MOUNT PLEASANT
Yarding: 186 cattle, 930 sheep and lambs
Steers to $1480
Heifers to $1360
Cows to $1320
Lambs to $216
Top-end cattle attracted strong bidding at the Mount Pleasant cattle and sheep market on Thursday, according to Landmark Fawcett Mount Pleasant principal Colin Fawcett.
"It's pretty obvious that butchers are looking for better quality cattle," he said.
Mr Fawcett said lighter-than-usual yardings at the Mount Compass and Naracoorte weekly cattle markets may have meant there was a shortage of high quality stock, leading to increased bidding competition at Mount Pleasant for the top-end cattle.
Steers sold to $1480 for a Murray Grey from JD Cawrse, Freeling.
HJ&SL Wendt, Greenock, sold two Red Angus steers at $1340, as well as one at $1300.
Andrew Wilson, Cambrai, sold two Murray Grey steers at $1320.
Three Angus-cross steers from Bill Gilkes, Mannum, made $1300.
Clifton Vineyards, Angaston, sold a Murray Grey heifer at the sale top of $1360, while Semmler Bros, Lyndoch, sold an Angus heifer at $1200.
B Harvey, Mount Pleasant, had an Angus-cross heifer make $1200.
Cows topped at $1320 for an Angus cow from LP&C Deans, Tanunda, with two Murray Greys from Danielle Brealey, Highbury, also making $1320.
Jackson A&D, Flaxmans Valley, sold an Angus cow with a CAF at the sale top of $1500.
Barossa Ventures, Lyndoch, sold three bulls, one at the sale top of $1250, and the other two at $980 and $800.
RELATED READING: Lamb record set at Naracoorte
In line with the high lamb prices at markets across the state, the sheep yarding attracted the attention of many buyers, according to Mr Fawcett.
"The quality was mixed, there were a few good lambs and some good mutton, but it was all met with very good competition, even for the lighter lambs from feedlotters," Mr Fawcett said.
All up, 789 lambs were sold averaging $107, while 29 hoggets averaged $130, four wethers averaged $153, 64 ewes averaged $116, 31 rams averaged $95 and 13 sheep averaged $112.
Lambs topped at $216, for 10 lambs from DJ Kubenk, Pallamana, and eight from AH Smith, Brinkley.
M Smart, Strathalbyn, sold a ewe at the sale top of $164, as well as another five at $152 and a ram at $88.
T Steed, Strathalbyn, sold 25 ewes at $156, and another eight at $80, as well as four rams at $100 and another four at $80.
Hoggets sold to $166 for three from L Morgan, Woodside, while Betterserannie Farms, Monarto, had four at $146, and T Steed sold 13 at $135.
Buying support came mainly from Thomas Foods International, Midfield, Frew Meats and Thornbury, with smaller butchers such as the Mount Pleasant Butcher also bidding well.
The next Mount Pleasant cattle and sheep market will be held on Thursday, July 11, at 1pm.
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