Victoria’s January weaner sales continued to steam ahead at Friday’s Elders Yea 29th annual blue ribbon sale.
Competition was strong throughout the 3050 strong yarding, that kicks off the selling centre’s weaner sale series.
Jim Hutchinson, Elders, said the heavy steers sold to absolutely fantastic rates and set the tone for the strong event.
The first pen of the day was 18 Angus steers, 428 kilograms, consigned by Sue and Michael Spagnolo, Boxhill Pastoral, Yea, which were knocked down to Gippsland agent FOB Livestock Sale for $1410.
The Spagnolo family were thrilled at the prices their cattle made. Their draft of 150 steers – reflected 25 years of breeding with Connamara bulls – made from $1050 to the sale high and Mr Spagnolo said this year’s bottom price for their draft was the same as last year’s highest.
Other volume vendors of well bred and well grown Angus steers included the Drysdale family, The Lily, Yarck, whose February/March drop, Innisfail and Witherswood blood steers topped at $1350 for a pen of 18, 392kg, knocked down to FOB Livestock.
The draft of Cremona Park, Molesworth, topped at $1320 for a pen of 18 Riga blood steers, 387kg. Keith Baumgartner, Yea, was also very pleased with prices including 22 Angus steers at $1300, 16 at $1200, 12 at $900, heifers 15 at $980 and 10 at $950, far above last year’s prices.
There was a good yarding of Charolais-cross weaners as well, with Keith Richards and son Glenn, Calivil, receiving best presented pen that also went onto achieve the highest price for the breed – their pen of 18 steers, 428kg, selling for $1380. Their seconds, a pen of four steers, 391kg, fetched $1280; and a pen of seven heifers at 397kg , made $1170.
“We’re flabbergasted – these are the best prices we’ve ever got for steers,” Keith said. The family usually sells at the Shepparton prime market and deemed the first-time selling at the Yea store weaner sale a success.
The Hauser brothers’ draft of 96 Charolais-Angus cross steers, Falls View and Paringa bloods, made from $1170 to $1280, the tops being a pen of 25 steers at 386kg.
Mr Hutchinson said the heavy steers made prices equivalent to 355-360 cents/kg liveweight which “totally exceeded our expectations”. He said the fact repeat buyers, including Gippsland bullock fatteners, were willing to bid to the high rates to secure the cattle showed their confidence in the breeders’ cattle.
Two agents from Landmark Molong, in central west NSW, bought multiple loads of quality steers. Mr Hutchinson said these cattle “could be going anywhere” including onto grass before being sold as live exports.
Generally, the middle weight steers – those weighing 330-360kg – made prices of 375-380c/kg (with the odd pen cracking the $4/kg mark); and lighter steers made 335-340c/kg.
Restockers from the north-east and Gippsland boosted competition.
Yea’s normal buying gallery, including buyers from abattoirs, feedlots and northern and local grass finishers, were able to secure more heifers, and across the weight ranges, the young females made 300-330c/kg.
A pen of 14 Charolais-Angus cross heifers consigned by Kelly Angus topped the heifers at $1240. They weighed an average of 412kg liveweight and were February/March drop and Paringa blood.
Mr Hutchinson said from reports of the Western District weaner sales earlier in the week, Yea’s could have been 20-30c/kg dearer.
