INCREASINGLY desperate for in-spec heavy feeder cattle due to the dry conditions across eastern Australia, feedlot operators in northern NSW and southern Queensland bid strongly on a large line of well-bred Angus-type steers offered on AuctionsPlus this morning.

Bob Jamieson Agencies posted the listing for close to 700 steers, offered in seven lots, account SJPM Pty Ltd of Macintyre Station, Inverell.

Its been some time since such a large line of heavy feeder steers have been offered on Auctions Plus, but the offering attracted very solid lotfeeder demand, selling fully firm to dearer on prevailing rates.

The steers averaged 404kg, returning better than 200c/kg across the board, or $817 a head. The sale grossed $570,000.

The seven lots involved ranged in size from 146 head to 34 head, with all bar one pen selling to lotfeeders stretching from the New England district north to the Darling Downs and southern Queensland. Grass feeders at Ebor took the remaining pen.

Bob Jamieson Agencies’ Ben Hiscox said the sale represented a run of trade cattle generated out of Macintyre Station’s 2500-head commercial cow herd, carry performance breeding. Most were home-bred Angus and Angus x Brangus, with a few backgrounded purchased cattle carrying Angus x Santa breeding. The steers had spent about 120 days on oats, lifting their appeal to lotfeeders desperately looking for heavier feeders to take through to 100-day grainfed weights.

“It was a very solid result,” Mr Hiscox said.

“Remember the 200c/kg they averaged is on-farm – so if you add anywhere from 7-15c/kg transport onto that to feedlot, and it made it a very strong sale on the current market.”

The best of the steers made to a top of 206.1c.

The sale clearly reflects the very tight supply of heavy feeders in the market at present, and the willingness of lotfeeders to chase them when the opportunity arises.

• Click below to view Ben Hiscox’s post-sale report, on Youtube.