Steers to $3.49/kg at Strathalbyn

Elders Strathalbyn branch manager Danny Reynolds said compared to the November 30 market, steer prices were about 10 cents a kilogram lower, while heifer prices were 20-30c/kg back.

"South East farmers who have still got feed are looking to restock, but because demand has come off a little bit, heifers are a bit tougher to sell," he said.

AP Manning, Woodside, sold 14 steers, 357kg, for $1125 or $3.15/kg, while R Palma and Sons, Balhannah, also sold 14, making $1140, or $2.98/kg.

SJ&SJ Were, MacGillivray, sold a line of 15, 270kg, knocked down to $920, or $3.40/kg, and Kosareff Land & Cattle, Ashbourne, made $3.39/kg for 15 Angus steers.

Raeburn Rural, Strathalbyn, sold 16 March/April 2019-drop steers at $985, or $3.49/kg, and another 22 at $865, or $3.43/kg, as well as 16 at $3.32/kg and 34 at $3.19/kg.

Duxton Farms, Carrickalinga, sold 17 at $1050, or $3.32/kg, 10 at $3.33/kg, and 15 at $2.98/kg, while Peppercorn Pastures, Finniss, reached $1045 or $3.07/kg for seven steers, 345kg.

KI vendors AW&KJ Partners, Parndana, sold 13 Angus steers at $3.37/kg, as well as 18 at $3.32/kg, 14 at $3.19/kg, 11 at $3.18/kg, and 11 at $3.06/kg, and 10 heifers at $2.81/kg.

A pen of 10 Angus steers from GN&CS Smith, Kangaroo Island, 397kg, made $1150, or $2.90/kg.

The same vendor also made top honours in the heifer section, with 16 Angus females weighing 409kg knocked down to $1050 a head, or $2.57/kg.

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Landmark Strathalbyn's Bradley Walker said while the steer offering was of good quality, the heifer offering was more of a "mixed bag".

"On a few heifer pens there was some good grazier interest, from those who can put the heifers away to join them later on, but there was a bit more variance in quality through the heifers from the bottom to the top," he said.

NG&SJ Murton, Gosse, sold 13 heifers, 283kg, at $830, or $2.93/kg, with SP Estates, Eagle on the Hill, making $690 or $2.72/kg for 16 Hereford/Black Baldy-cross heifers, weighing 254kg.

A pen of 12 Angus heifers from Aerotech, Woodside, were knocked down at $780, or $2.62/kg, with 10 October/November 2018-drop heifers by Rainy Creek Partners, Kangaroo Island, knocked down for $900, or $2.61/kg.

Megavue, Mosquito Hill, sold 15 heifers, 272kg, at $2.85/kg, with another line of 11, weighing 326kg, making $2.42/kg.

G Paine, Rosehill Farm, Harrogate, sold eight heifers at $2.60/kg, another eight at $2.58/kg and 13 at $2.51/kg.

Buying support came mainly from the South East, Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide Hills.

The next Strathalbyn cattle market will be held on January 10.