Naracoorte steers hit $1332 high at September store sale

Good falls in the South East in the past week added to the confidence of local graziers and an order from Leongatha, Vic, also helped most 350kg plus steers make $2.80-$3.05/kg, with a few well-bred pens of 300kg plus up to $3.10/kg- $3.15/kg.

Most heifers made $2.60/kg to $2.80/kg.

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In the 2001 head yarding, more than 700 head were EU accredited.

Landmark Naracoorte livestock manager Brendan Fitzgerald quoted steers 10-15c/kg above expectation and heifers 20c/kg better than recent sales.

"A lot of buyers seemed to come with the same money but had to go 10-15c/kg better everyone was thinking about $2.70/kh for steers but it was closer to $2.90/kg to $3/kg

Mr Fitzgerald said he was a "bit shocked" by how well the medium and heavy weight heifers sold.

"We saw restocking as well as whoever missed out on the steers jumped in to the heifers but once we got down to 250kg they got down to $1.70/kg," he said.

DP&KK Turner, Stewart Range, scored $1332 steer top price honours with the first pen of the sale.

Their 21 Sterita Park bloods, weighing 439.5 kilograms, made $3.03/kg to Thomas Foods International.

TFI also bought 15 September 2018-drop Angus from WE Collins, Padthaway, for $1220.

Ingham Contracting, Lucindale, was also among the high prices with 18 Angus which made $1200. They were 408kg.

Nineteen black baldies, 364.7kg, from BJ&SM Vowles, Tintinara, made $3.03/kg

In a rare occurrence the numbers of coloured cattle nearly matched the Angus with some impressive heavy weight whiteface steers.

Many of these were bought by Elders Mount Gambier.

CN&JA Paltridge, Lucindale,sold 23 Days Whiteface bld Poll Herefords weighing 420kg for $1205.

Glendon Vineyards, Keppoch, received $1190 for 19 Pitlochry bld EU steers. They were 414kg.

Another pen from the same vendor which were 375kg and made $1090.

Weaver Livestock, Balmoral, Vic, sold two pens of Red Angus-Simmental-Gelbvieh steers, one at $2.98/kg and the other at $3/kg. The pens were 316kg and 303kg.

A feature of the yarding was the final draft of EU accredited, Hereford calves from John and Jenni Randell, Andran Pty Ltd, Stewart Range, who have impressed for years at the Naracoorte weaner sales.

The Randells who have sold their property, yarded 205 March-April 2018 drop Wirruna and Yavenvale blood cattle which sold well.

The majority of the108 steers were knocked down to Ramsden Ag, Binnum, who paid up to $645 for a pen of 195.7kg, or $3.30/kg.

Andran also sold 97 heifers to $540 averaging $452. These were 170kg to 217kg.

Top price in the heifers was $1080 for 13 Angus, April 2018 and May 2018 drop, from Goldbank, Willalooka.

These 397kg animals were bought by Creek Livestock, Mount Gambier, who also snapped up eight Hereford heifers from Rosebank, Casterton, Vic for $1060.

But MacLachlan Props, Pewsey Vale, Mount Pleasant, had the sale's top heifer pen in cents a kilogram among their draft of Hereford and Angus-Herefords.

Their 10 black baldy heifers made $2.87/kg.

The November 2018 and December 2018 drops weighed 314kg.

The MacLachlans 319.6kg black baldy steers, November/December 2018-drop made $3.17./kg, equating to $1013.

In other strong heifer sales Kintalpa Partners,Kingston SE, sold 16 Granite Ridge blds, 363.8kg for $2.80/kg, equating to $1018 and Martang Pty Ltd, Vic, received $2.79/kg for 12 Angus weighing 328.5kg.

Thomas DeGaris & Clarkson Penola was successful on 12 Angus heifers from WE Collins for $980.

A run of lightweight northern bred Shorthorn cross cattle added to numbers with the steers selling to $375 and bulls making $200 to $285.

Mr Fitzgerald said the differential between store market and prime prices was as large as he had ever seen it with a lack of long-term confidence among buyers.

"In the past we have seen when the fat job is good little cattle have been making more cents a kilogram than the heavier ones but that isn't the case now," he said.

"Even those with feed are not willing to go into them (lighter cattle)- they want something they can fatten this spring rather than this time next year and while there could be opportunities to trade them in sooner if there is widespread rain it doesn't seem to be even looking like it."