A new record high of $3060 per head was paid for a commercial herd line of 20-22 month-old first-calf Angus heifers at Wodonga store cattle market on Thursday.
The pregnancy-tested line of 30 was part of a 700-head dispersal of the EC Seidel & Co “Buckingbong” EU-accredited herd from Narrandera, NSW.
The buyer of the market topping lot was Elders Yea for John and Vicky Ingham “Karaminka” Yea while a second pen of the Buckingbong first-calf heifers made $2700.
Other highlight sales from the autumn-calving Seidel family herd dispersal was a double yard of 2.5 year-old Angus heifers that made $2620 a head. Two yards of 3 year-olds that made $2740 and $2720 respectively were also purchased by Elders Yea for the Ingham family who truck home 104 head overall of the Buckingbong cattle.
Other vendor lines of cow and calf outfits were hot property on the day. The McCormack family’s, Tallangatta-based Angus herd, Te Mania-blood, sold two yards of 5 years-old cows, with spring-born calves at foot from $2250-$2500 per outfit while Jalanco Holdings, sold two pens of Hereford heifers, with two month-old Angus calves at foot at $2500-$2600 per breeding unit.
The market for steers although 15-25c/kg per kilogram easier, remained extremely solid with a number of selected lines easily topping the $4.00 level in a demand that averaged 370- 380c/kg overall.
The Buckingbong Angus steers, aged 8-9 months and weighed at 304kg, made to $1350 a head while the line’s second draft of 92 head, 276kg made $1210.
FC & PW McFarland, sold 12 Angus steers, 12-13 months and 364kg, at $1355 while Dundooga Pastoral sold a yard of 24 Angus steers, 347kg at $1330.
NK Nichol sold 11 Angus steers 399kg at $1480 while the top draft pen of 26 Angus steers, 378kg offered by DS & CG Varker, made $1450.
Another highly sought-after one mark line of 80 Angus steers offered by Burnbrae Crossing was sold in yard-lots of 20 at $1315 (337kg), $1315 (330kg), $1315 (337kg) and $1290 (327kg).
Whitefaced sales were best represented by R & GF Zauner, Bungil with a pen of 31 Hereford weaners, 323kg, sold at $1330 while Yeramba, Tallangatta sold Charolais-sired steers, 340kg at $1335 a head.
The demand for heifers was firm to easier on previous rates with restocker-purchasing on the lighter end equally as keen. Heifers on the day were sold mostly in the 350- 380c/kg price bracket with selected lines again the standout.
The Seidel family line of Angus weaners, 286kg, made to $1210, and their second’s at 265kg, were sold at $1170 to the same buyer, Landmark Wangaratta.
D& S Cheshire sold Angus heifers, 286kg, at $1110 while the R&GF Zauner Hereford weaners, 298kg, made to $1110.
Albury/Wodonga independent agents, BUR Livestock, Paull & Scollard, Peter Ruaro Livestock and Boars Schubert conducted the sale.