MOUNT GAMBIER
Yarding: 2419
Steers to $1350
Heifers to $1190
CATTLE prices are still easing from their previous heady heights, with prices down on all classes of cattle at the monthly Mount Gambier store market on Friday.
Good buying opportunities were there for feedlotters or restockers with feed in their paddocks.
With little or no summer rain to speak of to give lucerne and feed crops a boost, some graziers have been caught off guard, with feed running out as stock get on top of any reserves they may have had.
Landmark Mount Gambier agent Jeff Olafsen said the yarding was quite a good line-up, considering how quickly the grass has disappeared since Christmas. He said better bred types sold right up to expectations, making about $2.90 a kilogram for heavier cattle, and from $2.90/kg to $3.17/kg for lighter steers, with these prices reflecting the present prime market.
He said older, heavier cattle and a few off-types made about $2.60/kg but there was still not a lot of quality steers available for less than $1000.
The heifer section was always going to be tough but the Landmark Hereford heifer run benefited from an order on the Injemira-blood heifers, making up to $3/kg.
Heavy Angus steers weighing 450kg-plus sold from $2.37-$2.69/kg and those from 400-450kg made $2.24-$2.94/kg. Meanwhile, heavy coloured steers weighing 450kg-plus sold from $2.60-$3.1/7kg and those from 400kg-450kg made $2.71-$3.10/kg.
Mid-weight Angus steers, from 350-400kg, sold from $2.64-$3.04/kg and coloured steers in this weight range made $2.40-$3.01/kg.
Angus steers from 300-350kg sold from $2.72- $3.25/kg and coloured steers of the same weights made $2.65-$3.05/kg.
Lighter Angus steers weighing less than 300kg sold from $2.40-$3.57/kg and coloured steers in this class made $3.01-$3.31/kg.
Glenora, Strathdownie, Vic, achieved the sale high for the day, selling 11 Angus steers, 518kg, at $1350 or $2.60/kg. The same vendor’s draft of 10 Hereford-Angus steers, 453kg, sold at $1180 or $2.60/kg.
JBS Australia bought 79 heavy steers with weights from 410-490kg including eight Hereford-Angus steers, 444kg, at $1260 or $2.84/kg from A&J Sims, Port Macdonnell; 10 Boonaroo-bld Angus steers, 415kg, at $1160 or $2.80/kg from RI&JM Telford, Glenburnie, and seven Injemira-bld Hereford steers, 419kg, at $1160 or $2.77/kg from Belgrave, Mumbannar, Vic.
Swan Lake, Heywood, Vic sold nine Hereford steers, 17-18 months, 512kg, at $1305 or $3.17/kg to RL Jones.
DJ&J Mathews, Casterton, Vic, sold 10 Angus-cross steers, 16-18 months, 473kg, at $1120 or $2.37/kg to JBS Australia, and a second draft, 428kg, sold at $1000 or $2.33/kg to Creek Livestock.
D Whitehead sold 14 Murray Grey steers, 12-14 months, 446kg, at $1160 or $2.60/kg to Creek Livestock and B Carracher sold 11 August/September-drop Simmental and Simmental-cross steers, 494kg, at $1290 or $2.61/kg.
Pepa Hill, Nelson, Vic, sold 16, 2yo Angus and Angus-cross steers, 424kg, at $950 or $2.24/kg to Garrison, and their second draft at 403kg sold at $1050 or $2.60/kg to Creek Livestock.
Sunray Pastoral, Hatherleigh, sold 12 European Union-accredited, Angus-cross steers, January/February 2017-drop, 471kg at $1200 or $2.55/kg to Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen, who also bought a second draft, 428kg, at $1110 or $2.59/kg. Sunray Pastoral also sold 10 EU-accredited Simmental-Red Angus steers, January/February-drop, 449kg, at $1220 or $2.71/kg to Elders Naracoorte, who also bought their second draft, 418kg, at $1180 or $2.82/kg.
JG&CL Clarke, Woolmit, Kingston, sold 20 Granite Ridge-bld Angus steers, 429kg, at $1220 or $2.84/kg to Creek Livestock, and their second draft, 390kg, sold at $1120 or $2.87/kg to Thomas Foods International.
Kent Proprietors, Canunda, sold 64 Angus-cross steers with weights from 289-434kg for an average of $992. Their top draft, 434kg, sold at $1190 or $2.74/kg to Garrison. Their 79 Simmental-cross steers, weighing from 300-393kg, sold for an average of $1020, with the top draft, 393kg, selling at $1100 or $2.80/kg to TFI and a line of 19 Speckle Park-cross steers, 355kg, sold at $1070 or $3.01/kg to Creek Livestock.
Gippsland Water sold 90 Banquet-bld Angus steers, May/June 2017-drop with weights from 280-340kg, for an average of $1031. Gippsland Water’s top draft, 340kg, sold at $1060 or $3.12/kg to Manser Holdings, who also bought the second draft, 326kg, at $1060 or $3.25/kg and the third draft, 303kg, at $1020 or $3.37/kg. Elders Dartmoor, Vic, bought their lighter steers, 280kg, at $1000 or $3.57/kg.
KG Feast & Son, Greenpoint, sold 24 Warrensville-bld Hereford steers, 349kg, at $1050 or $3.01/kg to Trevor Little.
Ruthven, Lake Mundi, Vic, sold 21 Boonaroo-bld Angus steers, 374kg, at $1120 or $2.99/kg to Miller Whan & John, who also bought their second draft, 314kg, at $1000 or $3.18/kg.
Avonlea, Strathdownie, Vic, sold eight Yoho-bld Hereford steers, 371kg, 10-11 months, at $1070 or $2.88/kg to Thomas DeGaris & Clarkson, and a second draft, 329kg, at $990 or $3.01/kg to Miller Whan & John.
LM Kentish & Sons, Mount Gambier, sold 68 Angus and Angus-cross steers from 280-388kg for an average of $1033. The top draft, 398kg, sold at $1135 or $2.85 to Miller Whan & John, and a second draft, 345kg, sold at $1060 or $3.07/kg to Manser Holdings.
The Kentish family also sold 68 Injemira-bld Hereford steers with weights from 299-377kg for an average of $1035. The tops, 377kg, sold at $1090 or $2.89/kg to Creek Livestock.
TFI bought 141 steers including 19 April/May-drop Angus steers, 400kg, at $1165 or $2.91/kg sold a/c IW Brown, Mount Gambier, and 20 Glatz Black Angus-bld steers, 10-11 months, 386kg, at $1120 or $2.90/kg a/c WG Hamilton & Co.
Waterloo Ag, Mount Gambier, sold 16 Angus-cross steers, with the top draft, 361kg, sold at $1050 or $2.91/kg. They also sold 34 Injemira-bld Hereford steers with weights from 305-382kg for an average of $985. The top draft, 382kg, sold at $1045 or $2.73/kg, and a second draft, 361kg, sold at $1050 or $2.91/kg to Miller Whan & John.
Millanda Estate, Mount Gambier, sold 53 Weeran/Nampara-bld Angus steers, 10-11 months, with weights from 360-410kg, for an average of $1137. Their top draft, 410kg, sold at $1200 or $2.93/kg to JBS Australia.
Heavy heifers weighing 400kg-plus sold from $2.16-$2.44/kg and those weighing 350-400kg generally made from $2.14-$2.69/kg with a top of $3.29/kg. Medium range heifers weighing 300-350kg generally sold from $2.47-$2.84/kg, with a high of $3.45/kg and lighter heifers weighing less than 300kg made from $2.62-$3.04/kg.
Ruthven, Lake Mundi, made the top heifer price for 25 Boonaroo-bld Angus heifers, 361kg, at $1190 or $3.29/kg.
RF&MP Rogers, Kalangadoo, sold 33 Angus and Angus-cross heifers, 289-347kg, for a $871 av. The top draft, 347kg, sold at $930 or $2.80/kg to Mingbool Station, who also bought the family’s Hereford-cross heifers, 351kg, at $780 or $2.18/kg.
KG Feast & Son, Greenpoint, sold 13 Boonaroo-bld Angus heifers, 317kg, at $870 or $2.74/kg to Lindsay, who also bought the Feast family’s 13 Warrensville-bld Hereford heifers, 286kg, at $800 or $2.80/kg.
Milroy Pastoral, Mingbool, sold 14 Angus and Angus-cross heifers, 292kg, at $840 or $2.88/kg to Lindsay; Glencain sold 14 Angus/Hereford heifers, 10-11 months, 287kg, at $820 or $2.86/kg to Hardwicks; Pitchford Farms, Meningie, sold 19 Yalin-bld Angus-cross heifers, April/May 2017-drop, 288kg, at $755 or $2.62/kg to Garrison.
Kentish & Sons, Mount Gambier, sold 18 Injemira-bld black baldy heifers, 294kg, at $835 or $2.84/kg to Miller Whan & John, and a draft of 29 Hereford heifers, 296kg, at $890 or $3.01/kg to Landmark Casterton and eight Hereford heifers, 253kg, at $760 or $3/kg to Landmark Wangaratta, Vic.
