FOLLOWING a record yarding at the December store sale, January numbers were expected to return to a more regular level at Mount Gambier on Friday, but last minute nominations swelled the yarding to 3773 head.
Miller Whan & John Mount Gambier’s Scott Miller said said heavier steers were the best buying, making $1150 to $1250, with the smaller, lighter steers sometimes making only $50 less.
A Landmark International order on black steers kept prices hovering near the $1000 mark on those weighing 300 kilograms to 350kg, while feedlotters paid good money for the top end of a good line-up of Hereford steers.
Heifer prices were solid on the Angus and Angus-cross draft but coloured heifers were tough going.
Heavy Angus steers weighing more than 450kg sold from $2.57/kg to $2.92/kg, heavy coloured steers, 450kg-plus made $2.32-$2.72/kg; and 400-450kg Angus steers sold from $2.46-$3/kg, while coloured steers in this weight range sold from $2.64-$3.06/kg.
Angus steers weighing 350-400kg returned $2.72-$3.05/kg, and coloured 350-400kg steers sold from $2.56-$3.07/kg. Angus steers from 300-350kg sold at prices from $2.69-$3.28/kg, while coloured steers of the same weights made $2.30-$3.13/kg. Angus steers weighing less than 300kg sold from $2.84-$3.44/kg, with coloured steers in this weight range selling from $2.36-$3.21/kg.
The first pen sold achieved the top price for RW&B Passauer, Yahl, with 22, 14-15-month-old Angus steers, 490kg, making $1430 or $2.92/kg to Thomas Foods International.
Coming up against some competitive bidding, TFI finished with 210 steers, including five 397kg Boonaroo-blood Angus at $1140 or $2.87/kg from ML&GY Thompson, Mount Gambier; 25 Angus steers, 420kg at 10-12mo from Tilley’s Swamp, Kingston SE, for $1200 or $2.85/kg; 11 European Union-accredited Murray Grey-cross October/November 2017-drop steers, 406kg, from Bellbourie, Penola, at $1105 or $2.72/kg and 33 Angus steers, 395kg, from Bellco, Wallacedale, Vic, at $1195 or $3.02/kg.
MC&JM Northcott, Merino, Vic, sold 39 Angus/Limousin steers, 18-20mo, weighing 342-507kg averaging $1186. Their top draft sold to Teys Australia at $1400 or $2.76/kg. Thomas DeGaris & Clarkson Penola bought the Northcotts’ top draft of 447kg Hereford steers at $1180 or $2.64/kg.
Teys Australia bought 170 heavier end Angus and Angus-cross steers from 370-500kg, including nine Pathfinder-blds, 493kg, from Lamont, Dartmoor, Vic, at $1355 or $2.75/kg; 20 Nampara and Weeran bld Angus, 426kg, from Millanda Estate, Mount Gambier, at $1250 or $2.93/kg; seven 474kg EU Angus-crosses from Corinya, Casterton, Vic, at $1220 or $2.57/kg; 17 Nampara and Granite Ridge-bld Angus steers, 395kg, from Balrook, Dartmoor, at $1130 or $2.86/kg, and 10 Charolais steers, 384kg, from Jakero, Mil Lel, at $1180 or $3.07/kg.
Bamboa, Strathdownie, Vic, sold 115 EU Borderdowns-bld Angus and Angus-cross steers weighing 312-403kg averaging $1088. TFI bought Bamboa’s 403kg top draft for $1210 or $3/kg; while Landmark International bought 39 Bamboa steers – some weighing 341kg at $1030 or $3.02/kg and others at 312kg for $990 or $3.17/kg.
Stoney Broke, Wandilo, sold 30, 10-12mo Angus, 394kg, at $1175 or $2.98/kg to Creek Livestock, while a second draft of 30 steers, 353kg, sold at $1060 or $3/kg to Miller Whan & John and 17 steers, 307kg, made $970 or $3.16/kg to Landmark International.
DC&R Branson sold 91 Wimberina-bld March/April-drop Angus-cross steers, 299-367kg, averaging $1029. The Bransons’ 367kg top draft sold at $1075 or $2.93/kg to Miller Whan & John. A second draft, 362kg, was bought by to Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen Penola account Kaicowrie at $1060 or $2.93/kg.
DA&LF Firth, Dartmoor, sold 28 Pathfinder-bld Angus-cross steers, 324kg, at $1040 or $3.21/kg, also to Kaicowrie, with a second draft, 285kg, making $905 or $3.17/kg to Landmark International.
Creek Livestock, Mount Gambier, bought 191 steers in the 300-450kg weight range, including 29 Glatz Black Angus-blds, 389kg, from WG Hamilton & Co, Bray, at $1160 or $2.98/kg; eight 431kg Banquet-bld Angus from BW&HA Hitchcock Tyrendarra, Vic, at $1200 or $2.79/kg; 22 Bendulla and Yoho-bld Herefords, 386kg, offered by RF Parker, Kingston SE, at $1020 or $2.64/kg, and 16 Angus-Simmental steers, 379kg, at $1100 or $2.90/kg from VD&RF Itzerott, Kongorong.
Regular vendors Killarnie, Mingbool, sold 69 Boonaroo-bld Angus steers weighing 290-393kg averaging $1063.
KG Feast & Son, Greenpoint, sold 20 Boonaroo-bld Angus steers, 387kg, at $1140 or $2.95/kg to Miller Whan & John Mount Gambier, which also bought a 349kg draft of the Feast steers at $1070 or $3.06/kg.
Rokewood, Dartmoor, sold 79 Pasturefed Certified Assurance Scheme eligible Angus steers weighing 296-391kg for an average of $1058. Its top draft, 391kg, sold at $1150 or $2.94/kg to Thomas Foods International, while a lighter draft, 296kg, made $1000 or $3.38/kg to Elders Dartmoor.
Green Triangle Livestock Mount Gambier bought 250 steers including 12 Angus, 340kg, from Possum Point Heywood, Vic, at $1040 or $3.06/kg; 22 Angus, 346kg, from Woondooma, Furner, at $1090 or $3.15/kg; 13 PCAS, Woonallee-bld Angus-Simmentals, 365kg, from Panorama, Compton, at $1090 or $2.98/kg; 24 Murray Greys, 320kg, from DG&CM Johnston, Mount Gambier, at $960 or $3/kg, and 21 Angus-Herefords, 401kg, from Pascoe Park, Mount Gambier, at $1160 or $2.89kg.
Borderdowns, Strathdownie, sold 141 EU Te Mania and Ardrossan-bld Angus steers weighing 304-386kg at 10-11mo, averaging $1069. Their 386kg top draft made $1140 or $2.95/kg to Thomas Foods International.
Live export order makes a splash
Filling an order for a shipment to Russia in February, Landmark International bought 323 steers in the 300-350kg weight range, including 13 Angus, 290kg, from Windemere Farms, Mil Lel, at $970 or $3.34/kg; 25 Coolana and Boonaroo-bld, April/May-drop Angus, 292kg, from Nyroca, Padthaway, at $1000 or $3.42/kg; 10 Angus, 299kg, from Tyngarra, Allendale, at $970 or $3.24/kg; 19 Angus-Charolais steers, 319kg, from Jasmar Park, Nelson, at $1000 or $3.13/kg, and 11 Hereford/Angus steers, 343kg, from RP&RT Collins, Yahl, for $950 or $2.77/kg.
Wannon Pastoral, Wannon, Vic, sold 28 Ebony Beef-bld, 8-10mo Angus steers, 310kg, at $1010 or $3.26/kg to Landmark International, which also bought a second draft, 291kg, at $1000 or $3.44/kg.
DJ Hurley, Casterton, sold 11 Hereford steers, 543kg, at $1400 or $2.58/kg to Thomas DeGaris & Clarkson, Penola, which also bought 12 Hereford-Shorthorn steers, 477kg, from Riverside Parnership, Drik Drik, Vic, for $1300 or $2.72/kg.
Dunorer, Hotspur, Vic, sold 22 Bowmont-bld Poll Hereford steers, 388kg, at $1120 or $2.88/kg to David Edwards, Moorak, who also bought Dunorer’s second draft, 344kg, at $1075 or $3.12/kg.
IJ Kerr, Dartmoor, sold seven Tugulawa and Rellum Farm-bld Simmental-cross steers, aged 10-11 months and weighing 462kg, at $1210 or $2.62/kg to Garrison, which also bought the same vendor’s next two drafts of 17, 399kg, at $1110 or $2.78/kg and 24, 358, at $1065 or $2.97/kg.
Bernara Pastoral, Mount Gambier, sold eight Woonallee, Waterfront and Allendale-bld Simmental-Hereford, March/April-drop steers, 337kg, at $960 or $2.85/kg to Elders Lucindale, with a second draft, 275kg, making $790 or $2.87/kg to Green Triangle Livestock.
Bellbourie, Penola, sold 36 October/November 2017-drop, Days Whiteface-bld Hereford steers weighing from 325-484kg, averaging $1015. Thomas DeGaris & Clarkson Penola bought their top two drafts; 484kg at $1250 or $2.58/kg and 393kg at $1060 or $2.70/kg.
Glencoe heifers earn top price
Heifers weighing more than 400kg sold from $2.23-$2.42kg; 350-400kg heifers made $1.98-$2.76/kg; heifers 300-350kg sold from $2-$2.75/kg and lighter heifers under 300kg sold from $2.03-$2.69kg.
MC&JM Northcott, Glencoe, made the top heifer price with 10 Angus-Limousin heifers, 14-18mo and weghing 434kg selling at $1050 or $2.42/kg to TFI, which also bought the second draft of Northcott heifers, 352kg, at $910 or $2.58/kg.
Bernara Pastoral, Mount Gambier, sold 12 Hereford-cross heifers, 314kg, at $750 or $2.38/kg to Garrison and a draft of seven Woonallee and Waterfront-bld Simmental-Hereford heifers weighing 256kg at $520 or $2.03/kg to Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen, Naracoorte.
BP&EC Gibson, Moralla, Vic, sold 92 Poll Hereford heifers weighing from 317-357kg to Manser Holdings, averaging $740. The 357kg top draft made $800 or $2.24/kg. Manser Holdings also bought a draft of the Gibsons’ Yavenval-bld, August/September 2017-drop Hereford heifers, 322kg, for $770 or $2.39/kg.
Dycer Nominees, Burrungule, sold 12, 9-11mo Pathfinder and Boonaroo-bld Angus heifers, 353kg, at $905 or $2.56/kg to Garrison. A second draft weighing 300kg sold at $800 or $2.66/kg to Mingbool Station, Mingbool.
Mingbool Station bought a total of 116 heifers, which included 11, 10mo Angus and Angus-cross heifers, 328kg, from Rokewood, Dartmoor, Vic, at $820 or $2.50/kg; five 10-12mo Angus heifers, 391kg, from Bamboa, Strathdownie, Vic, at $910 or $2.32/kg and a draft of 10-12mo Boonaroo-bld Angus heifers, 286kg, at $760 or $2.65/kg from Stoney Broke, Wandilo.
Invaloch Pastoral Co sold 20 Hereford heifers, 278kg, at $695 or $2.50/kg to Miller Whan & John, and a second draft, 317kg, sold to Hardwicks at $680 or $2.14/kg.
Miller Whan & John bought 68 heifers for account Lindsay, including 14 Boonaroo-bld Angus, 354kg, from RI&JM Telford, Glenburnie, at $890 or $2.51/kg; 13 Angus-crosses, 322kg, from AF&GA Elijah Casterton, at $850 or $2.64/kg and a draft of eight Angus heifers, 10-12mo and 334kg, at $850 or $2.54/kg from Bamboa.
87 pregnancy-tested in-calf Angus cows and heifers were sold by Lakala, Mumbannar, Vic, av $1721 Twenty-seven made the top price of $2020, while Lakala’s PTIC heifers topped at $1620.
RL Humphries, Casterton, sold seven cows with calves at-foot av $1183. Three Angus-cross cows with Angus CAF sold to a top of $1320, while two Shorthorn-cross cows with Angus CAF made $1100.