ALMOST a full capacity yarding of weaners greeted potential buyers at the WALSA weaner sale at Boyanup last week when almost 1450 calves were offered.
A wide range of weights, breeds and quality was available to suit most requirements, with several Wheatbelt vendors presenting a welcome change of colour from black which attracted strong grazier competition.
Steer calves topped at $1913 and 512c/kg.
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It was another sale where buyers looking for future breeders saw females blitz steer prices again, with heifers selling to $2164 and 624c/kg.
A notable absence of lotfeeder competition was evident, but added live export, agent and grazier support more than replaced this void.
Picking certain sections of the sale shows the top price for steers was up $41 and 20c/kg with heifers lifting a massive $530 in the Elders catalogue and 100c/kg.
Nutrien Livestock
Nutrien Livestock started the sale with a single steer weighing 510kg from Gillett Brothers, Williams, selling for $1876 and 368c/kg, being the first of many purchases by Graham Brown.
The sale then moved to the outstanding offering of Hereford/Simmental cross cattle trucked in from Hyden by Terrica Valley, operated by the James family.
The first pen of seven steers weighing 421kg went to the bid of Richard Pollock, Nutrien Livestock, Waroona, costing $1803 at 426c/kg.
Having purchased Terrica cattle in other years, Lou Tuia, Melrose Enterprises, Donnybrook, added great competition, buying five of the early pens, paying to $1749 for seven weighing 418kg and to a high of 430c/kg.
Livestock Shipping Services (LSS) secured a pen of lighter calves at 474c/kg with Mr Pollock putting together numerous other pens for several clients to a top of 476c/kg.
Lighter Angus steers from RA & A Maiolo, Narrogin, took the top price of 512c/kg when 12 steers weighing 282kg went to Maywill Farms, Waroona.
Krisman Park bought the top pen of nine Murray Grey steers from JJJ Farms, Hyden, with the 369kg steers costing $1692 at 458c/kg.
Mr Pollock continued outbidding all, taking the pens from RW & TJ Hull, Waroona, paying $1696 and 430c/kg for nine weighing 394kg.
It was well into the Terrica Valley heifers before the top price of $1986 and 624c/kg was reached after two equally determined bidders fought it out before Cameron Harris, Elders Manjimup, was the victor on 12 heifers weighing 318kg.
This buyer also secured the second pen of Terrica Valley heifers weighing 325kg at 606kg to cost $1976, with Jock Embry, Nutrien Livestock, Busselton/Margaret River, the losing bidder on both pens.
Greg Jones bought the first pen of seven weighing 392kg for $1508, followed by Mr Embry paying $1561 for the next 10.
Ben Cooper, Nutrien Livestock, Bridgetown, bought two pens to $1496 and Mr Pollock took six pens.
Alex Roberts, Elders Boyanup, slugged it out on the pen of 11 Red Angus heifers from Gillett Brothers, paying $1981 at 598c/kg for the 331kg future breeders.
Other vendors of heifers included the Maiolo family, selling 10 to Mr Pollock at $1231 and 386c/kg, while the top pen from the Hulls went to Mr Cooper for $1451 and 412c/kg.
Elders
Harvey Beef started strongly on the heavier steers in the Elders section, taking the first four pens.
Ten steers weighing 430kg from CG Baruffi, Donnybrook, sold at 420c/kg to cost $1806 to get things moving.
The next eight from MD & LJ Armstrong, Northcliffe, then cost $1843 and 422c/kg.
Avenlea Grazing then saw its pen of five Angus weighing 453kg top the Elders steers section when selling for $1913 at 422c/kg.
The fourth pen sold account DR Horn and LF Rogers then made $1752 and 424c/kg.
Rodney Galati, Galati Family Trust (GFT), Brunswick, then paid $1722 at 432c/kg for 12 steers weighing 398kg from Kirkpatrick and LC Inger before adding the next pen sold by the Armstrongs at $1635 when 11 steers weighing 378kg also made 432c/kg.
Eleven steers weighing 297kg from Lot 66 Pty Ltd cost M Tosana, Mullalyup, the top of 502c/kg and $1492.
Mr Galati alternated buying between GFT and LSS, paying up to $1756 for seven Limousin cross steers weighing 399kg at 440c/kg from A & K Bashford, Busselton.
Rob Gibbings, Elders Capel, paid $1738 for six Simmental cross weighing 415kg from RP Gartrell, Elgin.
The top heifer price for Elders was also a case of determined bidders striving to buy future breeders, resulting in Chris Waddingham, Nutrien Livestock, Capel, paying $2164 at 528c/kg for seven Angus heifers of 410kg from the Armstrongs, with these going to his specialist mated heifer producer client.
Charolais cross heifers from Tandar Pty Ltd, Busselton, sold to GFT at 392c/kg to cost $1385.
Limousin heifers of 378kg went to Mr Jones with eight making $1285 at 340c/kg.
WHAT THE AGENT SAID
NUTRIEN Livestock auctioneer and Capel agent Chris Waddingham said the offering of weaner cattle was again of very good quality.
"Steer values remained equal while heifers increased in value with stronger competition across most classes," Mr Waddingham said.
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