Powranna
Yarding: 3001
Steers to $1270
Heifers to $1080
Competition was strong and prices held firm at the third Roberts Limited weaner calf sale at Powranna, Tasmania, last Thursday.
Straight-bred Angus cattle were best represented throughout the 3001-head penning and with the dry season continuing the numbers penned were greater than first expected.
Most of the offered cattle were consigned from the north-east, Northern Midlands and Fingal Valley, with many also accredited for the farm assurance or no antibiotic programs run by both major exporters.
Roberts Limited state livestock manager and auctioneer Warren Johnston said the sale went well with no complaints.
He said interstate buyers acquired 33 per cent with 1000 head shipped to the mainland, to north-east Victoria, NSW and South Australia. Local support was provided by the local feedlot, one major exporter and a variety of private finishers.
Mr Johnston said competition for the best lines of steers was strong, while the lighter calves were harder to sell, but still sold at rates higher than last year.
NLRS quoted best heavy steer sale from $1070 to $1270 a head, medium weights $900-$1130 while light weights made $570-$990 and very small, $445-$610/head.
Best heifer sales made $1040 to $1080, medium weights $725-$960 while light heifers $520-$730 and very small, $395-$500/head.
Mr Johnson said heavy steer calves and a run of yearling steer sales averaged 300c/kg lwt while middle-run steer calves made 340-380c and light calves, 280-400c/kg depending on property name and breeding.
Heifers made 280-330c/kg which has been their range for much of the season, Mr Johnson said.
Sale highlights included a line of 84 mixed sex Angus and baldy calves offered by AW Singline & Son, Bobs Gate. These made to a steer top of $1240 per head and $1050 for heifers for an average of $1000/head across the draft.
Mrs FM Grose, Brooklynne, with manager Luke Rainbow at the helm, claimed honors for the sale’s best presented pens of both steers and heifers. This wonderful line of Angus calves were rewarded with a sale average of $1035/head resulting from a steer top of $1270, while the Brooklynne heifers made to $1080.
Mike Last, Forthville Holdings presented 81 British-bred yearling steers to a top at $1240 and average $1171/head while Trim Pastoral, Kooringa, offered 62 Poll Hereford steer weaners to a top of $1130/head, average $893 per head.
Exton House Grazing sold 130 mixed sex Angus weaners to a draft average of $927/head, with its steers sold to $1100 and heifers to $870.
Major buyers consisted of Tasmania Feedlot, JBS feeders, mainland commission buyer Duncan Brown and David Meehan, Corcoran Parker, Wodonga.
