Yarded: 1648, av wt 350kg
Steers:
- 360-450kg $1000-$1248, av 292c
- 280-360kg: $850-$1073, av 298c
Heifers
- 360-450kg: $1020-$1157, av 284c
- 280-360kg: $860-$1008, av 289c
SOUTHERN domestic opportunity feeders, with the supermarket supply chain in mind, offered steady but softer than expected competition for a Euro-breeds yarding of mixed sex weaner calves at Hamilton on Tuesday.
Operating as Day four of the 2018 Hamilton weaner series, buyer agents from South Gippsland, Pakenham and Benalla secured the lions share of the yarding along with underpinning support by major feeders from Burra, SA, Murray Downs, NSW and domestic processors at Kyneton and Swan Hill.
The penning of 1648, which for the fourth time this series weighed exactly the same average weight as 12 months ago – 350kg – offered a dominance of Charolais-sired stock along with a small selection each of Limousin and Simmental-infused steers and heifers.
It was the third occasion of a standalone Euro-breeds sale for the Hamilton weaner series and the numbers this year were slightly increased on the 1588 head cleared 12 months ago.
Opening the sale a yard of 427 kilogram Boolong Charolais steers, offered by Des and Mary Stuchbery of Heywood, was bid to 284c/kg by Landmark Leongatha to realize $1212 a head.
The Landmark claimed some 300 head for four clients across the yarding, with its haul also securing the second pen of the Boolong steers, 384kg at 293c or $1125 a head.
Pakenham agents, Rodwells and Elders were each displayed a strong interest as ongoing repeat buyers. The Elders order booked 18 Grassland steers 410kg at 300c/kg while the Rodwell made a clean sweep of two pure Apricot Limousin lines, paying 299c/kg for the tops of Innisfail draft, 393kg and 310c/kg for the lead of EF Neeson and Sons’ pen of 17, 373kg.
As a repeat buyer Rodwells’ Benalla branch returned to claim the entire draft of The Highlands Simmental-Shorthorn-Hereford steers offered by Malcolm and Sherri Robertson of Paschendale.
The tops of the Highland steers, 418kg, were bid to 295c/kg or $1233 while the second draft of 52, 378kg made 310c/kg or $1171.
The rewards of the market’s best price however fell to the Armytage family, Willaura, with the Delamere Charolais steers, 426kg that made 293c/kg and returned $1248/head while the second pen of the Delamere line with 30 penned at 389kg was bid to 295c/kg or $1147/head.
Throughout the sale a reasonable number of vendor lines were penned offering EU-accredited. However with only one feedlot buyer interested in EU – Princes Royal Station, Burra, SA – the vast majority were dropped out of the scheme with no noticeable premium forthcoming.