CONSISTENT demand from feedlotters and local restockers triggered solid competition on a smaller yarding of quality cattle at Friday's monthly store cattle sale in Mount Gambier.
Unable to get a look in on heavier steers, some buyers were pushed back to compete on the smaller, lighter classes of cattle, subsequently causing a domino effect and lifting prices across the yarding.
Processors weren't only buying the usual heavier steers this month, setting their sights on the mid-range classes as well. Smaller, lighter cattle reached rates well in excess of $7 a kilogram.
Miller Whan & John agent Scott Miller said the prices paid for Friday's yarding were fully firm to dearer on the June results.
"When heavy Angus steers consistently make over $5/kg, it's a pretty good outcome for an animal which isn't fat," he said.
Angus steers weighing 450kg-plus sold from $4.83/kg to $5.39/kg, while heavy coloured steers made $5.12/kg.
The 360-450kg Angus steers sold from $4.81-$5.71/kg, with 360-450kg coloured steers making $4.49-$5.23/kg. Angus steers from 320-360kg sold from $4.81-$5.91/kg, while coloured steers in the same weight range sold at $5.32-$5.80/kg.
Lighter Angus steers, 280-320kg, sold from $5.35-$6.37/kg, while coloured steers in this category made $5.30-$6.26/kg. Angus steers under 280kg sold from $5.71-$7.53/kg and coloured steers under 280kg sold at $6.20-$6.51/kg.
Related reading: Mt Gambier steers reach $2450 high in June
Prices were robust from the outset, only dipping under the $2000 level twice across the first two races of Angus steers, and peaking at a top of $2590 or $5.29/kg when Thomas Foods International bought 10 Angus steers averaging 490kg from Heywood Flat, Heywood, Vic.
TFI dominated across the heavier cattle, buying 130 steers with weights between 350-520kg, including 13 European Union-accredited, Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System-eligible, Team TeMania-blood Angus steers, 484kg, from Wavehill, Tahara, Vic, for $2580 or $5.33/kg, and five 12-month-old, 515kg Angus steers from Manila Pastoral, Compton, at $2490 or $4.83/kg.
Pascoe Park, Mount Gambier, sold 24, 12-14mo, PCAS Angus and Angus-cross steers. The 469kg top draft sold at $2440 or $5.25/kg, and a 465kg second draft made $2480 or $5.29/kg, with both sold to TFI.
SR&CA Northcott, Merino, Vic, sold 20, 14mo, PCAS Angus-crosses weighing 465kg and a 464kg second draft to TFI at $2480 or $5.33/kg and $2460 or $5.30/kg, respectively.
Ardno, Strathdownie, Vic, sold two, 20mo Borderdowns-bld Angus steers, 465kg, at $2500 or $5.38/kg to Teys Australia.
Teys paid the top price per head for coloured steers, outlaying $2400 or $5.12/kg for a draft of five, 13-15mo Murray Greys weighing 469kg from WR&SK Saffin, Yahl.
Drumborg Pastoral, Drumborg, Vic, sold 16, 6-8mo, 154kg, PCAS Angus steers to PPHS for the top price/kg of $7.53/kg, equating to $1160/hd.
Kyama, Strathdownie, sold 25 PCAS, September/October-drop, Boonaroo-bld Angus steers, 215kg, to Elders Heywood at $1580 or $7.35/kg.
Related reading: Mid North Shorthorn breeders triumph in SGCC
AG Outtram, Heywood, sold 20, 15mo PCAS Angus steers, weighing 399-454kg, for an average of $2354. The 454kg heaviest draft was knocked down to Garrison Cattle Feeders at $2410 or $5.31/kg. Garrison also bought eight Angus steers, 460kg, from Lepmah, Millicent, at $2480 or $5.39/kg.
Elders Mount Gambier paid $1570 or $7.24/kg for a draft of 25 October-drop, PCAS, Ebony Beef-bld Angus steers from Wannon Pastoral, Wannon, Vic; and bought six Hereford steers, 249kg, at $1620 or $6.51/kg from Stone Hut.
D&A Laslett, Allendale, sold a draft of 20 Boonaroo-bld Angus steers, 244kg, at $1660 or $6.80/kg to O'Connor & Graney, and a 207kg second draft to Green Triangle Livestock at $1370 or $6.62/kg.
BS&DA Milstead, Kongorong, sold 29 PCAS, Morganvale-bld Herefords at $1860 or $6.26/kg to Kaicowrie, Wattle Range. The Milstead family also sold 22 PCAS, 14-16mo, Bra-Ma-bld Herefords averaging $1840, with Teys paying $1950 or $5.21/kg for the 374kg heaviest draft.
T Hunt & Son, Kalangadoo, sold 18 September/October-drop Angus-crosses, 266kg, at $1650 or $6.20/kg to Thomas DeGaris & Clarkson account Smith.
Only 27 pregnancy-tested in-calf females were sold, with the Stasiw family's 11 Hereford-Friesian heifers, PTIC to Angus bulls to calve from November to January, returning the top price of $2300.
Southern Beef, Heywood, sold two Shorthorn heifers, PTIC to Angus bulls, at $1740.
Heifer prices were stronger again, with the exception of the lighter heifers under 280kg, which were consistent with prices seen in the past two months. Heifers 450kg-plus made from $4.70-$4.86/kg; 360-450kg heifers made from $4.77-$5.07/kg; 320-360kg heifers sold from $4.29-$5.36/kg; 280-320kg heifers were $4.80-$5.61/kg; and heifers under 280kg made $4.30-$5.71/kg.
Related reading: Cattle rates continue upward trajectory at Naracoorte
Springbank, Mount Gambier, achieved the $2200 top heifer price of the sale - equating to $4.86/kg - for six Barwidgee-bld Angus heifers, 15-18mo and 453kg, sold to Garrison.
A herd dispersal for WR&SK Saffin saw 14 PCAS Angus and Angus-cross heifers, 12-14mo and 464kg, make $2180 or $4.70/kg to Creek Livestock, while a 413kg second draft made $1970 or $4.77/kg to Garrison.
DM&RJ Hermann, Meningie, sold nine, 8-9mo, 387kg Angus-cross heifers to Garrison at $1950 or $5.04/kg. A 294kg lighter draft sold at $1590 or $5.41/kg to Elders Lucindale.
Wattle View Holdings sold 15 Weeran and Barwidgee-bld Angus heifers, 9-10mo and 273kg, at $1560 or $5.71/kg to Miller Whan & John a/c Apsley.
JS&R Bowd, Strathdownie, sold 19 Angus heifers, 247kg, at $1410 or $5.71/kg to Elders Warrnambool.
Nacooma Estate, Casterton, Vic, sold 13 PCAS Glatz Black Angus and Taronga-bld Angus and Angus-cross heifers, 268kg, at $1520 or $5.67/kg to Nutrien Mount Gambier. A 264kg lighter draft of Glatz Black Angus and Tarooma-bld Hereford-cross heifers sold to Miller Whan & John at $1380 or $5.23/kg.
T Hunt & Son, Kalangadoo, sold 66 September/October-drop Angus and Angus-Limousin heifers weighing 225-324kg for an average of $1457. Miller Whan & John paid $1570 or $5.61/kg for a draft of 16, 280kg Angus heifers.
Glenesta, Drumborg, Vic, sold 18 Angus heifers, 12-15mo and 290kg, to Elders Geelong at $1610 or $5.55/kg.
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