An eager field of mostly south-east South Australian buyers kept the fire stoked under recent strong store market demand, bidding steer weaner prices to a top of $705 a head at the Naracoorte Christmas weaner sale yesterday (Thursday).
In a steer-only sale of 3800 head, 1200 under the advertised draw, a very solid price bracket of 160-190c/kg (live) was traded for most steer weaners, with only a handful of sales completed under $500 a head.
An early assessment of the sale saw heavy steer weaners, 360-428kg, sold for $560 to $705, average $638 or 169c/kg.
Medium steer weights, 300-360kg, made $515-$650 to average $578 or 173c/kg, while light steers made $470-$566, averaging $536 or 189c/kg.
Unlike this sale of 12 months ago when more than half yarding was trucked north, only a couple of loads this year found a home interstate, which was a reflection of the contrasting seasons in both parts, plus the outstanding weight of this year’s offering that saw the vast majority weighed at more than 300kg, and up to 380kg.
