ELDERS penned slightly more than advertised numbers when 962 cattle were offered at the company's store cattle sale at Boyanup last Friday.
The sale continued on a sound note, with the sale average of $1449 up $233 on Elders' previous sale at the venue.
The highlight of the sale was the sound lift in the Friesian poddie result which saw a top of $910, up close to $200 per head.
The beef steer offering, while generally of good quality, weights were lighter than recent sales and consequently the top price of $2225 was back on the previous sale but the cents per kilogram was up by 20c/kg at 674c/kg.
Beef heifers defied impressions by finishing up just on $200 and a healthy 72c/kg for the top-end.
Of the beef cattle, the pens of beef cross steers were best, with several pens requiring little more finish to be suitable to process, with these reaching $2270 and 502c/kg.
Heavier Friesian steers also had early pens offered of good finish with these selling to $2142 and 380c/kg, back a small amount.
Appraisal dairy steers attracted strong competition and reached $1220, with the poddies topping at $910.
The few bucket-reared, first-cross heifers were very much smaller than the previous sale as were the prices when they topped at $1060.
Cows and calves saw a lift in quality, selling to $3550, while mated cows with a late calving date topped at $2200.
One of the higher beef steer prices was reached when three Murray Grey steers weighing 484kg from Laural Hurst Farm went to the bid of Galati Family Trust for $2221 and 458c/kg.
Galati Family Trust snapped up the first eight grey steers from John Giumelli & Co for $1805 when the 373kg steers sold at 484c/kg.
Ten Limousin cross steers weighing 378kg from Brighton Farms joined them when making $1950.
Harvey Beef again was strong on suitable cattle, paying to $2076 early in the sale for two grey steers from Glen Mervyn Grazing.
Taking pride of place were the three pens of Simmental steers from SJ & RM Lees, Wilga, with Harvey Beef taking a pen of six weighing 481kg for $2225 at 462c/kg, the top beef price on the day.
Another 11 weighing 430kg also went to Harvey Beef for $2023 when the 430kg steers sold at 470c/kg.
The final pen of eight averaging 398kg made $1945 and 488c/kg when it was knocked down to Elders Capel representative Rob Gibbings, who was buying for Princess Royal Trading, South Australia.
The liveweight top price of 674c/kg was paid for seven steers weighing 240kg from Blewett Family Partners when bought by Elders Harvey/Brunswick agent Craig Martin.
Glen Mervyn Grazing also sold the top heifers when Mr Gibbings went to 448c/kg for the 426kg females that cost $1908, before adding four heifers of 418kg at $1876 from JH McTaggart.
Erindoon Farms, Pinjarra, bought several pens of heifers, including the top price liveweight pen at 520c/kg, paid for 10 heifers from DA Miller, Donnybrook, that cost $1638.
Nutrien Livestock, Waroona agent Richard Pollock was active all sale, as well as Caris Park Grazing, Pinjarra, topping at $1758 for Limousin heifers from Brighton Farms.
Regular sellers of top beef cross steers, MR & JL Piggott, Busselton, again topped with a line of six Angus cross weighing 579kg with Elders South West livestock manager Michael Carroll paying $2270 at 392c/kg before adding the next line of 13 steers weighing 535kg for $2216 and 414c/kg.
The early Friesian steers with weight were destined for processing.
These included the top steers from Riverton Farms weighing 700kg that topped the section at $2142 and 306c/kg.
Dudinalup Pastoral's draft topped at $2077 for a line 14 steers averaging 603kg when they sold at 344c/kg, while Fox Farming sold two for $1980.
Hayes Farm, Capel, sold several pens of lighter steers with nine weighing 553kg making $1936, going to Mr Carroll.
The best of three pens sold account GA & LE Jenkins, Treeton, went to M & L Hewett at $1852, while FJ Foster & Sons paid $1515.
Dudinalup Pastoral was quick to buy replacement poddies, snapping up the first pen of 14 from CA Panetta, Harvey, for the top price of $910, as well as the next 13 Panetta poddies at $900.
Younger calves from West & Haggerty, Capel, always sought after for the quality, topped $830 twice when bought by Mr Martin and HJ Carter, Marybrook, respectively.
The best of the first-cross heifers were three Angus cross sold by D Calabrese, going to Quick Margin Enterprises, Manjimup, at $1060.
The best of the heifers from First Australian Farm saw two grey heifers make $970 when bought by EW & ME Busby, Nillup.
The cows and calves had many admirers, creating strong bidding to see two Speckle Park units top at $3550 when bought by BP & NC McGinty, Greenbushes.
Willowbank Agistment sold two Angus cross units to GL & KR Farley for $3200, while KS & EN Roberts sold one black cow and calf for $3000.
The sale finished with several pens of mated cows from S & J Hunter with Mr Martin paying the top money for five cows costing $2200.
WHAT THE AGENT SAID
ELDERS Margaret River agent and sale auctioneer Alec Williams said similar numbers to last month's sale were offered and sold, with a total of 958 yarded.
"All categories lifted in value compared to last month's sale, with the exception of feeder and grazier weight beef weaners which were mixed in quality," Mr Williams said.
"The better end drafts where equal with buyers selective on quality once again.
"A good quality yarding of heavy Friesian and first-cross steers saw improved demand as did most other dairy categories.
"Cows and calves sold to a top of $3550 each.
"It was good to see improved interest/confidence back once again after the big dip in July, due to FMD media coverage.
"The October store sale will be on Friday, October 21, with selling commencing at 9am with receivals on Thursday, October 20 from 1-6pm."
