Canowie steers crack $3.42/kg at Naracoorte store sale

Cows with calves to $1700, av $1416

FEEDER steer prices were back at the Naracoorte combined agents' monthly store cattle sale but confidence in some of the lighter, well-bred steers lifted, selling beyond $3.40 a kilogram.

Topping Thursday's sale at $1270 were 12 September 2018 and October 2018-drop Angus steers, Willalooka blood, from WB&AD Mune, Swedes Flat.

The 417kg steers were knocked down to Atron Enterprises, Vic.

Atron dominated bidding on the heavy weights also securing 14 Limousin crosses from The Estate of L Morutto, Bray, which weighed 457kg at $1260, as well as 13 Angus from PJ&MW Bellinger, Beachport, which made $1240.

AR&ST Angel, Woolumbool, sold 15, 13-month-old, Angus-Shorthorn steers for $3.07/kg, equating to $1198.

The best of the heifer prices nearly upstaged the steers with P&J Zecevich stud, Mount Barker, receiving $1260 for nine EU-accredited Angus-Limousins.

The February/March 2018-drop heifers weighed 450kg and sold to Platinum Livestock account Stone Hut.

Zecevich's 419kg second pen made $1195.

A dispersal of 71 Simmental-cross cows from Terry Bansemer and Pam Bubner, Wombelano, Vic, was a feature of the yarding.

The best of their pregnancy tested in calf females,seven heifers due to calve in February-March to a Yerwal Estate Black Simmental bull made $1660 to Driscoll McIllree and Dickinson, Vic.

Bansemer and Bubner also sold cows with calves, with the best six, mixed age females making $1700 to PPH&S Naracoorte.

The best of their February-March 2019 drop milk vealer steers made $980 to feedlotter Garrison.

Some of the sale's best buying were the draft of very light, northern bred, Bos Indicus cattle from O'Micron Pastoral where steers sold down to $150 and heifers made $175-$280.

Elders southern livestock manager Laryn Gogel said bigger cattle were cheaper than last month with feedlots at capacity.

"The wait to book feeder cattle in is three to four weeks at best but confidence has grown as there is a bit of feed in the paddock," he said.

"It was a mixed yarding but the better cattle sold accordingly and there was good support on the light cattle, but if it was an off type there was limited interest."

Mr Gogel said the annual draft of 137 March/April 2019-drop, Coolana and Ravenswood blds from K Sawers, Canowie, Coonalpyn sold above expectation reaching $3.42/kg for steers and $3.30/kg for the second pen of heifers.

PPH&S Penola snapped up the top pen of these, 21 Angus steers weighing 301kg for $1000.

The best of Canowie's heifers- 12 Angus made $900 and weighed 310kg, but the top cents a kilogram rates were paid for the seconds.