IF you are looking for store cattle, then you should look no further than the two Boyanup cattle sales the Elders South West team is putting together this month.
This month the Elders South West team has scheduled two sales for Boyanup, the first will be a beef store sale on tomorrow, Wednesday, October 18, commencing at 9am, while the second sale will be this Friday, October 20 starting at 9am and feature dairy steers as well as first-cross steers and heifers.
Elders South West livestock manager Michael Carroll said they decided to hold two sales as they had such a good line-up of cattle this month.
"We have split the line-up and will offer all beef steers and heifers on the Wednesday and the remainder of the cattle will be offered on the Friday," Mr Carroll said.
"With the current market there are some good buying prospects especially for those that have recently sold finished cattle and are looking to restock.
"The Wednesday sale will be all beef steers and heifers and there will be a vast selection for buyers to choose from.
"The Friday sale will mostly be made up of dairy and dairy cross steers ranging in age from young poddies being sold by appraisal up to larger liveweight steers."
In the first sale, the Elders South West team will yard 1100 beef steers and heifers which will range in age from six to 18 months.
The biggest vendor in this line-up will be Norsca Holdings, Bridgetown, with 100 Angus cross calves (50 steers and 50 heifers).
The 8-10-month-old calves are sired by Mordallup and Monterey Angus bulls as well as Bonnydale SimAngus bulls and out of Angus cross cows.
Elders, Donnybrook representative Pearce Watling said it was the first draft of this year's calves and they will be weaned a week come sale day.
"They will weigh between 300 and 400 kilograms and will be suitable for the feedlot or the paddock," Mr Watling said.
Another large vendor will be Busselton Beef, Busselton, which has nominated 90 Angus steers.
The 12-14mo steers were purchased from Alcoa Farmlands earlier this year and grown out.
Elders, Busselton representative Jacques Martinson said it was a good even line of well-bred steers.
"They will weigh from 420-440kg and will make ideal feeder steers," Mr Martinson said.
Another one of Mr Martinson client's to have a reasonable sized line on offer will be Clem Harvie, Cowaramup, with 50 owner-bred Murray Grey cross calves.
The Cowaramup-based enterprise's offering will consist of 11 steers and 39 heifers aged 12-14 months.
Mr Martison said they were in good forward store condition and will weigh 420-440kg.
Walkaway-based FB Smith & Sons, will also be a major vendor when it trucks down 75 owner-bred Angus calves (15 steers and 60 heifers).
The 12-14mo calves are based on Black Tara and Kapari Angus bloodlines and will weigh from 280-320kg.
Elders, Geraldton representative Tom Page said the cattle were on the market as a result of dry seasonal conditions in the area which has forced an earlier turnoff of their surplus heifers compared to normal.
"They are a very well-bred line of calves and come from one of the better Angus herds in the area," Mr Page said.
"They are a quality product to tuck away and grow out and there will be some potential breeders among the heifers on offer."
Another larger vendor will be RW Bevan, Manjimup, with 96 Angus cross calves (33 steers and 63 heifers) aged 12-16 months old and weighing 320-420kg.
Coming in from over the hills at Boddington will be an annual draft of 58 owner-bred Angus cross calves from LJ & KD Little.
The Littles have nominated 40 steers and 18 heifers aged 14-16 months in the 350-440kg weight range.
They are sired by Hydillowah Angus and Willandra Red Angus bulls and out of Angus-Murray Grey cows purchased in from Alcoa Farmlands.
Elders, Williams agent Graeme Alexander said the steers and heifers were all in good condition and were ready to finish on feed in the coming months.
Tara Grazing, Boyup Brook, will feature 25 Murray Grey steers and 25 Shorthorn steers which are all in forward store condition.
The Murray Grey steers are by Venturon Livestock Murray Grey bulls while the Shorthorns are sired by the enterprise's own Tara Shorthorn stud.
The owner-bred steers are 12-14 months old and will weigh 320-340kg.
Also offering a good lines of owner-bred Angus calves will be MW Tucker, Ludlow and BM Strang, Donnybrook.
The Tuckers have nominated 40 calves (20 steers and 20 heifers) aged 12-14 months.
Elders, Bunbury representative Alex Tunstill said the line would weigh from 380-400kg and was feedlot ready.
The Strangs will offer 30 calves (10 steers and 20 heifers) aged 12-14 months based on Mordallup Angus bloodlines.
Mr Watling said they would weigh from 340-360kg and were good heavy feeder cattle.
When it comes to the second sale, Elders are expecting a yarding of 1100 cattle.
The yarding will comprise mainly Friesian steers and first-cross steers aged three to 24 months plus a small offering of first-cross heifers.
The biggest vendor in this sale will be Olst. Investments, Boyanup, with 100 Friesian steer poddies in the 8-10mo age bracket
Elders, Nannup agent Terry Tarbotton said these steers were purchased as calves and reared by the Boyanup operation.
Roelands-based C & C Minson will offer 40 Friesian steers in the poddy pens as well.
The 6-8mo, owner-bred steers have had their two 5in1 vaccinations plus they were drenched and received a Multimin treatment last week.
Another big vendor on this day will be Hayes Farms, Cookernup, with 80 owner-bred Friesian steers.
Mr Tunstill said the 12-16mo steers were in forward store and store condition and were ready to go back to the paddock and put away to sell next year.
The line will weigh between 350-420kg.
In the heavier weight Friesian steer lines, Dudinalup Pastoral Co, Nannup, will feature with a line of 27 steers aged 22-24 months.
The steers were purchased as poddies and have grown out.
Also offering heavier steers will be M Tosana, Mullalyup, with 40 Friesian steers aged 18-22 months.
Mr Watling said the steers were purchased as poddies and had been grown out.
"They will weigh 500-550kg and are good heavy steers which will be ideal to finish on either grain or irrigation," Mr Watling said.
Another of Mr Watling's clients to offer steers in the same age range will be B Cailles with 40 Friesian steers aged 18-22 months, which were also bought in and grown out.
Mr Watling said this line would weigh 450-520kg and be suitable to finish in the feedlot or irrigation.
After selling steers in last month's sale P & T Duggan, Cowaramup, will be back with another draft, nominating 25 owner-bred Friesian steers from their excellent dairy herd.
Elders, Margaret River agent Mr Williams said the 6-8mo steers have good frames for their age and were in forward store condition.
There will be a number of vendors that will offer both Friesian steers and first-cross steers
Witchcliffe producers LJ & RA Brennen will present an excellent draft of owner-bred Friesian and Angus-Friesian cross steers.
The Brennens offering will consist of 22 Friesian steers (8-10mo) and 24 Angus-Friesian steers (8-10mo) which have had two 7in1 vaccinations and also a dose of B12.
Mr Williams said the Brennens calves will present very well in type and condition for prospective purchasers.
Regular vendor the Panetta family, CA Panetta, Harvey, will offer 38 Friesian steers, 20 Murray Grey-Friesian steers, 15 Hereford-Friesian steers and five Angus Friesian-steers which are all 6-8 months old.
West & Haggerty, Capel, will feature with its monthly draft of owner-bred poddies.
It will offer 20 Angus-Friesian steers (4-6mo) and 20 Friesian steers (4-6mo).
