Upward and onward would be the rallying cry after the combined agents weaner sale at Boyanup last week where another quality penning of weaned calves saw a steady increase in values.
While steers lifted, it was the top-end of the heifers that really set things alight when topping at $1024 and 272c/kg
in the Elders section and $961 and 256c/kg in Nutrien Livestock.
- SALE SUMMARY
- Beef weaner steers: 210-298c/kg ($622-$999)
- Beef weaner heifers: 120-272c/kg ($384-$1024)
There is continuing evidence of greater interest from buyers looking for future breeders.
Steers, while overshadowed by their sisters, increased in value but to a smaller amount.
More graziers were successful in buying along with live export, lotfeeders and numerous agents buying for clients, the main competition.
Elders
Elders yarded 500 weaners with a line of 12 Black Simmental calves weighing 395kg from Yornup Holdings, Yornup, topping the Elders steer calves when commission buyer Greg Jones bid to 250c/kg to spend $989.
Livestock Shipping Services (LSS) added strong support and started buying with a pen of 12 Angus steers of 353kg sold by F Pessotto & Sons, Manjimup, costing $918 at 260c/kg.
A pen of 12 Yornup Holdings steers weighing 347kg went to LSS at $896 and 258c/kg, followed by 11 Sydney Wheatley steers costing $924 at 258c/kg.
Graham Brown was also strong for his clients, starting with 12 Wheatley steers weighing 370kg making $939 at 254c/kg.
The top of 298c/kg was paid by Elders Boyanup for 10 Angus calves weighing 302kg from Callanish Grazing Co, Donnybrook, with these costing $899.
An earlier pen of 20 Callanish cattle also went to the bid of Elders Boyanup, with the 324kg steers selling at 288c/kg to return $933.
Three pens of steers sold account Gibbs Family Trust, Ferguson, to Elders Boyanup costing $910, $871 and $916 for up to 296c/kg.
The fourth pen of these went to Lexden Park, Capel, at $822 and 290c/kg with the 283kg steers the first pen purchased by a local grazier.
Towards the end of Elders steer offering, a pen of Hereford cross steers sold by RJ & SG Lord, Busselton, made $962 when eight weighing 385kg were snapped up by Mr Brown for his lotfeeder client.
Another vendor seeing their steers bought for the feedlot was RP Bass & KR Pinch with 10 Murray Greys weighing 365kg making $927 at 254c/kg.
The first pen of heifers, 10 SimAngus from Yornup Holdings took the top price double of $1024 and 272c/kg when bought by Deane Allen, Elders, Bridgetown, for future breeders.
Mr Allen also bought the next pen of Yornup Holdings heifers paying $882 at 262c/kg for the 10 weighing 337kg.
Jig Grazing, Waroona, bought the next pen of Yornup heifers paying $680 at 206c/kg for the 10 weighing 327kg.
Nutrien Livestock
Nutrien Livestock's section totalling 800 weaners started with an exceptional run of Angus steers from LG Ockwell, Pemberton, with the first pen offered weighing 430kg topping the Nutrien Livestock catalogue at $996 and 232c/kg going to Jock Embry, Nutrien Livestock, Busselton/Margaret River.
The next seven sold for $940 and 238c/kg.
The third line of 10 weighing 368kg went to LSS for $943 when Rodney Galati, Brunswick, outbid the competition, paying 256c/kg.
Sheron Farms, Benger, had several pens of Angus for sale with the top pen making $985, bought for A Caratti & Son.
Mr Brown paid $953 for 10 weighing 372kg, leaving the four pens for LSS paying to $919.
The tops of the steers from Casual Flats went to Mr Embry at $960 when the 390kg steers sold at 246c/kg.
Mr Embry also paid $948 for another 11 at 244c/kg.
Len Blyth, Manjimup, had his annual draft of calves for sale, starting with seven Angus weighing 405kg that sold to Mr Embry for $996 and 246c/kg.
LSS bought two pens to $927, while Alan Padman, Capel, took home the last pen for $881 and 270c/kg.
Bridgetown calves sold by PH & CE Moyes were up with the better returns when the first line of 10 sold to Mr Embry for $960 at 252c/kg.
LSS took a pen for $907.
Several pens from Bickley Grazing, Donnybrook, also sold well, topping at $963 when Mr Embry bid to 256c/kg and $963 for the 11 steers.
The best of the cattle from JA & TP Patane made $975 with the 390kg steers bought by Mr Embry.
The top of 276c/kg was paid by FB Wood for nine Angus sold account Nannup Fresh Fruit to see the 208kg steers costing $576.
Late in the steers, a pen of 10 Charolais weighing 377 kg from Len Blyth sold to Mr Embry at 258c/kg to cost $973.
Chris Waddingham, Nutrien Livestock, Capel, relinquished the gavel and put on his buyers hat to start the heifer section, paying the top price for the first pen containing 11 Angus heifers sold by RW Manners, paying $961 and 252c/kg for the 381kg females.
Mr Waddingham then paid the top of 256c/kg for the next 12 Manners heifers with the 341kg females selling for $873.
The only pen bought by AuctionsPlus on the day was the final pen of the Manners' heifers with the 11 weighing 288kg making $651 at 226c/kg.
Mr Waddingham later paid $889 for Angus heifers for Casual Flats with the 386kg females selling at 230c/kg.
WHAT THE AGENT SAID
Elders auctioneer and Donnybrook representative Pearce Watling said agents presented another full yarding of weaners with the majority Angus and Black Simmental-Angus cross with a few pens of Charolais cross, Shorthorn, Red Angus and Hereford cross cattle.
"Steers again made up the majority of the yarding from 280-400kg," Mr Watling said.
"Feeder steers 330-400kg sold consistently from 240-260c/kg with a shipping order and a couple of lotfeeders active.
"Steers 280-330kg going back to paddocks for grassies sold from 260-298c/kg, generally up 10c/kg from the previous sale with a few graziers and agents buying cattle to tuck away.
"Not many steers less than 280kg were yarded and sold from 260-270c/kg, gaining 10c/kg also.
"Some really good pens of breeder heifers attracted competition and made 260-272c/kg with the tops purchased by repeat buyers.
"Feeder weight heifers 300-330kg made 196-214c/kg, up 10-20c/kg helped by the export order and heifers less than 300kg were in small numbers and made 180-196c/kg."
