The run of heifer weaner sales in Victoria’s Western Districts wound up on Thursday with restockers and lot feeders paying to a top of $1394 for whiteface cattle.
Vendors were lift smiling as their averages rose by more than 100c/kg on last year on their top and secondary pens.
Selling agents Landmark and Elders yarded 1400 Herefords, Black Baldies, Hereford cross, Angus and Euro cross heifers for the Hamilton All Breeds Heifer Weaner Sale on January 19.
Cattle were booked to Princess Royal feedlot, South Australia, JBS Australia, Longford, Ovens Junction feedlot, Bundalong, Elders Ararat, Everitt & Seeley, Pakenham, Miller Wahn & John, Mt Gambier, Landmark Casterton and AuctionsPlus.
Bernie Grant, LMB Linke, Hamilton, was active on the restocker lines on behalf of Yarram Park Hereford’s Western District Pastoral, which is building its commercial herd in South Australia.
Yarram Park bought more than 80 head under its own steam, paying 356-380c/kg or $1075-$1291 for heifers weighing 283-341kg.
Hereford heifers weighing 250-350kg sold for 338-362c/kg or $936-$1241 – a rise of 5c/kg on the Casterton feature sale held the same day.
Heifers under 250kg eased in price on Casterton and finished at 340-362c/kg or $825-$878.
Black Baldy pens shifted up a gear to settle 7c/kg stronger on Casterton at 330-380c/kg or $1008-$1394.
As an indicator, the middle run of Angus steers – 315-400kg – sold for 345-412c/kg or $1155-$1578.
The single pen over 350kg topped the Hereford offering on a dollars per head basis at $1249, or 345c/kg.
The Mibus family, Sandy Camp, Mount Richmond, sold the pen of Roeston blood, European Union accredited, and 362kg February-March drop heifers to Princess Royal feedlot, Burra, South Australia.
Sandy Camp’s Black Baldy heifers, 367kg and EU accredited, topped the whiteface offering on a dollars per head basis at $1394 or 380c/kg.
Gordon, Jane and Owen McClure, “Beerik’’, Coleraine, rang the bell on a cents per kilogram basis with a run of 30 Yarram Park, Melville and Injemira blood heifers, 297kg and EU accredited, making 408c/kg or $1212.
The family’s seconds, weighing 272kg, yard weaned on clover and rye hay, made 400c/kg or $1088.
The previous week they had sold 365kg steers for 402c/kg or $1467 at Hamilton.
“We have retained 110 females and have 60 head today – I expected around 360-370c/kg,’’ Owen said.
Gordon McClure described the sale as “excellent with a big tick on the end’’ as the family’s top price rose by 118c/kg on 2016.
“Our seconds this year made 400c/kg compared to the seconds last year at 273c/kg,’’ he said.
“The weights were similar but prices up 110c/kg, and the heifers sold as breeders.’’
The family recently sold a Melville Park blood Hereford bull with the impressive liveweight of 1435kg to return 269c/kg or $3860 through the Hamilton prime market.
Geoff and Di Notman, Skipton, sold their final pen of heifers at Hamilton after dispersing their Mt Widderin commercial herd.
Jeremy Upton, Yarram Park bought the Yarram Park and Injemira blood heifers, 292kg, for $1089 or 373c/kg.
Mr Notman described the final sale as an “empty feeling’’ after breeding Herefords since 1980.
“We have made a lot of friends through the cattle and all are saying today do come back to visit the sales.
“We have won the best presented pen seven times out of nine years here.
“And, we are going out on the highest heifer prices we have ever known so it was a great finale.’’
The Notmans averaged $1334 across their entire autumn 2016 drop – $200 up on last year’s average.
“There is incredible interest in females at the moment,’’ Mr Notman said.
“Our 105 steers averaged $1377 with the top pen, weighing 413kg, selling for $1467 to a new client, Princess Royal feedlot.’’
The couple plan to retire at Invermay, near Ballarat.
Top quotes:
Sandy Camp: 7, 362kg, EU, Roeston blood, Feb/March drop, $1249 or 345c/kg
Inverell: 25, Yarram Park blood, 341kg, EU, March/April drop, $1241 or 364c/kg
Beerik: 30, Yarram Park, Melville and Injemira blood, EU, 297kg, $1212 or 408c/kg
Lochredral: 25, Bowmont and Yarram Park blood, 318kg, EU, $1173 or 369c/kg
Willimia: 17 Oak Downs and Russlyn blood, EU, 327kg, $1164 or 356c/kg
Glenern: 12, Allendale blood, 342kg, $1155 or 338c/kg
Smokey River: 15, Glenfern blood, 333kg, $1125 or 338c/kg
Cypress Hill: 15, Mt Difficult blood, 302kg, $1090 or 362c/kg
Mt Widderin: 20, Yarram Park and Injemira blood, 292kg, $1089 or 373c/kg
Kentara: 17, Glenfern and Taronga blood, 287kg, $1018 or 355c/kg
Rosebrook: 10, Oak Downs and Taronga blood, 281kg, $1011 or 360c/kg
Green Gully: 14, Melville Park blood, 265kg, $951 or 359c/kg
Meg Bell and Owen McClure with the sale topping Beerik heifers, Yarram Park, Melville and Injemira blood, 297kg, sold for the Hereford top of 408c/kg.
Geoff and Di Notman, Skipton, sold their final pen of Mt Widderin heifers at Hamilton following their staged herd dispersal. The heifers, Yarram Park and Injemira blood, 292kg, sold for $1089 or 373c/kg.
Ken Field, Kentara, Heywood, was pleased to sell Glenfern and Taronga blood heifers, 287kg, for $1018 or 355c/kg at the Hamilton heifer sale.
Tamako and Adrian Johnson, Tarrone, were on hand to look over the prices on offer at the Hamilton All Breeds Heifer weaner sale. The couple recently sold cast-for-age Hereford cows at Warrnambool for $2020.
