A REDUCED number of 994 head were penned at the Nutrien Livestock store cattle sale at Boyanup last week where a good number of cattlemen gathered.
Onlookers outnumbered buyers by a considerable amount where strong support of agents from all companies helped hold values to a reasonable easing.
Quality varied, although the majority of the yarding attracted buyer support.
Beef steers and first cross steers sold to $2006 and $2173 respectively to record a drop of between 70-100c/kg over the Nutrien Livestock July fixture at the venue.
Beef heifers sold to good support to reach $1793 and a top of 540c/kg to be only lower by around 30-40c/kg.
Two pens of first cross poddy steers sold well to see a top of $1105 and the top liveweight value for the day of 652c/kg.
The Friesian steer run was the feature of the sale with some excellent large drafts from annual offerings, with these selling to $1951 and 386c/kg to be down around 50c/kg on July's sale.
Dairy poddies which have been on a steady slide for several months again eased, reaching $824 and 498c/kg to be a good 100c/kg off last month's result.
Pens of bucket-reared first cross heifers were mostly less than 12 months of age but attracted interest and topped at $1400.
One line of 14 cows and 15 calves sold for $3300, up $100 on July's sale for the same description.
Lotfeeder support was lacking with just one buyer purchasing cattle in numbers.
The sale started with a pen of 10 Charolais cross steers weighing 346kg from Vernon J Bussell, Busselton, with these going to volume buyer Jamie Abbs, Nutrien Livestock, Boyup Brook, who bid to 522c/kg and $1806 to get the sale rolling.
The top was paid for a single steer marked out for a special purpose with the 340kg steer from RJ Logie, Williams, making $2006 at 590c/kg when bought by Richard Pollock, Nutrien Livestock, Waroona.
The top of 604c/kg was paid by Mr Pollock for 11 Blonde d'Aquitaine cross steers of 265kg that returned $1603 for KR & VS Lewis.
Harvey Beef again collated several pens of suitable weight steers, paying $1993 and $1858 for pens of Angus steers from D & J Morris, Boyanup, at 550c/kg and 570c/kg.
Mr Abbs secured several more pens for clients, including 11 grey steers weighing 362kg from Gray and Pimm for $1847 and 510c/kg.
While beef heifers sold at reduced rates, they did sell consistently with extra support from Mr Abbs who snapped up six pens in succession for his lotfeeder client.
The top for these was $1674 when bidding to 484c/kg for the 346kg Angus from Mathew Gardiner, Mumballup.
The top heifer price of $1792 was paid for 12 Black Simmentals sold account BO Gardiner when bought by Ben Cooper, Nutrien Livestock, Bridgetown.
The highest in cents per kilogram was 540c/kg paid by Mr Pollock for 12 Blonde d'Aquitaine cross heifers weighing 269kg from KR & VS Lewis returning $1455.
Volume vendors of beef heifers M & AJ Bell, Elgin, sold four pens to a top of $1776, also paid by Mr Cooper.
Heavy older steers sold to a top of $2172 when Western Meat Packers (WMP) bid 388c/kg for the 560kg steers sold by K & M Taylor, Capel.
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Another two of these weighing 615kg made $2152 at 350c/kg when bought by Rob Gibbings, Elders Capel.
The only other line to sell above $2000 were a pen of seven Montbeliarde steers from R & C Italiano & Sons going to Mr Gibbings for $2110 and 350c/kg.
A pen of three Hereford steers weighing 571kg also went on the truck through Mr Gibbings with these returning KT & L Warburton, Brunswick, $1943.
The top steer price was 652c/kg paid for ten grey calves of 169kg to return $1105 for A & P Pratico.
An excellent selection of Friesian steers was penned with the second pen offered topping the section at $1951 for GS & O Morabito, Harvey.
Weighing 613kg these went to the bid of regular buyers VA & MP Wright at 318c/kg.
Another eight Morabito steers weighing 587kg sold for $1903 when Mr Pollock bid to 324c/kg.
Another of the better returns was a line of seven steers weighing 576kg from K & M Taylor, Capel, when Melrose Enterprises, Donnybrook, paid $1833 at 318c/kg.
The volume vendors in the lighter weights Laureldene Farms, Boyanup, sold 18 pens from $1133 and up to $1670 with Melrose Enterprises, Crendon Irrigation, Mr Abbs, Jock Embry, Nutrien Livestock, Margaret River/Busselton and Errol Gardiner, Nutrien Livestock, Brunswick/Harvey, all buying multiple pens.
The top of 386c/kg went to seven weighing 292kg from SJ & RM Piggott bought by Mr Gardiner for $1127.
While well off the boil compared with earlier sales, Friesian poddies still attracted competition to top at a more realistic $824, paid by Mr Gardiner for 13 calves sold account G & PA Angi.
A selection of up to 12-month-old bucket-reared first cross heifers sold to $1400, paid by Mr Gardiner for 12 heifers offered by PJ & J Boley.
Another 13 Boley heifers went to S & T Granucci, Manjimup, at $1150, while Mr Gardiner added 14 from G & PA Angi at $1000.
Mr Gardiner later added nine Murray Grey heifers from the Angi draft at $780.
Just one line of cows and calves made it to the sale being 14 Angus cows and 15 calves from Crondell Holdings, Brunswick, that were bought by Steve Harris, Westcoast Wool & Livestock, for $3300.
