timaru Pastoral Company.
The second top price of $2271 at 618c/kg was paid by Mr Green for a pen of 13 Angus steers weighing an average of 368kg, offered by Coonabidge Grazing Co.
Mr Green went on to successfully bid $2245 and 644c/kg for nine Angus steers weighing 349kg from Caraban Limestone.
Mr Green also bid $2236 and 628c/kg for the same client for a pen of 16 Angus steers weighing 356kg from Timaru Pastoral Company.
A high of $2236 at 526c/kg was paid by Kalgrains for seven Simmental steers weighing 425kg from Caringa Simmentals.
Rosalie Grazing Co sold a pen of nine Angus steers weighing an average of 364kg for $2225 at 612c/kg to Mr Green.
Liveweight prices topped at 724c/kg at $1777, paid by Mr Green for four Angus steers weighing 246kg, offered by R & R Cobley.
Robbro WA Pty Ltd purchased a line of five Shorthorn steers weighing154kg for 720c/kg at $1112, offered by RW & CD De Burgh.
Continuing to operate throughout the sale, Mr Green purchased a line of five Angus weighing 254kg at 720c/kg and $1831 from C & LD Sarich.
Building a team of Angus steers, Mr Green bid 714c/kg at $1742 for a pen of eight Angus steers weighing an average of 244kg, offered by Bettini Beef.
The Rudd Family Trust sold a pen of seven Murray Grey cross steers weighing an average of 244kg for 702c/kg and $1715 to Nutrien Livestock, Gascoyne and Pilbara agent Shane Flemming bidding on behalf of a client.
Four separate pens achieved a liveweight bid of 700c/kg.
The first pen included one Angus steer weighing 216kg offered by Rosalie Grazing Co and it made 700c/kg and $1512, paid by Mr Flemming.
Bettini Beef then sold 23 Angus steers weighing 278kg to Nutrien Livestock, Central Midlands and Wheatbelt agent Leno Vigolo on behalf of a client for 700c/kg and $1947.
A pen of four Angus steers weighing 260kg offered by Timaru Pastoral Company was next to make 700c/kg at $1817 and was purchased by Mr Green.
One Angus steer weighing 208kg from Minyulo Grazing sold for 700c/kg at $1456 to Mr Flemming.
Heifers were offered at the backend of the sale and per head prices topped at $2042 and 570c/kg for 10 heifers weighing 358kg from Timaru Pastoral Company selling to Mr Green.
Rosalie Grazing Co sold a pen of eight Angus heifers weighing an average of 355kg for $2025 at 570c/kg, also to Mr Green.
Prices reached $1995 and 550c/kg for six Red Angus heifers weighing 363kg, paid by KD Power Pastoral Company Pty Ltd and offered by Rosalie Grazing Co.
Kalgrains paid $1990 and 540c/kg for seven Angus cross Droughtmaster pastoral heifers weighing 369kg from Koordarrie Cattle Trust.
A pen of 11 Angus heifers weighing 330kg offered by Timaru Pastoral Company sold to Mr Green for $1955 and 592c/kg.
Coonabidge Grazing Co sold seven Angus heifers weighing an average of 336kg for $1954 and 592c/kg to Mr Green.
Kalgrains paid $1954 at 516c/kg for three mixed-breed heifers weighing an average of 379kg offered by FG Gibson.
Eight Droughtmaster heifers weighing 322kg from Koordarrie Cattle Trust made $1929 at 600c/kg.
Some other notable pastoral heifer sales included a pen of 15 Droughtmaster heifers weighing 361kg that made $1912 at 530c/kg, offered by Koordarrie Cattle Trust and sold to a buyer who Mr Green was bidding on behalf of.
Koordarrie Cattle Trust also sold another pen of 31 Droughtmaster heifers weighing 313kg for $1896 and 606c/kg to RH Rose & Son.
Quicksilver Charolais bid $1891 and 538c/kg for 14 Droughtmaster heifers weighing 352kg offered by Koordarrie Cattle Trust.
Lightweight heifers peaked at 750c/kg and $1165 for three Angus heifers weighing 155kg sold by Timaru Pastoral Company to an Elders Moora account.
AJ Neil purchased eight Angus heifers weighing 259kg, offered by The Rudd Family Trust for 638c/kg and $1649.
Bettini Beef sold 14 Angus heifers weighing 263kg for 634c/kg at $1667, also to AJ Neil.
Another pen from Bettini Beef sold for 630c/kg and $1821 to Mr Green and included 12 Angus heifers weighing 289kg.
A pen of 14 Angus heifers weighing 268kg from Rosalie Grazing Co sold for 630c/kg at $1688 to MG Dodd.
Making 614c/kg and $1895 was a pen of 30 Droughtmaster heifers weighing 309kg offered by Koordarrie Cattle Trust and was bid on by Allen Bentham.
What the agent said:
NUTRIEN Livestock sale co-ordinator Simon Green said it was good to start the year with such a strong sale.
"It was a pleasure to be able to present another quality yarding of cattle to a wide range of buyers," Mr Green said.
"With a vast spread of cattle, Nutrien worked over time to market the cattle in the same way through a number of different platforms and it was great to witness action from new buyers both online and at the yards.
"Nutrien sold 998 at its first store sale for 2022, which is the first outside the pastoral selling season and Nutrien plans on conducting a store sale on the fourth Friday of every month.
"We are looking forward to the next sale on Friday, February 25."
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