Weaner steers sold to 333 cents a kilogram and heifers to 291c/kg at the inaugural Kerr & Co Livestock Feature Spring sale held in Mortlake.
There were 3411 cattle yarded with the quality described as exceptional.
Kerr & Co Principal, Michael Kerr, congratulated the vendors on the quality of the cattle and for supporting the switch to Mortlake facility.
“I’ve been in the Western District for over 50 years and I’ve seen a lot of yards close. We’ve got to move on. We don’t use old Ferguson tractors anymore and we don’t drive forty year old cars,” he said.
“We have to move on and go with the times. If we don’t people will get left behind.
“The Mortlake yard is like going to a five-star hotel for the cattle.
“There’s a soft floor, a roof, the cattle are drafted through electronically, its a marvelous system.
Mr Kerr said the stock presented well in the Mortlake yards and the soft floors meant cattle were also delivered in top condition after the sale.
“We’ve got to move with the times, if we don’t we get left behind. Some of the older yards in the Western District are 40-50 years old and unfortunately we all grow old and we all have to be renewed at some stage,” he said.
The sale started with two lanes of older 16-18 months steers, 420kg to 500kg, that sold from 285c/kg to 300c/kg or up to $1641 a head.
Mr Kerr said a feature of the sale were the 1500 spring-drop steers weighing up to 350-450kg, the heavier end up to 330c and the lighter end 320-333c/kg or up to $1256 – “which was an excellent result”.
Mr Kerr said there was only a small differential between the prices for Angus and Hereford cattle.
He said the real surprise was the strength of the heifer market with the 18-20 month old mth heifers making to 285c/kg or $1256
Of the spring drop heifers which were mostly seconds, these made 270-275c/kg to a top with the lighter end EU heifers making up to 280-290c or up to $1107.
There was a good contingent of feedlotter buyers who absorbed more than one third of the yarding, as well as grass finishers from Gippsland, South East South Australia and local support.
Mr Kerr said the heavy cattle were on par with Ballarat and the spring drop cattle, because of their quality and breeder cattle, were 10-15 and sometimes 20c dearer.
David and Robyn Roache and son Daniel, Kilkenny, once again awarded the David Powling Memorial Shield for the fourth year in a row.
The 17 tops of the Kilkenny steers weighed 435kg and sold for 330c/kg pr $1435, to Elders Pakenham.
The same buyer paid 315c/kg for 39 Kilkenny second draft weighing 397kg or $1250. The Kilkenny heifers sold to 279c/kg for a pen of 25 that went to Horridge Trading
Top of the young steer section went to Brandon Pastoral at 333c/kg for its top line of 22 Black Baldy steers, weighing 314kg or $1045. Buyer was Landmark Warrnambool.
The same vendor sold three lines of Black Baldy steers all to Elders Mt Gambier, SA, totalling 87 head at prices of 316c to 327c/kg.
Ardonachie, Macarthur, offered an annual draft of spring drop steers and heifers. The top pen of 52 Angus sold to a repeat buyer account SKB Rodwells, Warrnambool, for 332c/kg coming in at $973 at 293kg.
The heifer portion of the Ardonachie cattle sold to 291c/kg for a pen of 45, 263kg, or $767 a head to Kerr&Co, Hamilton. A second pen made 285c/kg for 35 weighing 337kg, and a third draft of 24 sold for 280c/kg or $822.
Murroa East Pastoral, Hamilton, sold 93 Angus, Weeran blood steers, to a top of 327c/kg. Sold in three pens and weighing between 339 and 404kg, the steers were bought by Kerr & Co account.
Alec and Jo Moore, Weeran Angus, at Weerangourt, Byaduk, sold heavy steers, with 14 weighing 568kg selling for 285c/kg or $1621 and 7 weighing 438kg making 309c/kg or $1560.
The heifer portion saw a pen of 6, weighing 483kg make 281c/kg or $1358 and 17 sell for 285c/kg or $1176. The weaner heifers sold to 285c/kg for 29 weighing 351kg and bought by Landmark Millicent, SA.
Winnidad Pastoral sold 218 cattle including a pen of Angus heifers that made 281c/kg or $1107. Their grown steers weighed in at 418kg and sold for 316c/kg.
Milroy Pastoral forwarded heavy Hereford steers that sold to 292c/kg or $1492 at 511kg.` Other Herefords included 32 on behalf of Hutton Partnership, 449kg, that sold to Landmark Ballarat for 310c/kg or $1394.
CS and NC Seymour sold 14 Hereford steers, 383kg for 316c/kg, or $1213. Vinebanks sold its annual draft of Herefords to a top 309c/kg or $1367.
Brendan Fitzgerald and Gwen Brooker, Tarcoola, Coleraine, forwarded an annual draft of Hereford steers and heifers.
The steer portion sold to 305c/kg, weighing 377kg, or $1150 for 37, while the heifers went for 269c/kg for 44 weighing 325kg.
Princess Royal was strong on an offering of heavy Murray Grey steers sold account AJ & IK Boyd, Greenhills, Minhamite.
The best was 309c/kg for two pens totaling 80 steers between 462 and 486kg, making to $1438.