Additional buying support from interstate buyers gave further life to bidding at the Casterton Hereford and Euro steer weaner sale on Wednesday.
With South Australia again prominent, the addition of Elders Holbrook for Injemira looking to purchase Injemira blood calves and an order for Tasmania made a happy bonus for the market.
In the end Injemira took home 178 calves and 20 went to Tasmania while Miler Whan and John SA and Landmark Leongatha also put together good drafts from the yarding of 1243.
The outside support came on top of strong local activity.
Landmark International made a mark and a number of feedlots operated as did JBS and TFI.
Sam Broomby Elders Casterton,said best top line of calves seen here for a long while with calves 330kg up to about 380kg – “excellent quality right the way through”.
The season started dry through April and May but tok off and there was still clover “a foot high” in some paddocks”.
Mr Broomby said the top run of calves sold from 295 to 311c/kg consistently and was pretty solid the whole way.
The second run of calves sold from 290 to 305c/kg and smaller calves from 260 to 295c/kg.
He said the strong support from interstate was backed by solid buying from local producers.
“There were a few little drafts that will go out and be finished off to bullocks,” he said.
Three pens topped the sale on a cents per kilogram basis.
The first was a pen of 44 Hereford steers, 289kg, sold account Woranga, Bowmont/Yarram Park blood, that made 311c/kg.
At the same money was a pen sold account Taronga that comprised 54 steers, 300kg, Taronga blood, EU accredited.
The third pen that sold to 311c/kg was sold account Karingal with 19 Yarram Park/Injemira bloods EU steers weighing 306kg.
Taronga forwarded 173 steers in its annual draft with the top on a price per head basis beig a pen of 26 weighing 383 that made 307c/kg or $1176.
Rosebank forwarded their annual drafts of Hereford and Simmental steers.
The best of the Rosebank Simmental steers was a line of 17 Woonalee blood, 387kg, that sold for 293c/kg or $1123 a head. A second pen of 22, weighing 352kg made 293c/kg or $1032.
The heaviest of Rosebank’s Wilkah blood Hereford steers was a pen of 15, 367kg, that made 288c/kg or $1058 a head. Best on a cents basis was a pen of 12 that weighed 275kg and sold for 303c/kg.
Long-time vendor at this sale, Kevin Upton, Glencoairn, offered 156 Bowmont and Yarram Park steers, that sold in three main lines.
The first pen of 29 weighing 333kg made 288c/kg or $961, the second draft of 69 sold to 303c/kg or $901 and the thirds weighing 266kg sold for 271c/kg or $722.
Another major consignment was the Shallum with 97 EU accredited steers, Injemira/Melville Park/Taronga blood.
The tops of these was a pen of 14 tdhat sold for 296c/kg for steers weighing 370kg equivalent to $1096 a head.