Heifers nearly match steer rates in big Naracoorte store sale

Heifers were a highlight of the 1850 cattle yarding though coming close to matching steers on cents a kilogram basis. Many cracked the $4 a kilogram mark.

RELATED: Northern buyers continue interest in Naracoorte sale

Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen auctioneer Shaun Minge said it was easily the best quality yarding he had seen since the January weaner sales.

"They have come through the winter and autumn really well but we probably saw more breeder cattle here today than traded cattle so that is probably why," he said.

Mr Minge quoted feedlot steers between $4/kg to $4.20/kg, depending on colour, with medium weights $4.20/kg to $4.30/kg and lighter cattle even dearer, but said the heifer job was slightly dearer than the May store sale.

"The 350kg blacks all got bought to go back to the bull I believe, there was only the odd pen of heavier and older heifers that went to the feedlot and all the little heifers went to backgrounders - but again it was all local," he said.

Steer top price honours of $2200 were claimed by JR Drabsch & Co with four milk and two tooth Angus steers.

The March-April 2018 drops weighed 582.5kg.

Another 16 younger Drabsch steers which weighed 457.8kg made $4.18/kg or $1914 to Hopkins River Beef.

Also among the heavy weights were 20 March-April 2019 drop Angus from SJ Ballantyne.

The 465kg EU accredited Nampara bloods made $1940 to Princess Royal feedlot, Burra.

A well-bred pen of Angus steers from Vandeleur Rural Holdings, Tintinara, made $1850 to Teys Charlton.

Another 16 of Vandeleur's Bull Oak Well blds, 403kg, made $1700 to Thomas Foods International.

Teys also snapped up 15 Black Simmental-Angus from PD Green, Furner for $1750. The February/March 2019-drops weighed 428kg.

PW&KM Bryson, Keppoch, also sold 10 April-May 2019 drop, EU Angus, weighing 438kg for $1850, these also snapped up by TFI.

Hopkins River Beef, Hopkins River, Vic, paid $1720 for 18 March-April 2019 drop, Roseleigh bloods from J&J Densley, Keith, which weighed 394kg.

Among the best of the coloured cattle were 25 South Devon -Limousins from ACL&PM Groocock, Telopea Downs, Vic.

The April-May 2019 drops which weighed 433kg made $1700, also heading to Charlton feedlot.

Langkyne Estate received $1690 for 15 March-April 2019 drop 394kg Pathfinder bld Angus.

Impressive in their weight for age, SR&HM Graetz, Willalooka, received $4.10/kg for 12 389.6kg Yalkuri bld Angus steers which were only 10 months of age.

There were only a few pens of cattle under 300 kilograms in the yarding but these sold up to nearly $4.65/kg.

DH Prosser & Son, Marcollat, achieved some of the top cents a kilogram rates with their EU accredited Duck Island composite-Sprys Shorthorn bld crosses.

The 14 August/September 2019 drops which weighed 265kg made $1230.

Many of the same high priced steer vendors featured prominently in the strong unjoined heifer sales.

An outstanding pen of 423kg, February/March 2019 drop, Black Simmental-Angus from PD Green made $1650.

J&J Densley sold 19 Angus heifers, 322kg for $1410 and SM&WJ Johnson received $1460 for nine 369kg Angus.

In the three in one breeding units, GL&MJ Currie, West Winds, Penola, sold seven five -year old- Murray Grey-Simmental cows with March-April 2020 drop Angus sired calves for $1590 to Thomas DeGaris & Clarkson Lucindale.

These cows had been rejoined to an Angus.

Burge Trading Trust, Padthaway, had the only pen of pregnancy-tested-in-calf females.

The 16 mixed age Herefords, in calf to an Angus bull, to calve from early October, made $1290.

Southern Australian Livestock agent Will Nolan described it as a top quality yarding with plenty of weight.

"We don't often see that number of cattle this time of year. It is certainly not feed related locally so it would have to be the price bringing them in," he said.

Mr Nolan said feeder activity was again strong paying $4/kg plus but he predicted prices may have even gone higher if there were more EU accredited cattle available for buyers to put truck loads together.

As the sale progressed Mr Nolan said heifer prices were "extraordinary".

"Anyone that held off buying steers and thought they would pick up some cheap heifers were wrong- 250kg heifers were still (making) $4/kg so they were as good as anything," he said.

"There was a lull in the market about 10 weeks ago but it seems to have taken off again and grown another leg, you wonder where it is going to stop."