Last Friday, August 7, was the day Landmark and Rodwells held their annual feature spring sale at Heyfield. The day was overcast and any potential rain stayed away, which was good for all concerned.
Landmark opened the day with their sale of 1143 head at their Heyfield saleyard, selling to the largest crowd in recent times. The buying gallery included feedlots from South Australia, Thomas Foods International (TFI), Garrison feedlot, and Landmark Tamworth for steers to feed in NSW's Riverina area. These buyers competed head on with many Gippsland producers to create a very robust sale.
This sale opened with several pens of yearling Angus steers that suited both feedlot buyers and bullock fatteners, who competed strongly. G&J Stuckey, Leawood Angus stud, Flynn, sold 32 Angus steers, 14 months (482 kilograms liveweight) for $1640, purchased by TFI. JJF Holdings Pty Ltd offered 60 Angus and Angus-Hereford yearling steers, which sold from $1320-$1540. All of these older steers sold for the equivalent liveweight prices from 330-345c/kg.
Many of the cattle had their weight displayed, which showed that many steers weighed between 280-390kg lwt. Very strong competition saw most sell from $1000-$1380, which put many steers between 350-385c/kg lwt.
Repeat buyers played a big part in the outcome. Sam Carpentari, Thorpdale, purchased the top pen of Angus steers offered by J&G Wals, Denison, paying $1380. The Wals' 48 steers sold from $1200 to the top price to average $1284, which was a very good result for 2014 drop calves.
Pinora Angus, Dawson, sold 39 steers from $1100-$1350, and B&G Wallace, Kilmany, 46 Angus steers from $1100-$1340.
A class line of 67 Hereford & Poll Hereford steers, offered by St Katharines Darriman P/L, Darriman, sold very well making from $1050-$1290, av $1182. M&D Cochrane sold nine Limousin cross steers for $1090, and account Pinegrove, Flynn, sold 27 Charolais steers of lighter weight, from $850-$940, all excellent results.
GS Thomas, Glenaladale, sold pen of yearling Angus heifers, 450kg lwt, for $1460, to open the very strong sale of heifers. These heifers were purchased by TFI for slaughter. Most of the heifers sold between $900-$1120 with many purchased for grain feeding. Lighter weight heifers sold mostly from $600-$900.
J&G Wals sold 47 Angus heifers from $980-$1120, B&G Wallace, 21 Angus heifers for $1000, and Pinora Angus, 32 Angus heifers from $900-$980.
The sale then progressed to the Rodwells saleyard at Seaton where 993 head were penned. This is where competition got very interesting with a few pens of yearling steers, 0-2 teeth, were penned, potentially weighing from 480-550kg lwt.
Producers who had recently sold bullocks from $2000-$2700 were actively seeking replacements and took on feedlot buyers. Nugong Pastoral, Seaspray, sold 18 Angus steers for the sale's top price of $1770. TFI won this battle, and they purchased 39 Angus steers of the Dennis family, for $1740.
The sale then turned to the 2014 drop steers, mostly 8-14 months. Quality breeding, and good finish aided a very strong outcome, which saw most steers sell from $900-$1420.
BM,SM&MR Higgins, opened this part of the sale with 72 Angus-Hereford steers, selling from $1270-$1420. Another feature line from WL,IFJ,WG&SJ Cumming, Glenmaggie, of 75 Hereford steers, sold between $1065-$1310.
Malanda Pastoral Co, Stradbroke, sold 61 Angus steers, estimated to weigh from 270-320kg lwt, from $1040-$1210. TG&TM Coster sold 80 Angus steers from $910-$1080 with these any many others purchased by Gippsland steer fatteners. Young steer calves sold mostly from $650-$920 with many equalling 350-400c/kg lwt.
JW,LA&K Gell sold 22 Angus and Hereford heifers and calves between $1400-$1610.
Competition was equally as strong for the unjoined heifers. BM,SM&MR Higgins sold 63 Angus-Hereford heifers from $950-$1220. T&C Howson sold 42 Angus heifers from $920-$1100, and TN&SA Knight, 28 Angus heifers from $860-$1050.
Younger and lighter weight heifers sold very well too with these and most other heifers estimated to equal 320-345c/kg lwt. TG&TM Coster sold 48 Angus & Angus-Hereford heifers from $770-$850.
