Record broken at Hamilton

Forking out $940 a head for a yard of 25 Banquet-blood Nangana-bred heifers, Allan McDonald of Glen Alvie said he didn’t mind paying the rate because the weight of the heifers (320kg) would have been 50kg heavier in a normal year.

A second pen of the Nangana heifers, offering similar weight (317kg), went to the pens’ losing bidder, Robbie Paterson of Ballangeich at 225c/kg lwt or $722 a head.

In fact a good number of breeders seeking quality Angus genetics were active throughout the sale, with Mr Paterson shelling out 261c/kg lwt or $814 for a pen of the Wright Swamp Banquet-blood Angus heifers while Mr McDonald stumped up 265c/kg lwt to take home a yard of Banquet-blood Winnieburn-bred Angus heifers, weighing 327kg.

While other breeders seeking Angus heifers to join shopped more cautiously in a price range of 230-240c/kg lwt, a strong following lot feeders, feeder backgrounders and a sole processor competed consistently on the remaining Angus pens at rates of 210-225c/kg lwt.

Heifers of Hereford breeding however were not as keenly sought for their genetic bloodlines. These were sold mainly to the backgrounder and processor fraternity at prices based on 194-212c/kg lwt, with the odd pen of forward-conditioned or EU-accredited best priced to 216c/kg lwt.

Volume interstate orders were active on the lighter-end drafts of both breeds, with loads trucked to Walcha, Gunnedah, Scone and Albury in NSW while Mt Gambier agency Miller Whan John was the most active of the local contingent.