This was a brilliant sale, justifying the very good breeding offered in a yarding of 2069 head of 2016 drop spring calves.
- Adam Mountjoy, Rodwells manager, Yea.
Rodwells Yea held its 2016 spring drop weaner cattle sale, Thursday, as a clash between Yea and Myrtleford the next day would have split a crowd.
Irrelevant of the day, this yarding of 2069 steers and heifers would have sold just as well, with buyers coming from South Australia, the Western District, locals from within 150 kilometres of Yea, West Gippsland, and destinations north of the border.
This was a pure weaner sale, and most cattle had been well weaned, which was appreciated by buyers.
Ages varied mostly between 5 & 10 months, and numerous buyers said these steers and heifers will only go one way, and that is up.
From the very first pen, competition and demand was very strong, and this created a sale equaling only a few of the best sales this year.
Max and Cheryl Williams, Cathkin, sold the first pen, 22 Angus steers, for $1300, and they were very pleased.
Remembering that these were mostly younger, weaned steers, and weighed mostly from 200-320 kilograms liveweight, only around eight pens sold below $1000, bottoming out at $900.
Liveweight prices were estimated to range from 400-500c/kg, for a yarding that was noted for having no one single pen of straight bred Hereford cattle.
Top of the sale, at $1370, was WB&VC Kelly, “Abaluk”, Alexandra, with 12 Angus steers.
Many sales were noted from $1200 to the top price.
The few heavier pens were purchased by Harmony farms for their backgrounding excerise, and Hopkins River feedlot in the Western District.
Inverugie Estate, Yea, sold 86 Angus steers, Anvil Blood, from $1020-$1355, and BM&MM Griffiths, Northwood, Seymour, 64 Angus steers from $1040-$1360.
There were many larger drafts of steers, giving volume buyers every opportunity to make up loads.
District favorite, Habbies Howe, Highlands, sold 126 EU accredited Angus steers from $1030-$1350.
One pen stayed in the system.
The largest vendor was Larkfield Estate, Glenburn, offering 174 younger Angus-Hereford steers, that sold from $1000-$1145.
Apriash Charolais Stud, Barjarg, sold seven steers for $1240, R&K Elliott, Taggerty, 23 Hereford-Gelbvieh steers for $1210, and Webb Pastoral, Glenburn, Black Simmental-Angus steers, to $1120.
Buyers that couldn’t buy steers, latched onto heifers, and some buyers only came for the heifers, too.
Top of the heifers was Brooklyn Manor, Wallan, selling 12 Angus heifers for $1240.
Apriash Charolais Stud’s 11 heifers sold for $1200. Most sold between $900&$1155, in a very strong result.
Considering most producers had retained the top draft of their heifers, this made the heifer sale even stronger than expected.
BR&LR Taylor, Thornton, sold 35 Angus & Angus-Hereford heifers from $90-$1220, and Marleen Walsh, Taggerty, 44 Angus heifers from $930-$1200.
It was very interesting as all buyers were there to attain numbers, and although they all commented on the prices, purchasing was the aim. Big numbers created big prices.
