NARACOORTE
Yarding: 1690
Steers to $2060, av $1350
Heifers to $1934, av $1147
Cows with calves to $1870
HEAVY feeder cattle were back 10 to 15 cents a kilogram at the Naracoorte combined agents' monthly store cattle sale on Thursday in line with falls in the prime market in the past fortnight, but lighter cattle were firm on last month.
In another large yarding for winter, Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen Penola-based agent Ashley Braun quoted steers from $4/kg to $4.10/kg but said lighter steers were $4.30/kg up to $4.80/kg.
He said some buyers were being more cautious, especially after Vic processors shutdowns.
"A lot of heavier feeder heifers which were making $3.90/kg to $4/.kg last month were more like $3.70/kg to $3.80/kg," he said.
Thomas Foods International buyer Matt Heinrich was among the volume buyers of the heavy end steers securing more than 250 head.
Among his tally were 30 Pathfinder bld Angus from Karowara Pty Ltd, Naracoorte.
The 20 month olds weighing 480.2kg made $4.15/kg, equating to $1993.
TFI also bought eight May/June 2019-drops, from DA Lewis, Tintinara, which made $1840, as well as 20 slightly older steers from Gunyah Trust, Cadgee, for $1750.
They also bought 29 March/April 2019 drop, Mandayen bld Angus, 417kg, from Murradale, Hynam, for $1670.
The best of the coloured cattle included 12 March/April 2019 drop, EU accredited Shorthorns from GR Foster & Co, Bool Lagoon, which made $1720. They were 423kg.
Also nearing the $2000 mark were six 502.5kg Angus from C&MAT Cram. The milk and two tooth, April/May 2019-drops made $3.98/kg.
C&A Goode, Hynam, sold 13 Glatz Black Angus bloods, April/May 2019 drop, 449kg for $4.12/kg or $1852 a head.
JK&MJ Moore, Mooreview, Penola, received $4.17/kg for 17 February-March 2019 drops, 413.2kg, or $1723 ,and another 17 weighing 359kg made $4.15/kg.
PPH&S yarded a good run of Angus steers in the mid 300 kilogram range including nearly 70 May-July 2019 drop from Narabyn,Padthaway, which made $4/kg to $4.25/kg.
The 19 heaviest of these weighing 355kg made $1420 to Teys Charlton.
Boonderoo Pastoral Company, Conmurra, sold two pens of 5-6 month old Angus weighing 218kg and 170kg for some of the best dollar a head rates in the yards.
These EU calves made $1010 and $840 respectively and were bought by Thomas DeGaris & Clarkson, Penola.
Boonderoo's heifers, the same age, also made good c/kg rates including 37 head weighing 200.6kg which made $840.
The top priced heifers in dollars a head at $1934 were four December 2018 drop black baldies from Lawford Park, Casterton, Vic which weighed 506kg.
They were snapped up for $3.82/kg by Creek Livestock.
Other stand out heifers included two pens of July/August 2019 drop, Stoney Point blood Angus from Anderson Family Trust, Tintinara.
The heaviest 24 weighing 425kg made $1600, while another 14 weighing 420kg made $1580.
Albert Hill Grazing, Meningie, made $1640 for 21 April/May 2019 drop Angus crosses, 418kg.
Egel Partners, Keith, received $3.94/kg for 27 September/October 2019-drop Angus weighing 343kg. This was $1351.
The sale then progressed outside to a mixed quality yarding of breeding females.
Six Angus cows with June 2020-drop calves from Bott KI Farming Trust topped the category at $1870.
Mr Braun said many more cattle were coming onto the market than a normal winter as many grass finishers cattle were opting to take the good money for feeder cattle.
"Feedlots may be paying $4.20/kg delivered but if they can get $4/kg to $4.10/kg in the yards they are not paying the freight and seeking out competition," he said.
"If think if they can get $1600 to $1800 for feeder cattle it makes sense rather than holding them another three months until they get to a killable weight and they might only end up being worth $100 to $150 more, they are taking the money and moving on.
"We are having a good season but we have still not had heaps of rain and a few blokes are not sure how much grass they will have going forward."
Thomas Degaris & Clarkson auctioneer Hayden Lambert said the sale went extremely well considering the worsening COVID-19 situation in Vic and small gallery of essential buyers.
"It was firm to slightly cheaper on a few grades but a lot of feeder steers 380 to 420kg were making $3.95/kg to $4.20/kg and we still had five feedlots operating plus local graziers," he said.
'Heifers softened a little bit on most grades but we were still seeing $3.80/lkg to $3.90/kg on the extremely well bred cattle and back to $3.60/kg to $3.70/kg on the lesser types."
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