If you are looking for cattle, then you should look no further than the two Boyanup cattle sales the Elders South West team is putting together this month.
The first sale will be on Friday, April 19, while the second will be on Wednesday, April 24.
The first sale will feature mainly Friesian and first-cross steers as well as breeders, while the second sale will comprise a full yarding of beef steers and heifers ranging in age from 10 through to 22 months old.
Elders South West livestock manager Michael Carroll said the vendors had done a terrific job of holding their cattle over the summer period and preparing them specifically for this sale.
"These sales will provide an opportune time to purchase cattle just before the upcoming break of the season," Mr Carroll said.
"In our first sale we will yard about 700 head and Friesian and first-cross steers will make up the majority of the yarding but there will also be a good run of breeders to select from as well.
"In the second sale it will feature beef steers and heifers, ranging from lightweight drafts to put away up to heavyweights and will include some large lines of owner-bred cattle."
In the April 19 sale there will be close to 700 cattle yarded - making up the largest percentage of the yarding will be Friesian steers, ranging in age from four months to 22 months.
Friesian poddy steers will make up the biggest numbers in these pens and the largest vendor of the poddies will be regular vendor Negus Enterprises,Tutunup.
Negus Enterprises has nominated 50 steers aged 4-6 months that have had all the health treatments from its dairy enterprise.
Another large vendor of owner-bred poddies will be LJ & RA Brennen, Witchcliffe, with 35 Friesian steers aged 4-6 months.
Elders, Margaret River representative Brendan Millar said the Brennan calves were very well-bred and would be suitable for graziers looking for some young good cattle to grow out.
Also offering in the poddie pens will be GV Adams, Capel, with 36 steers aged 4-6 months and TA Hick, Scotsdale, with 26 steers aged 6-8 months, while Busselton-based K McSwain will offer 30 slightly older Friesian steers which will range in age from 8-12 months.
At the other end of the age scale, J Vegar & VW Giblett, Bridgetown and Hayes Farm, Cookernup, will be the largest vendors.
J Vegar & W Giblett have nominated 30 steers aged 20-22 months which were bought in and grown out.
Elders, Donnybrook representative Pearce Watling said the steers from the Bridgetown enterprise would weigh between 480 to 550 kilograms.
"They will be ideal to put on grain to finish now or to put out on grass to finish at the end of the year," Mr Watling said.
The offering from Hayes Farm will consist of 45 steers aged 18-22 months.
Hayes Farm will also offer nine Angus-Friesian steers in the 14-18mo age bracket.
Waterloo-based TM Hynes will contribute the biggest numbers to the first-cross steer run.
It has nominated 24 Angus-Friesian steers which are 18-22 months old and eight Simmental-Friesian steers that are 18-20 months old alongside six Friesian steers in the 20-22mo age range.
Elders, Boyanup representative Alex Roberts said the steers on offer from the Hynes were purchased in as young steers and grown out.
"It is a very regrettable sale for the Hynes, they would normally hold on to them for longer but due to the season they are putting them on the market now," Mr Roberts said.
"They are good forward stores, which will fatten in no time.
"All the work has been done with them."
The sale will round out with a run of breeders and the largest vendor in these pens will be BR & DR Marsh, Warner Glen, which will offer 25 first-cross cows and calves as part of a genuine herd dispersal.
The offering from the Marshs will consist of 14 Angus-Friesians, seven Hereford-Friesians, two Murray Grey-Friesians, which are all third to fifth calvers, and two second cross Charolais third calvers.
Mr Millar said the females on offer from the Marshs had all been purchased out of the Elders Boyanup Supreme Springing heifer sale.
"They have either Murray Grey, Hereford or Charolais calves at foot," he said.
Also offering in these pens will be AD & RM Corker, Kirup, which will present five Angus first calvers with 1mo Angus calves at foot and have not been rejoined.
Mr Watling said the females from the Corkers would be ideal for anyone looking to top up with some good young breeders.
In the beef sale on April 24 a bigger yarding of about 1400 cattle is expected.
The biggest vendor in this sale will be Alcoa Farmlands, Wagerup and Pinjarra, when it offers its first major draft of 2023-drop calves.
Alcoa Farmlands has nominated 400 weaners comprising 250 Angus steers, 40 Murray Grey steers 70 Angus heifers and 40 Murray Grey heifers, which are all 10-12 months old.
When buying bulls, Alcoa Farmlands focuses on selecting bulls with a moderate birthweight to ensure both their steers and heifers grow out well and also high 200 and 400-day growth rates to ensure performance of its cattle both in the feedlot and in the paddock.
Also over the past few years it has also targeted a high carcase weight, eye muscle area and retail beef yield to ensure its cattle are meeting the needs of the end consumer and yielding in the top percentage.
Most of its weaners are destined to reach the supermarkets as a grassfed yearling or from feedlot fed over 100 days so the key indicators identified in its sires must exhibit the traits that get the best performing data.
The main Angus bloodlines in the herd are Koojan Hills, Gandy and Little Meadows, while the Murray Greys are based on Melaleuca bloodlines.
Mr Watling said the Alcoa Farmlands steer weaners would be sold with the Elders Feeder Ready status and would be considered to be a good line for any program buyers might be looking to fill.
"Alcoa is selling all this year's steers with Feeder Ready status which gives the ultimate start to ensure health and growth performance going forward," Mr Watling said.
"The steer offering will weigh from 340-380kg and are ready to go into the feedlot or fatten on grass.
"The Angus heifer line will weigh from 280-300kg and being lightweights will be ideal to put away on grass and grow out, while the Murray Grey heifers will be slightly heavier at 300-340kg.
"Both lines of heifers will also provide an opportunity for producers looking for future breeders."
Another large vendor will be FB Smith & Sons, Walkaway, which has nominated 70 Angus steers and 30 Angus heifers, which are 10-12 months old.
The steers will weigh from 300-320kg and the heifers 280-300kg.
Elders, Mingenew agent Ross Tyndale-Powell said the Smiths conducted a significant AI program with its herd and then backed it up with Kapari Angus bulls.
"They one well-bred, deep-bodied calves and there will be potential future breeders among the heifer offering," Mr Tyndale-Powell said.
Busselton-based HJ & GM Allen will also be a major supplier of Angus steers to the line-up having nominated 40 owner-bred steers.
Elders, Busselton representative Jacques Martinson said the 12-14mo steers were based on Blackrock bloodlines and would weigh 320-400kg.
Another of Mr Martinson's clients to offer cattle will be A & K Bashford, Busselton.
The Bashfords have nominated 30 Limousin cross calves (15 steers and 15 heifers) aged 12-14 months in the 340-360kg weight range.
The owner-bred calves are sired by Limousin bulls and out of mixed breed Angus and Red Angus cows.
Mr Martinson said the steers and heifers from the Bashfords were showing good weight for age and would be ideal for either backgrounds or lotfeeders.
Harvey-based JA & LP Andony will also be one of the larger vendors with 55 Angus calves (40 steers and 15 heifers).
The 10-12mo calves are based on Sheron Farms Angus bloodlines and were weaned in December.
Elders, Harvey/Brunswick agent Craig Martin said the steers would weigh from 380-400kg and would be ideal feedlot cattle while the heifers would weigh from 340-360kg and there would be future breeders among the line.
Gibbs Creek, Harvey, will also offer numbers and will truck in 49 Angus calves (19 steers and 30 heifers) aged 10-12 months based on Gandy Angus bloodlines.
He said both the steers and heifers would weigh from 260-340kg.
"The heavier ones will be suitable for feedlot entry while the lighter ones could go out on grass to finish later in the year," Mr Martin said.
Coming in from Wilga will be a line of owner-bred Simmental cattle from SJ & RM Lees.
The Lees have nominated eight yearling steers (20-22 months), 30 Simmental weaners (15 steers and 15 heifers) aged 10-12 months.
Mr Watling said the steers and heifers were based on the Lees' own bloodlines from when they had a stud registered.
"They are good young cattle which have a good reputation for growing out well," he said.
- For further information contact Michael Carroll on 0427 975 620.
