NARACOORTE
Yarding: 2636
Steers to $3061
Heifers to $2580
Cows with calves to $3200
THE sell off of heavy weight steers continued at last week's Naracoorte combined agents monthly store cattle sale as exceptional prices continue to draw cattle out.
The 2636 head yarding was the largest since the January weaner sales but prices continued to rise with most categories 10 to 20 cents a kilogram higher than last month's sale, especially 400 kg plus cattle.
Feedlotters again jostled on the rails and the remaining cattle were knocked down to local backgrounders.
Thomas DeGaris & Clarkson director Darren Maney, Penola, said the first 150 steers in their run were from traditional bullock fattening clients who had never sold in a store sale before but were enticed to sell on current incredible prices.
If people can get $2700 or $2800 for a steer they are not going to hang around.
- Darren Maney, TDC Penola
"If you work a lot of those 500kg cattle out they come back at $2700-$2800, if you feed them through to December and make them 320kg dressed and then times it by the current hooks price it is actually less money than that," he said.
"If people can get $2700 or $2800 for a steer they are not going to hang around."
Mr Maney said the middle run of the sale (320kg) were also dearer than the previous Naracoorte sale but noticed a "flat spot" in 270-280kg steers.
"A lot of them were only making $6.50/kg whereas last month they made $7/kg," he said.
This included a pen from IK&SM Agnew who claimed steer top price honours of $3061 with 13 March/April 2020 drop black baldies making $5.26/kg.
The 582kg steers sold to Hopkins River Beef, Hopkins River, Vic.
Another 36 well bred, two tooth steers from Bimbimbie Props, Wattle Range, made $5.46/kg. The September and October 2019 drops which were knocked down to TFI were 526kg.
TFI also bought two 640kg Angus steers offered by the Lucindale Football Club which proved a great fundraiser selling for the $3020.
An impressive pen of 19 Angus weighing 555kg from R&S Tregoweth, Lucindale, made $2940 to J&F Australia.
The 18-19 month old Nampara and Hazeldean blds equated to $5.30/kg.
Another 19 of the same age from the Tregoweths made $2870.
Some Upper SE vendors were keen to cash in too as it still pretty dry season wise.
ES Hannemann & Son, Keith, received $2900 for 14 February 2020 drop, Hazeldean bloods.
The 508kg steers sold to TFI, while a second pen of their steers, 10 weighing 487kg made $2680.
Teys Charlton feedlot were also active securing 36 April 2020 drop Angus from DA&MJV Charlick, Padthaway, for $2850.
The majority of the 350-400kg steers in the yarding made $6.30/kg-$6.70/kg, while those 250-330kg made $6.50/kg-$7/kg.
Among the stand outs that exceeded this were the draft from MacLachlan Props, Pewsey Vale.
Nine of their Angus-Poll Herefords weighing 271kg made $7/kg but it was 26 Poll Herefords in the next pen that weighed 288kg which cracked $7.18/kg.
Both pens were snapped up by TDC for a Kalangadoo client.
Nutrien senior account manager Brendan Fitzgerald who sold the Pewsey Vale cattle said it had been a tight season in the Adelaide Hills but the cattle were well-bred and noted performers which led to multiple bidders.
"I wasn't sure they would tip over $7/kg but at the moment you can think cattle can make a certain price but when you get to the sale you can be up to 50c/kg off, usually under, it just varies so much from week to week," he said.
Mr Fitzgerald said there were fewer heavy feeder steers than last month but those that were offered were definitely dearer with most making $5.50/kg-$6/kg, close to $6/kg if they were EU eligible.
He said he was a big believer in selling cattle on a cents a kilogram basis but backgrounders who have sold bullocks were coming in with a dollar a head figure in mind.
"They are looking around that $2000 a head so they can make money from that calf in 12 months time, but these cattle are getting lighter and lighter (weights)," he said.
WV James & Son, Cooranga, Lucindale, sold 59 EU, Angus and Angus cross steers, only five to six months of age for $1780-$1890. The lightest pen of these, weighed 243kg, equating to $7.33/kg.
Mr Maney said heifer rates were 20c/kg ahead of the Mount Gambier sale a fortnight ago with feedlotters chasing heavy end heifers hard.
Landscape Beef, Keith, were among the high heifer prices with nine August-September 2019 drop Duck Island Composites making $2580 to J&F Australia.
J&F also bought 31 Shorthorns, 440kg, from Wangolina Pty Ltd, Kingston SE, for $5.60/kg or $2464 and 13 Angus from P&K Bryson, Keppoch, for $2500.
DF&M Cleves, Mount Gambier, received $5.52/kg for 28 2020 drops weighing 438kg. These were bought by Princess Royal, Burra,
AJ&PA McBride's Nepowie Station, Woolumbool, sold 68 Angus-Shorthorn heifers.
This included 23 at $1920 which were only 13-14 months of age. They were snapped up by Schubert Boers.
Thirteen of Nepowie's heifers which were a year older and 506kg made $2340, also to J&F.
Bundy Farms, Keith, sold 38 well-bred, February-March 2021 drop Angus, including 19 262kg cattle for $1620.
Cows with calves sold to a $3200 high for three mixed age Santa Gertrudis cross cows with one to two month old Speckle Park sired calves.
The units offered by GJ, KM & JM Wilson, Western Flat, sold to John Chay & Co, Millicent.
Parmaree Farming Trust, Kingston SE, sold two cows and three calves for $2650.
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