HEIFERS sold to strong feedlot competition at Yea last Friday.
Several buyers of feeder steers and heifers competing in the 1072-yarding, which comprised heavily of spring 2015 drop calves.
Several pens of yearling steers opened the sale and some of them were not that heavy for their age. However, competition was strong seeing the top price of the day being $1580 for 18 Angus steers, 16-18 months, offered by JM Curtis, Waldara, Kilmore.
A number of the yearling steers were purchased for grain feeding from $1100-$1440, equalling prices of the previous sale. Local producers also created a lot of the competition, purchasing some of the better pens.
R&L Flowers sold 10 Angus steers for $1440, and these plus other yearling steers were estimated to equal 345-384 cents per kilogram liveweight.
Yea saleyard does not have a set of scales, but this is being rectified with construction possible in December.
As the sale progressed onto the spring drop steers, competition intensified. Oakdale Farm, Tallarook, sold 40 Angus steers, Te Mania and Dunoon blood, from $1010-$1220. Stanton P/L, Gooram, sold 17 Angus steers for $1070; Mark Walsh, Strathbogie, 28 steers for $1020; and G&G Williamson, 30 Angus steers to $1035.
The later of this group of steers were estimated to weigh in the mid 200kg range, their last pen of steers selling for $890, and it was a while before prices reached this lower level.
A few pens of Charolais and Charolais cross steers sold well, most to feedlot buyers. P&H Bonsema, Acheron, sold 44 steers from $870-$1220, and TJBC, Yea, 26 Charolais steers for $1100.
The penning of heifers was of very good quality, including a few pens of yearling heifers. This was where feedlot competition improved with over half of the offering purchased for this purpose. The top price pen of Angus heifers sold by JM Curtis, made $1350 with many others making $900-$1150.
Agents said they were very happy with the sale – while prices may not have been as high in cents-per-kilogram terms, it was an excellent result for the time of year, especially with farms north of Yea still needing rain to fill dams.
Dunrobin sold 35 yearling Angus heifers from $1100-$1150, all purchased for grain feeding. Oakdale Farm, Tallarook, sold 38 Angus heifers from $900-$1000; and P&H Bonsema, Charolais-Hereford heifers from $1000-$1100.
Many smaller, younger heifers were bought to background for future grain feeding. These generally made $630-$860. One of the few pens of Hereford heifers sold for $800, offered by F&C Harward. These were younger and light in condition.
G Owen sold the only cows and calves. Their 19 Angus cows and calves 2-3 months, sold from $1500-$1620.
