NARACOORTE
Yarding: 753
Steers to $1373 av $1050
Heifers to $1137 av $894
Cows with calves $1625
PRICES fell 20 to 30 cents a kilogram on the previous month across most categories at the Naracoorte combined agents’ monthly store cattle sale, on Thursday last week.
The market has dropped significantly in the past two months making many potential buyers nervous about how much further prices could fall.
SA’s two major processors hardly bought a pen but some backgrounders, enjoying an exceptional season, saw opportunities.
The 753 head yarding featured some good lines of spring-2016 drops.
Top price steer honours went to Reedy Park Pastoral for 14 Angus-Shorthorns weighing 440kg.
These were snapped up by Thomas DeGaris&Clarkson account Wooding &Co at $1373.
Landmark Kingston’s Richard Miller was one of the major buyers securing 235 steers and heifers for a Kingston backgrounder, more than half of them EU accredited.
Among his buys were 12 Boonaroo blood Angus steers from Carrawatha Pastoral Co, Wando Vale, Vic for $1270 and another at six at $1140.
Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen Penola’s Ashley Braun said his client Carrawatha had opted to grow out some of their March-April 2016 drop weaners, due to a good season.
He said the $3.18/kg and $3.32/kg paid for the 399kg and 343kg steers were above his expectations.
“If we sold to a feedlot we had to factor in the freight so we thought we would be better off here if we could get $3.10/kg or better,” he said.
“Each week in every sale it is getting cheaper but especially in the SE where there is some feed you’d like to think it will find a point where it plateaus out around $3-$3.30/kg for steers and $2.80-$3/kg for heifers.”
Warrawindi, Penola received the $1137 heifer top price for 11 370kg Angus-Limousin heifers, to Landmark Kingston.
A well-bred consignment from Coolangatta Pastoral, Quorn, boosted the yarding and received some of the highest cents a kilogram rates, with steers $3.70-$3.85/kg.
The 48 September-November 2016 drop Angus which had been weaned for a week topped at $905 and averaged $836. The 47 heifers averaged $706.
JT,VF&BT Howard, Penneshaw, sold 62 South Devon steers up to $3.35/kg and 11 heifers for $3.02-$3.06/kg.
This equated to $1027 average on the steers and $900 average on the heifers.
Boolringar Station, Callendale, offered 130 three and four year-old EU accredited Angus cows which sold on a cents a kilogram basis.
They made from $2.20 to $2.33/kg, equating to $844 to $990.
PB& BD Price, Inman Valley, sold four cows with calves for $1625.
