Agents again recorded exceptional prices on the second day of the annual weaner sales at Hamilton.
The sale saw 2307 head yarded for an average price of 500 cents a kilogram and grossing almost $4 million.
Elders Hamilton livestock manager Aaron Malseed said the prices beat all expectations.
"It's been tremendous really," Mr Malseed said.
"I think if anyone said you're going to get 500-550c/kg for some of your light calves I don't think anyone would have believed that.
"Prices were 480c/kg for those heavy cattle and up to 500c/kg for those good EU cattle.
"Then as they got into the 330-340kg in the black run they were from 500-540c/kg."
Sandy Camp kicked off the sale with 46 Angus at 416kg selling for 485c/kg or $2020 a head.
Harton Hills sold 24 at 396kg for 490c/kg or $1940.
Whitby sold a pen of 10 weighing 417kg for 474c/kg or $1976.
Koala Park sold 22 steers at 328kg for 522c/kg or $1712, while Blackwood Hill sold 14 at 327kg for 518c/kg or $1693.
Giant Rock sold 30 European Union-accredited steers at 346kg for 552c/kg or $1909 and Norwood Hills sold 13 at 339kg for 520c/kg or $1762.
Lightweight cattle recorded expensive prices, with Koomalla selling eight EU-accredited steers at 274kg for 557c/kg or $1526 and M Annett selling 11 at 252kg for 550c/kg or $1386.
Nutrien director Sam Savin said the results were phenomenal.
"We knew it was going to be pretty unreal going on what happened yesterday," Mr Savin said.
"It's beyond our wildest dreams actually."
He said buyers from Queensland, NSW and northern Victoria were the most dominant across the day.
"First run of our black steers, 360-410kg or 415kg were all nudging close on $2000, $1950 to $1960 which was about 475-495c/kg, which is just phenomenal for weight," he said.
"We had the same fellas come here and buy the same steers every year and couldn't operate.
"We had local blokes here willing and keen to buy the same cattle and couldn't operate, and we don't have any cartage.
"It's quite incredible what's happened here today."
He said the sale results were a welcome change to last year.
"I think our best calves over here, EU-accredited steers, made 345c/kg, and our best steers here were in the 490c/kg [range]," he said.
"Little steers down the back were 570c/kg and those steers were mid-200c/kg last year so it's over double on some of those cattle."
Rebecca Nadge
Bec is livestock editor for The Land. She has previously worked for Stock & Land in Victoria, the ABC in Kununurra, and newspapers in Kalgoorlie and New Zealand. Contact her at bec.nadge@theland.com.au
Bec is livestock editor for The Land. She has previously worked for Stock & Land in Victoria, the ABC in Kununurra, and newspapers in Kalgoorlie and New Zealand. Contact her at bec.nadge@theland.com.au
