Interstate agency buys 30 per cent of Hamilton heifers, backgrounders dominate

Agency Miller Whan & John, Mount Gambier, SA, bought 494 cattle at Thursday's sale for two separate backgrounding operations in western Victoria and south-east South Australia.

Miller Whan & John agents Andrew Whan and Peter Creek were among the most-active bidders on the rail, buying 31 per cent of the 1560 cattle on offer.

Mr Whan bought 283 mainly black cattle ranging from 300-330 kilograms for the Ogilvie Group's backgrounding operations in south-east SA and western Victoria.

Meanwhile, Mr Creek bought 211 Angus heifers, 270-330kg, for Lindsay Farms, Lindsay, which backgrounds cattle on the SA-Victorian border near Strathdownie.

The sale was underpinned by several other volume buyers, including Guy Robertson, TDC Hamilton, who bought 107 Angus heifers, 270-320kg.

Mr Robertson said a portion of the heifers would be retained for a breeding operation, while the balance would be sent to a fattening operation at Harrow.

Colac-based feedlotter Alistair Nelson, Y C Feeding, bought 50 mixed-breed heifers, 300-330kg, for backgrounder Yeomont Cattle at Birregurra.

Western district stud and commercial operation Yarram Park, Willaura, was the largest buyer of Hereford heifers, and bought more than 140 European Union-accredited cattle with Yarram Park bloodlines.

The operation is owned by Antony and Sybil Bailleu and comprises 4000 Hereford cows across its Victorian and SA operations.

Elders Hamilton livestock manager Aaron Malseed said local graziers were also on the rail, buying the odd pen of heifers with the intention to use them in breeding operations.

"It was a very-solid sale and very consistent in the pricing," he said.

"The better heifers sold from 300-320 cents a kilogram for the heavier calves, and the lighter calves made from 285-300c/kg.

"There was the odd pen that went back to a breeding job, but 80pc of the heifers were bought by backgrounders."

The best-presented pen of Angus heifers was awarded to two vendors.

The first was Fiveways Angus, Portland, which sold the first pen of the sale with 28 Angus, Bassano and Pathfinder-blood, 357kg, which sold for 300c/kg or $1053 a head to Nutrien Hamilton.

The second pen was 23 Angus steers, February and March 2023-drop, consigned by Mibus Bros, Sandy Camp, Portland, 362kg, which made 336c/kg or $1216.

The best-presented Herefords Australia pen was awarded to the McClure family of The Beerik Partnership, Coleraine, which included 31 heifers, March and April 2023-drop, 294kg, which made 330c/kg or $970 and was bought by Yarram Park.

The Robertson family, trading as Glenferrie, Paschendale, sold 44 Angus heifers, including 18 cattle, 347kg, for 346c/kg or $1200 to Nutrien Leongatha, and 18 heifers, 306kg, for 306c/kg or $936.

Bryce and Kate Headlam, Harton Hills, Ripponhurst, sold 67 Angus heifers, including a pen of 30, 318kg, for 314c/kg or $998 to Miller Whan & John, and 33 heifers, 299kg, for 321c/kg or $959.

Bassano Angus, Narrawong, sold 15 Angus heifers, 356kg, for 300c/kg or $1068, while Calcarab sold 30 Angus heifers, 331kg, for 318c/kg or $1052.

Fernbank Park sold 14 Angus heifers, February and March 2023-drop, 333kg, for 300c/kg, and 24 heifers, 313kg, for 316c/kg or $989.

Both pens were bought by Miller Whan & John.

The Rocky sold 31 Angus heifers, 320kg, for 315c/kg or $1008.

Athlone South, Penshurst, sold 39 Angus heifers, 269kg, for 290c/kg or $780 to TDC Hamilton.

Mt Kincaid sold 40 Angus heifers, 332kg, for 330c/kg or $1095 to Banquet Angus, Mortlake.

In the Herefords, the Craig family, Inverell Herefords, Branxholme, sold 71 cattle including 23 Hereford heifers, 316kg, for 296c/kg or $935, and 48 heifers, 286kg, for 285c/kg or $815.

Both pens were bought by Yarram Park.

Lochredal sold 39 Hereford heifers, 262kg, for 294c/kg or $770 to Yarram Park.