Beef steers top $1934 at Muchea weaner sale

The offering mostly consisted of Angus cattle, with Charolais, Murray Grey and Euro cross breeds also on display.

The line-up of about 1000 quality steers and heifers presented by the AWN Livestock network was a quality yarding, made up of local cattle, attracting both local and interstate buyers.

The sale was also interfaced on AuctionsPlus with the platform selling a large percentile of the cattle on offer through its online marketplace.

Good competition resulted in the sale grossing $1,282,319, with an overall average of $1523 per head.

Steers sold from 300-568 cents a kilogram, topping at $1934, while heifers sold from 302-498c/kg, topping at $1873.

The fifth annual WA Charolais Society 'Silver Calf' weaner competition was again incorporated into the annual weaner sale.

Winning this year's competition for both the best pen of steers and heifers was the Campbell family, AS & M Campbell & Son, Keysbrook.

The day's best presented pen was lot 38, made up of 16 Angus steers on offer by GA & SA Gifford, Gingin.

The sale's top-priced pen was offered early in the sale by AS & M Campbell & Son and sold to a Bullsbrook account for $1934 and 460c/kg for nine Charolais steers weighing 420kg.

SALE SUMMARY

This buyer went on to collect another nine pens of 344-422kg steers at an overall average of $1771 and 12 pens of heifers from 340-382kg at an overall average of $1525.

Jamie Davies, Kalgrains, Wannamal, also purchased a large amount of stock to fill his requirements securing 26 pens of steers at the top-end of the market.

Included in his purchases was the sale's next highest price of $1923 and 460ckg for one Angus steer from Venn Pastoral Company, West Pinjarra.

Kalgrains also purchased 10 Angus steers for $1847 at 488c/kg weighing 378kg from Bolinda Vale Grazing, Keysbrook and an additional pen of 16 Angus steers selling for $1833 at 460c/kg averaging 399kg from GA & SA Gifford.

Ucarty Holdings, Dowerin, was a strong supporter of the heavy steer offering paying to $1710 and 480c/kg for six Angus steers weighing 356kg from KW & MM Hicks, North Dandalup and $1672 at 490c/kg for 12 Angus steers averaging 341kg from D Manning Family Trust, Mardella.

Livestock Shipping Services (LSS) was also a prominent AuctionsPlus buyer, securing a large group of 54 steers in total and 61 heifers to an overall team average of $1402.

Included in LSS's purchases was a pen of four Charolais steers for $1742 and 482c/kg from Bolinda Vale Grazing Pty Ltd along with a pen of five Charolais cross heifers from GJ Elliot, North Dandalup, bought for $1505 and 448c/kg.

GE & HL Lethlean, Badgingarra, was active throughout the heifer offering securing five pens of predominantly Angus breeds with its top-priced pen of 13 heifers bought from JH & JM Bates, Mardella, for $1495 and 460c/kg.

AWN Livestock WA cattle manager Phil Petricevich bought from the heavier end of the heifer offering on behalf of Tenderloin Stud, Ravenswood.

Included in his purchases was a pen of 10 Angus heifers for $1638 and 480c/kg from GA & SA Gifford.

Mr Petricevich managed to put together a strong team of steers for Rory S Coffey, Bridgetown.

His purchases included a pen of 11 mixed breed steers for $1647 and 486c/kg from Bolinda Vale Grazing and a pen of 10 Murray Grey steers from the same vendor for $1541 and 490c/kg.

Eager to secure steers from the heavy end of the sale was Caris Park Grazing Company, Pinjarra, taking home six pens of steers paying $1592 and 526c/kg for its top-priced pen of 15 Angus steers from the Giffords and $1560 and

536c/kg for its heaviest pen made up of six Angus steers from KW & MM Hicks.

Michael Princi, M Princi Butchers, North Perth, bidded his way through the sale on both heifers and steers.

Mr Princi bought four pens of heifers at an overall average of $1382 and 437c/kg and three pens of steers at an overall average of $1758 and 399c/kg.

WHAT THE AGENT SAID:

AWN Livestock WA cattle manager Phil Petricevich said going into the sale there was some uncertainty from both vendors and buyers with the cattle market softening across Australia.

"It's a credit to the vendors that they stayed true to the sale and we yarded near on our advertised numbers," Mr Petricevich said.

"The sale itself exceeded most people's expectations."

Mr Petricevich said feeder cattle sold 10-15c/kg above AWN Livestock's forecasts.

"In line with other sales, heavy cattle struggled at times," he said.

"Overall I thought the sale result was excellent given the current market conditions.

"Thanks again to the Charolais Society committee members who supported the feature show and sale.

"A big thanks to the sponsors as well who donated just more than $4000 in goods and cash."

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