NARACOORTE
Yarding: 1129
PTIC heifers to $1740, av$1490
PTIC cows to $1860, av $1378
Cows with calves to $1440, av$1380
WELL-BRED pregnancy tested in calf females sold to $1860 at the annual Angus feature female sale in Naracoorte on Thursday.
In previous years many females have sold into central Vic and even King Island but this year only one pen crossed the Vic border to Colac, largely due to seasonal conditions.
The remainder of the 1129 head, offered by independent agents Spence Dix & Co and Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen, were absorbed by repeat buyers from the Mid and Upper South East looking to replenish their herds.
This had an impact on prices with this year’s top priced females less than the 2017 sale average when 1538 head averaged $1894.
Spence Dix & Co director Jono Spence said the heifers ranged from $250 to $300 above slaughter value down to just $50 to $100 above trade prices, but he was pleasantly surprised the sale averaged $1446.
“While our season has been much better than many other areas a lot of our clientele have been nervous about the season the whole way through,” he said.
“For younger cows the price was fair to all concerned but as the cattle had a bit more age and condition on them they were close to trade price.”
Mr Spence said the quality of the Angus bloodlines on offer was very good but any pens which had a longer than eight-week joining or were due to calve later sold for a significant discount.
“We didn’t have the advantage of two to three dispersal lines of outstanding vendor-bred heifers like last year but some of the heifers from repeat vendors who target this sale every year are getting better and better,” he said.
BW&RD Smart, Keith, received the $1860 sale high with a magnificent draft of 2015-drop cows, including the blue ribbon winners.
The 22 had been bought as heifers from Mooroomook Pastoral, Caramut, Vic, and calved down in early 2018 before being re-mated to Bull Oak Well sires.
Naranga Pastoral Company, Field, topped the PTIC heifer offering with two pens of Coolana and Stoney Point bloods which made $1740.
The 26 March-April 2017 drop, EU accredited females which kicked off the sale, were joined to Stoney Point M11 and M17 and Pinnacle L36 and L54.
They were knocked down to Spence Dix & Co’s Meningie agent Mark O’Leary.
Delta Produce, Sherwood, sold 143 Pathfinder and Wittalocka bld heifers, including the sale’s best presented pen of heifers, judged by agents.
They made $1600 to PPH&S Naracoorte.
These females had been bought as weaner heifers from Doug and Di Ashby’s South Taunta, Tintinara.
They were mated to Stoney Point bulls for an eight-week calving from early March.
“Last year we topped at about $2100 and averaged $1840 but given what a dry year it has been with people offloading a lot of stock we are happy,” Delta Produce vendor Steve Rathjen said.
Wytwarron, Apsley, Vic, sold 45 July/August 2016-drop females with four month-old calves.
The tops were bought by John Chay & Co Millicent at $1440, while the draft, which was not rejoined, averaged $1380.