Yarding: 2320
Steers to $1520
BUYING demand met expectations for the “wonderful” yarding of cattle at Colac independent livestock agents’ steer weaner sale on Monday.
The second pen of 15 Angus steers, Hazeldean and Pathfinder blood, average weight 444 kilograms, consigned by MA&AC Howard, achieved the top price per head of the sale at $1520.
Murray Howard, Beeac, said the calves had been weaned for three weeks and we fed silage and hay. They also sold 31 at 421kg that made $1460; 18 at 403kg made $1440; 16 at 392kg made $1440. Their pen of 11 at 375kg made $1435.
Rodlo Investments’ 10 Angus steers, Rossander bld, 453kg, sold for $1500 to Elders Camperdown.
J&D Osbourne’s pen of 22 Angus steers, Weeran bld, 410kg, made $1470. Their next 25 at 388kg made $1430.
Penrith Nominees’ 18 Angus steers, 414kg, Te Mania bld, won best presented pen and were sold for $1460 to a local restocker.
Wardor Run’s Murdeduke bld calves sold well – 19 at 412kg sold for $1460 to a local account. Its other pens included 26 head at 379kg and 22 at 382kg, which both sold to Landmark Leongatha for $1400. Its 22 calves, 356kg, made $1360.
M&L Jacob consigned 157 head of The Basin and Roseleigh bld calves. Their first pen of 24 at 390kg and their second of 24 at 377kg, both sold for $1420. Their slightly lighter calves included 16 at 340kg that made $1260, and 21 at 322kg at $1300 to a Tasmanian account.
Most black cattle of 380-420kg mostly made 350-370c/kg; and those weighing 350-380kg made 370-390c/kg and in instances more.
Colac Livestock Agents Association president Matt Nelson said cattle averaged about 30kg heavier than in previous years, thanks to the great season. He said demand met that quality, so it was also the most expensive weaner steer sale he’d seen at Colac. The high prices continued throughout the 2320 yarded. Some cattle were sold unweighed, but most would have been 300kg plus and made $1200 or more.
SEJ Leongatha purchased the first three pens of Charolais steers, including B&K Kershaw’s 17 calves, 406kg, for the category top of $1490.
R&A Spence’s six Charolais-Angus steers, Mt William bld, 421kg, sold to the local Eldridge family for $1470.
Graeme and Lesley Inglis, Warrion, won best presented pen of Charolais, with their 11 calves, by Mt William bulls, 386kg. They sold for $1460 to local account Beechwood.
Beechwood also secured LA&MF Millard’s top two pens of Simmental-cross calves, Tugalwa bld, including 23 at 376kg that made $1400 and 29 for $1350. Their next 11 made $1300.
V&F Tyrer’s 13 Poll Hereford calves, 387kg, topped the breed at $1460.
Most of the cattle were booked to local agents. Gippsland agents were also active, including Landmark Leongatha that got more than 350 head.
Michael Grant, Greaves Marketing Services, Tasmania, purchased a B-double load. A Tasmanian buyer, who is understood to be a new buyer at this sale, secured some 90 cattle.
Gibbs & Co, ACT, purchased more than 100 head and Matthew Weber secured a load-full for two Carter Lindsay Weber, Dubbo, NSW, accounts.
JBS purchased about 200 head, including about 30 for its Longford, Tas, operations.
“It was a wonderful yarding of cattle and a wonderful sale,” agent Terry Dove, Charles Stewart Dove, said.
“We’ll probably never see better. It’s great to see everyone get a good run – people have put a lot of money into the job in the past 10-15 years, in term of breeding and feeding.
“I’ve been around a long time and the cattle here today were the heaviest on average in my years at Colac, by 30-40kg. The sale topped at $1500 and held to $1200-$1300 to the end. The job never faulted to the finish; it was unbelievable.”
Mr Nelson said the sale met their high expectations. He said he didn’t think the sale clashing a Hamilton’s weaner sale affected it.
“Prices were as dear as ever seen it.”