TOP quality PTIC Angus breeding females hit new highs of $2100 at the Naracoorte Angus feature female sale on Thursday, with prices $600 to $700 above last year’s rates.
But many pundits expected prices may have soared higher with the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator nudging $6/kg and a number of local herds having poor conception rates with the very dry season.
In the breakdown independent agents-Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen, Spence Dix & Co, and Chay & Merrett- sold 652 PTIC heifers for a $1715 ave and 29 PTIC cows ave $1406.
In stark comparison, in 2014, 507 heifers av $1040 and 80 PTIC cows av $1175.
Pens in the first lane way sold between $1680-$1760 before buyers stepped up a gear.
The $2100 sale toppers came mid way through the sale with PW&KM Bryson, Keppoch selling 17 outstanding March-April 2014 drops.
The Stoney Point and Coolana blood heifers were joined to Coolana blood bulls for eight weeks from early February. They were bought by Michael Cobiac, with his Elders Kingston agent Scott Christie.
Mr Cobiac said “he knew we would have to pay” but had come specifically for the Brysons bloodlines.
“Our PTIC numbers were down so we were chasing high quality breeders which will fit in with our matings to replace them. We are going for EU accreditation so we needed EU too.”
Another 20 of Bryson’s EU females were snapped up by Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen,Kingston account Chesrex for $1900.
Overall Brysons sold 54 heifers for a $1906 ave.
First-time vendors Rodney & Sue Ahrns, Point Sturt received the best presented pen. These made $1680.
In a sign of the strengthening sale their seconds made just $10 less than the blue ribbon winners.
A pen of six-year-old cows from MR Todd topped the mature female offering at $1570.
The nine cows which had been bought in the same sale four years earlier were in calf to a Warrawindi Limousin bull to calve for eight weeks from March.
Spence Dix & Co director and auctioneer Jonathan Spence described it as a “very good” sale. It had been a “very challenging season” to present mated females and he commended the vendors on their efforts.
“All vendors are making sure they are buying good quality heifer bulls from the likes of Coolana and Stoney Point. These are the same bulls they are joining their keeper heifers to.”
The majority of the females remained in the Upper & Lower SE but buyers also came from as far afield as Wodonga.
“The local guys that operated are not necessarily blessed with heaps of feed but they realise this beef job is heading north and come into the New Year and beyond female prices could be a lot dearer,” he said.
“The premium for pregnant females is going to be paramount,” Mr Spence said.
Other vendors to shine
JH & RA Higgins, Kingston sold 102 heifers to $1790 av $1760
Delta Produce sold 117 hfrs to $1840 av $1754
Panmurra Partners, Keith sold 78 hfrs av $1760
