STRATHALBYN
Yarding: 650
Steers to $1650
Heifers to $1410
DESPITE a dip in the yarding size at the Strathalbyn store cattle sale on Friday, prices were strong, with steers reaching a top of $1650 or $7.02 a kilogram.
Elders Strathalbyn branch manager Danny Reynolds said the sale was "erratic", with steers selling to a dearer trend, but heifers cheaper than the high rates of the previous sale.
"The steer portion of the sale saw rates 20 cents/kg to 40c/kg higher than last time around, with the bulk of the improvement being on the heavier feeder steers," he said.
"Heifers, on the other hand, proved to be 20-40c easier, with three regular heifer buyers either not attending, or noticeably quieter on the buying front.
"The heavier heifers, ready-to-mate, were the least affected, while those in-between types in that 250-300kg bracket copped the brunt of the fall - lighter heifers under 250kg ranged from firm to 10c/kg cheaper."
Topping the steers were four 235kg black shorthorn April/May 2021 drop steers from MJ&CJ Larecki, Cuddlee Creek, at $1650 or 7.02/kg.
The Pines, Wellington, sold seven 241kg May/June-drop vendor-bred weaned steers for $1660 or $6.88/kg, plus another 11 weighing 282kg for $1920 or $6.80/kg to Thomas Foods International.
Bioagronomics, Tailem Bend, sold 14, 228kg vendor-bred weaned July/August 2021-drop steers for $1530 or $6.71/kg, while L Manuel, Strathalbyn, sold four 276kg May/June 2021-drop Hereford steers for $1830 or $6.63/kg.
K&R Stanton sold four 267kg vendor-bred April 2021-drop Kerlson Pines-blood Hereford steers for $2530 or $5.41/kg.
KC&I Gladigau, Harrogate, sold seven 422kg vendor-bred weaned February/March 2021-drop steers at $2410 or $5.71/kg.
A pen of eight, 408kg January 2021-drop Angus steers offered by KL&LF Pearce, Paris Creek, sold for $2400 or $5.88/kg, while TR&JA Butler, Victor Harbor, sold 12 vendor-bred yard-weaned March/April 2021-drop steers weighing 395kg to TFI for $2300 or $5.82/kg.
In the heifer section, KM Stevens, Williamstown, sold 14, 207kg July 2021-drops at $1410 or $6.81/kg, while RB Galpin & Co, Currency Creek, sold seven 230kg vendor-bred weaned March/April 2021-drop heifers for $1500 or $6.52/kg.
DS&JL Lange, Victor Harbor, sold 10, 268kg March/April 2021-drop weaned Hereford heifers for $1720 or $6.41/kg, while J Burgess, Strathalbyn, sold 10, 443kg vendor-bred June/July-drop Barossa Black-bld weaned heifers for $2120 or $4.78/kg.
Four 361kg vendor-bred April 2021-drop Angus/Simmental heifers from RA&GA Watson, Murray Bridge, sold for $2000 or $5.54/kg, while Hillstream Holdings, Mount Pleasant, sold 10, 336kg yard-weaned June 2021-drop Angus heifers for $1980 or $5.89/kg.
Wellington Dairies, Wellington, offered three cows and three calves, not rejoined, which sold for $2060.
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Nutrien Strathalbyn agent Bradley Walker said the sale was in line with all other markets on pricing.
"The sale was quite quite strong - there was plenty of demand on the heavier feedlot cattle," he said.
"All regular feedlot buyers were present and operating and that flowed down onto the restocker and grazier demand.
"Numbers were obviously back from a normal yarding of around 1100, but you can still see the restockers really chasing those good well-bred lines of cattle."
The next Strathalbyn store sale is on April 1.
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