Slightly more than 1100 of the advertised 1200 cattle were penned at the Nutrien Livestock Boyanup store cattle sale last week, which matched buyer demand on the day.
Beef steers attracted strong demand, aided by a strong presence from live export support, creating competition which flowed to beef heifers to a lesser extent.
Beef steers sold to a top of $1271 and 326c/kg, while their heifer counterparts topped at $1179 and 268c/kg.
This was a lift of about $100 per head but slightly lower in top price per kilogram, indicating extra weight when compared with the previous sale.
First cross steers normally sell strongly but this sale lacked any heat to see steers dropping considerably to a high of $1040, but lifting to 272c/kg for cattle of much lighter weights.
Friesian steers, while good quality in the heavier types, were an exercise for auctioneers with these slipping to a top of $994, down 24c/kg on the top price.
Friesian poddies seemed off every buyer's list selling to $378 and a top of 160c/kg - as not long ago these were making up to and even above 700c/kg.
A few pens of Angus-Friesian first cross heifers topped at $1025 with just the one pen of cows and calves selling for $1025.
The first pen offered, five Angus steers weighing 543kg from SF & SL Fox Slater, Manjimup, started the beef steers when selling to Kookabrook Livestock at $1248 and 230c/kg.
Another six Simmental cross from the Fox Slater pens joined these at $1236 and 228c/kg, followed by four Charolais weighing 535kg from MG Armstrong, Northcliffe, costing $1209.
Richard Pollock, Nutrien Livestock, Waroona, was a dominant buyer as usual, starting with a pen of steers weighing 465kg from RG Major, Williams, costing $1238 at 266c/kg.
Nine Hereford cross from C & P Odorisio, Waroona, made $1150, Charolais steers of 446kg sold account LM Giglia costing $1124 followed by the next pen of eight Hereford steers weighing 455kg sold by SF Talbot at $1120 and 245c/kg, all to the bids of Mr Pollock.
As the weights lowered, Rodney Galati, Brunswick, buying for Livestock Shipping Services (LSS) provided strong proof of the benefit of export competition, putting together a number of pens for the boat.
This included the top price of $1271 paid for 11 Angus steers of 402kg sold account The Darke Family Trust.
The next 12 steers from this vendor headed for the boat at $1238 as are 11 from BJ & RJ Feutrill, Vasse, at $1266.
Well into the beef steers, J Burns and J Pitman, saw their eight steers of 376kg make $1206 at 320c/kg, bought by Mr Galati.
Jamie Abbs, Nutrien Livestock, Boyup Brook, snapped up the nine steers weighing 368kg from DW Treloar, Boyup Brook, with these costing $1106.
Seven Angus heifers from the Fox Slater draft topped the beef heifers when Mr Pollock bid to 228c/kg for the 517kg females to return $1179.
A line of 11 weighing 486kg from RG Major sold to Kookabrook Livestock for $1060 to be the only heifers to break $1000.
Selling for the top of 268c/kg and $913 were 10 heifers of 341kg from Mitchell Farm, bought for LSS.
Murray Grey heifers from SJ Mateljan went to the bid of Willowbank, Benger, costing $910 and 224c/kg.
Another better return were 12 heifers from BJ & RJ Feutrill going to Mr Pollock for $908 and 220c/kg.
The beef cross steers were generally lighter weight than past sales and this effected interest from buyers.
The first pen of four weighing 505kg topped the section at $1040 and 206c/kg when bought by Mr Pollock from V & G Ieraci & Sons.
Another eight of the Ieraci steers made $950 when Jock Embry, Nutrien Livestock, Busselton/Margaret River, bid to 224c/kg.
Mr Embry was strong on these cattle, putting together another three pens for a Cowaramup client, paying $935 for a single steer sold by GG & D Tartaglia, Brunswick, as well as cattle sold by R Walmsley & Sons and GR & SA Rowe.
The top of 272c/kg was paid for nine steers of poddy size from G & PA Angi and bought by J & C Fiorenza for $525.
The lower values for Friesian steers was not due to quality of the heavier types with the top of $994 paid by Mr Pollock for eight steers weighing 585kg from V & G Ieraci & Sons.
Another pen of 11 Ieraci & Sons steers later took top honours at 200c/kg with the 11 steers costing Mr Embry $940.
The biggest drop in the dairy steers were in the lighter weights.
The usual outstanding quality of steers from NL & E Haddon, Yoongarillup, did not prevent lower values with Peter Lofthouse, Wokalup, snaring the first pen weighing 290kg for 180c/kg and $522.
Mr Lofthouse added another 14 steers of 270kg for $481 and 178c/kg.
Mr Abbs secured a couple of pens, paying to $404 for steers weighing 256kg.
Several pens of Angus-Friesian bucket-reared heifers were mainly lightweight with the top-priced pen weighing 335kg going to BW Ridley, Brunswick, with the five heifers sold account G, G & D Tartaglia at $1025.
Another three from this vendor joined them at $550 followed by eight sold by G & PA Angi at $450.
One line of 13 Angus cows and calves were sold by Chesterhill Nominees, with the lightly conditioned cows not rejoined, selling to Nutrien Livestock South West livestock manager Mark McKay at $1050.
WHAT THE AGENT SAID
NUTRIEN Livestock, Manjimup, representative and auctioneer Austin Gerhardy said week one of the dual October store sale fixtures saw a mixed quality yarding offered.
"Beef steers and heifers softened across all weight ranges in comparison to last month's sale, although values were dearer than recent markets throughout the State," Mr Gerhardy said.
"Buyers included local grass fatteners, lotfeeders and live exporters.
"A small offering of lightweight beef yearlings provided minimal opportunity for graziers to enter the market.
"Dairy steers softened by 20-30c/kg across all classes and met with limited enquiry."
