MOUNT GAMBIER
Yarding: 1806
Steers to $1690
Heifers to $1590
Cows with calves at-foot to $2600
PTIC females to $1620
THIS month’s Mount Gambier store cattle sale had a reduction in numbers at 1806, and all classes sold firm to significantly dearer on the March auction.
Elders agent David Creek said he thought the sale was very solid.
“In places, heifers were $60-$70 dearer than the March sale, with most going to local restockers, and feedlots missing out,” he said.
He said an outstanding run of Charolais cattle sold particularly well, with ‘the steer job solid right through’ on a reasonably good quality yarding.
Mr Creek believes after the quantum leap in cattle prices last year, and with prices still on the rise, there is a new base in the market, which he expects to see stay in place for at least the next two years.
A clear premium was paid was paid for cattle with European Union or Pasturefed Cattle Assurance Scheme accreditation, particularly heifers.
Heavy Angus steers weighing 400 kilograms-plus sold at firm to dearer rates of $3.13 to $3.61/kg, while heavy coloured steers also sold dearer from $3.30-$3.79/kg.
Thomas Foods International bought about 50 heavier types, with weights from 397-493kg, paying the top price of the day for 15 Glentanner-blood Angus steers, 18 months, 493kg, at $1690 or $3.43/kg and a second draft, 458kg, at $1590 or $3.47/kg, both from AR&KJ Lucas, Kongorong.
TFI also bought seven Hereford steers, 433kg, at $1475 or $3.40/kg and nine Hereford steers, 397kg, at $1350 or $3.40/kg, both drafts from Warreanga Pastoral Co, Donovans.
Teys Australia bought about 40 Angus, Angus-cross and coloured steers weighing from 339-463kg, including seven Angus-cross steers, 463kg, at $1620 or $3.50/kg from Regent’s Gate, Heathmore, Vic, 12 Angus steers, 426kg, at $1530 or $3.59/kg, from Heatimera, Heywood, Vic. Teys also bought three Angus-Charolais steers, 433kg, at $1430 or $3.30/kg, from WE&JM Ludwig, Robe, and a draft of five Red Angus-cross steers, 8-10 months, 339kg, at $1150 or $3.39/kg from the same vendor.
Feedlot buyers for Princess Royal were also competing for Angus steers about the 400kg weight range, buying 11 Angus steers, 12-14 months, 413kg, at $1490 or $3.61/kg, from DM Scanlon, Millicent, and a draft of 15 Granite Ridge-bld Angus steers, 397kg, at $1465 or $3.69/kg from Bask Trust, Kingston SE.
Mid-weight Angus steers 350-400kg, sold firm to dearer, from $3.23-$3.79/kg and coloured steers in this weight range were firm, at rates of $3.39-$3.73/kg.
Iluka Estate, Beachport, sold 10 Angus-cross steers, 14-16 months, 403kg, at $1420 or $3.52/kg to Creek Livestock, Mt Gambier. The same vendor also sold 47 Hereford steers with weights from 409-369kg for an average of $1353. Their top draft, 409kg, sold at $1430 or $3.49/kg.
Morella, Burrungule, sold 15 Nampara-bld Angus steers, 11-12 months, 375kg, at $1410 or $3.76/kg to Miller Whan & John and Roxley Park, Yahl, sold 15 Pathfinder-bld Angus steers, 381kg, at $1445 or $3.79/kg to Green Triangle Livestock.
Megaw Farms, Allendale, Vic, sold nine Angus steers, 354kg, at $1345 or $3.80/kg to Miller Whan & John, while Avonlea, Strathdownie, Vic, sold 16 Yoho-bld Hereford steers, 371kg, at $1385 or $3.73/kg to Green Triangle Livestock.
Angus steers in the 300-350kg weight range sold significantly dearer, between $3.63-$4.04/kg, 10-15c/kg up on March prices. Coloured steers in this weight range were firm at rates from $3.39-$3.87/kg.
Lighter steers weighing less than 300kg sold from $3.98-$4.31/kg and lighter coloured steers sold around the $3.55/kg mark, with unweighed steers making above an estimated $4.50/kg.
Kent Properties, Canunda, sold eight Angus and Angus-cross steers, 10-12 months, 332kg, at $1210 or $3.64/kg to Miller Whan & John and a draft of Composite steers, 350kg, at $1270 or $3.63/kg to Creek Livestock.
GL&LK Peel, Mt Benson, sold 13 Angus steers, 8-10 months, 325kg, at $1255 or $3.86/kg to Southern Australian Livestock and a second draft, 293kg, at $1220 or $4.16/kg to Landmark Millicent.
Yalkuri, Narrung, sold 25 PCAS-eligible Angus steers, 10 months, January-weaned, at $1250 or $4.04/kg to Ray White Keatley Livestock and PD Green, Thornlea, sold seven Angus-cross steers, 8-9 months, 315kg, at $1175 or $3.73/kg to O’Connor & Graney.
Roma Downs Pastoral Co, Keith, sold 11 EU-accredited, Hazeldean-bld Angus steers, 8-9 months, 316kg, at $1260 or $3.99/kg to Spence Dix & Co’s Mark O’Leary.
Griffen Pastoral Co, Biscuit Flat, sold 38 Angus-cross steers with weights from 348-359kg for an average of $1346, the top draft selling at $1350 or $3.76/kg to Miller Whan & John. The same vendor also sold 29 Hereford steers with weights from 344-375kg for an average of $1292, and the top draft, 375kg, at $1330 or $3.55/kg to Green Triangle Livestock.
Benbullen Farms, Meningie, sold 29 Angus-cross steers, 9-10 months, 334kg, at $1305 or $3.91/kg to Miller Whan & John and Allisford Enterprises, Beachport, sold 18 Angus steers, 8-9 months, 327kg, at $1285 or $3.93/kg to Ray White Keatley Livestock.
Woolshed, Heywood, Vic, sold 13 Maneroo-bld Angus steers, 295kg, at $1210 or $4.10/kg to Landmark Millicent.
Tuscanna, Kingston SE, sold 96 spring-drop Angus steers, 8-9 months, with weights from 220-289kg, for an average of $1169. The top draft, 321kg, sold at $1285 or $4/kg to Spence Dix & Co, while a second draft, 260kg, sold at $1120 or $4.31/kg to Green Triangle Livestock.
Several pens of Friesian and Friesian-cross steers were offered, selling from $670 to a top of $850 for a draft of five Angus-Friesian steers sold a/c Tulkineara.
There were only 38 cows with calves offered. Prance Pastoral, Millicent, sold 12 Hereford-Friesian cows, with 12 Limousin-cross calves at-foot, not rejoined, at the top money of $ 2600 to Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen.
A draft of five Angus-Friesian heifers with five Charolais calves at-foot from Tulkineara sold at $2020 to Green Triangle Livestock.
A single draft of pregnancy-tested in-calf Angus-cross heifers, were offered by Tulkineara, selling at $1620 to Elders Mt Gambier.
All classes of heifers sold dearer than last month to an unusually full gallery of buyers.
Heifers weighing 400kg-plus made about $3.76/kg, while those from 350-400kg made $3.42-$3.77/kg. Heifers weighing 300-350kg made $3.45-$3.68/kg, and lighter heifers weighing less than 300kg made the biggest increase, selling from $3.56-$3.87/kg.
Heifer prices were pushed along by the regular bidders, as well as those who had missed out on the steer run and were not wanting to go home empty handed.
SL&VK Clarke sold 10 Goodnwindi-bld Charolais-Red Angus heifers, 423kg, to $1590 or $3.76/kg to DJ&MA Loxton, Greenways.
Millanda Estate, Mt Gambier, sold 14 Nampara and Weeran-bld Angus heifers 11-12 months, at $1495 or $3.77/kg to Elders Lucindale and Roma Downs Pastoral Co, Keith, sold 24 Hazeldean-bld Angus heifers 9-10 months, EU-accredited, 292kg, at $1130 or $3.87/kg to Princess Royal.
McLeay Pastoral, Keith, sold 11 Angus-Murray Grey heifers, 325kg, at $1175 or $3.61/kg to Creek Livestock and Elm Grove, Mingbool, sold 11 Angus-cross heifers, 6-8 months, 285kg, at $1030 or $3.61/kg.
DN&RK McLennan, Mumbannar, Vic, sold 14 Nampara and Boonaroo-bld Angus heifers, 10-12 months, PCAS and EU-accredited, 355kg, at $1300 or $3.66/kg, and a second draft, 295kg, at $1100 or $3.73/kg, both selling to Thomas DeGaris & Clarkson; and 12 EU-accredited Angus-cross heifers, 342kg, at $1170 or $3.42/kg to Drew Agnew, Furner.