It was a small but quality yarding of cattle at Yea’s special female sale last Friday, Rodwells Yea, agent Adam Mountjoy said.
A total of 584 head of cows and calves were yarded, which was down on last year’s feature sale, Mr Mountjoy said.
“I think it reflects the high slaughter rate of females in the national herd,” he said.
Among the small crowd of vendors, buyers and onlookers, there was much discussion of the weather with the season in Yea and much of Victoria being on a “knife’s edge”.
“The crowd could have been twice the size if it had rained in the last week,” Mr Mountjoy said.
A pen of 17 Angus cows, 2005-drop, Team Te Mania blood, each with an August/September drop calf at-foot (CAF) offered by Habbie Howe Pastoral, Highland, achieved the sale’s top-price of $1410 per unit. Lotfeeder and processor Robert Woodward fended off heated competition for the European Union accredited cattle which he plans to keep in the EU system.
Mr Woodward also snapped up another pen of 15 of these units of the same age and breeding for $1380.
These pens were among the well-bred Angus drafts that fetched $1000 and more, according to Mr Mountjoy.
Other sale highlights included pens of Poll and horned Herefords that made up to $1230.This top price for the white faces was paid for a pen of 13 x 13 Poll Hereford cows, 2011 drop, with September drop Poll Hereford CAF by Rotherfield and Allendale bulls. Matt Ellis bought these EU accredited Poll Hereford units, which were consigned by Howquadale Station, Mansfield.
Seven of their older sisters (2010 drop cows) each with a CAF of the same breeding made $1060.
A small run of joined females were tougher selling and made $660-$800.
