Steer calves top $2070 at WALSA weaner sale, Boyanup

A total of 1461 weaners were presented for buyers who showed their appreciation in bidding competition.

Several first draft consignments and a larger number of lightweight calves saw stronger buying success from graziers with some lotfeeders absent.

AuctionsPlus, agents, grass fatteners and a couple of feedlots were the major buyers.

Over both agents, the top steer price was only back by $15 on the previous week's weaned weaner sale, with heifer calves slipping by a little over $50, but as mentioned, well up on the previous day's unweaned sale.

The average weight contributed to the easing when the yarding lowered by almost 20kg in average weight across both agents.

Steer calves topped at $2070 and 650c/kg on lightweight steers with heifers reaching $1886 and 552c/kg.

Elders

Elders was first to sell with an offering of 490 calves, achieving the top of $2070 for a single Angus steer weighing 515kg from J & M Damiani, Dardanup, when bought by KR & S Stephens at 402c/kg.

Caris Park Grazing, Pinjarra, were strong from the first bounce, snapping up the first three pens sold, first paying $1948 for nine Angus weighing 411kg sold by RW & JW Crossing at 474c/kg.

Eight weighing 418kg from Dilkes Farm, Catterick, cost $1864 at 445c/kg, followed by a second pen from Dilkes Farm for $1811 and 448c/kg.

Jock Embry, Nutrien Livestock, Margaret River, was a strong competitor from the outset, with his first purchase of 12 Tarpunda Grazing steers weighing 385kg, costing his lotfeeder client $1863 at 484c/kg.

Apart from the top-priced pen, two black steers from ML Bleechmore, Boyup Brook, sold for $2002 when Westside Cattle Co, Mayanup, bid to 450c/kg for the 445kg steers.

Several larger drafts came forward, starting with pens from Bowie Beef, Bridgetown, topping at $1856 (2) both bought by Delaney Livestock Services, (DLS) Busselton.

Caris Park paid $1815 with other lines going to Lexden Park, Capel and Alex Roberts, Elders Boyanup.

AuctionsPlus secured the last pen for the top of 602c/kg and $1796.

Two steers weighing 451kg from ML & BR Parsons went to Mr Embry for $1967 and 436c/kg.

Another lot to make more than $2000 was the single Charolais from CM & DJ Forrest that sold to Robert Gibbings, Elders Capel, for $2040 when the 510kg steer sold at 400c/kg.

The best of the steers from WA College of Agriculture, Harvey, sold Mr Roberts for $1848 and 510c/kg.

The first pen of heifers from Dilkes Farm took top price when nine heifers weighing 400kg were bought for E & C Russell, Bridgetown, by local Elders agent Deane Allen.

AuctionsPlus then paid $1596 at 420c/kg for 10 from Dilkes Farm before Harris Beef went to 458c/kg for 12 Charolais weighing 341kg from the Bleechmores that cost $1597.

The top of 512c/kg was paid by DLS for 11 black Limousin heifers sold account WACA, Harvey, costing $1580.

Nutrien Livestock

The first pen of six steers weighing 420kg from Jay C Higgins topped Nutrien Livestock's steers when Mr Embry bid to 480c/kg to return $2016.

Mr Embry then bid to 490c/kg and 498c/kg for steers of 375kg and 351kg sold by RJ & M Della Sale, Mullalyup, that cost $1837 and $1750 respectively, before Westside Cattle Co took a line of seven for $1719 at 532kg.

He went on to add steers from ML & JL Piavanini weighing 399kg for $1877 before a line of eight weighing 395kg sold by JR Payne cost $1946 at 492c/kg.

Ten steers of 384kg sold by MJ & LV Bell were among the numbers bought by Mr Embry with these costing $1976 when bidding to 514c/kg.

Richard Pollock, Nutrien Livestock, Waroona, secured several pens for his client, paying to $1955 for eight from JC & CL Higgins, followed by 10 weighing 346kg from AP Whiteford costing $1847.

One of the larger lines were from Tonebridge Grazing with its top line of 13 Angus weighing 361kg, selling to $1935 when AuctionsPlus bid to 536c/kg for the 361kg steers.

Harvey Beef paid $1871 for 12 weighing 336kg.

Lexden Park bid to 600c/kg for 13 steers of 306kg with these selling for $1841, before AH & SM Padman took the last pen at 594c/kg and $1878.

Stoney Pastoral also offered numbers with their top price being $1878 when bought by the Padman's who took another two pens.

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Stoney Pastoral had numerous pens of lightweight calves that sold consistently more than 600c/kg to the top of 650c/kg paid by Ralph Mosca, Nutrien Livestock, Peel, for 17 weighing 236kg to return $1538.

Mr Pollock, Mr Watling and Brad McDonnell, Elders Pemberton, all bought multiple pens of these.

The best of the heifers in Nutrien Livestock's run were a line of seven Angus-Limousin cross from JC & CL Higgins bought by Harris Beef for $1886 and 526c/kg.

The top of 552c/kg was paid by AuctionPlus for a line of 13 Angus heifers weighing 267kg from the number of pens sold by P & S Barbetti which returned $1475.]

What the agent said:

ELDERS auctioneer and Donnybrook representative Pearce Watling said it was another quality yarding of weaners presented again for the Boyanup weaner sale.

"Heavy cattle saw a softening of 10-20c/kg with reduced feeder activity present," Mr Watling said.

"Solid grazier demand on cattle 320kg and lighter saw this market equal to previous weeks' sales."