Markets

Big cow/calf offering, as dry summer start pushes AuctionsPlus numbers higher

Beef Central, 11/12/2016
Unjoined heifer highlights last week included these 379kg Te Mania blood Angus heifers from Mansfield, VIC selling for 372c/kg live weight or $1410.

Unjoined heifer highlights last week included these 379kg  Te Mania blood Angus heifers from Tonga Station Mansfield, VIC selling for 372c/kg live weight or $1410.

 

DRIVEN by early southern interfaced weaner sales and the general dry start to summer, cattle numbers took off on AuctionsPlus last week.

Almost 12,000 head was offered online last week, with 7228 head on offer in the normal Eastern States cattle auctions, plus three significant interfaced weaner sales – the IRA Elite Vealer and Weaner Sale offering 1551 head, Euroa Feature Steer Weaner Interfaced Saleyard Sale with 1819 head, and Naracoorte Weaner Steer and Heifer sales with 1361 head on offer.

Joined females numbers were dominated by young future breeders and first calvers.

This was in part due to a female reduction offering from Tonga Station, Mansfield, VIC. The reduction saw buyers flock online to compete for the Te Mania blood offering. Highlights included 39-40 month old, 703kg Angus cows joined to Te Mania bulls, selling for $2810 and four year old 742kg joined cows selling for $2800.

Young future breeders and first-calvers across the Eastern States sales last week ranged from $950 to $2810 with an average of $1774.

Young cattle highlights

Unjoined heifer highlights last week included 379kg Te Mania blood Angus heifers from Mansfield, VIC selling for 372c/kg live weight or $1410, while 312kg Angus heifers from Hay, NSW sold for 386c or $1205.

Wagyu/Angus F1 heifers weighing 301kg from Spring Plains, NSW sold for 628c or $1893.

Young steer prices saw a large rise with a strong showing of backgrounder and feeder cattle. Highlights included a line of EU-accredited Santa and Santa cross 373kg steers from Deepwater, NSW selling for 362c/kg liveweight or $1350/head.

This line of a line of EU-accredited Santa and Santa cross 373kg steers from Deepwater, NSW sold for 362c/kg liveweight or $1350/head

This line of a line of EU-accredited Santa and Santa cross 373kg steers from Deepwater, NSW sold for 362c/kg liveweight or $1350/head

A line of Banquet and Rennylea blood Angus steers from Darriman, VIC weighing 362kg sold for 428c or $1550. Once again Wagyu-infused cattle continued to sell well online, with F1 Wagyu/Angus steers weighing 338kg from Spring Plains, NSW selling for 604c or $2040.

In a breakdown of young cattle sold last week, by weight-range:

  • Steers weighing less than 250kg sold from 363c to 489c/kg to average 442c, up 47c; while heifers in the same weight range sold from 375-405c, averaging 390c
  • Steers 250-300kg sold from 376-436c/kg to average 404c; while heifers sold from 363-391c averaging 379c
  • Steers 300-350kg sold from 359-431c, averaging 395c, up 41c; while heifers sold from 244-386c, averaging 342c
  • Steers 350kg+ sold from 344-428c, averaging 374c, up 11c; while heifers sold from 269-372c, averaging 313c.

Breeding cattle

A huge offering of cows with calves at foot was met with strong bidding online. The top priced lot sold this week were 28-30 month old, 544kg Te Mania blood Angus cows with Te Mania blood calves at foot from Walgett, NSW which sold for $2975.

Five-year-old Violet Hills and Paringa blood Charolais proven breeders, 620kg, with Charolais calves at foot from Apsley, VIC sold for $2740. Young first-calvers sold from $2000 to $2975, with an average of $2540, while three to four year old cows and calves sold from $2430 to $2800, averaging $2640. Mixed age cows and calves sold from $1370 to $2740, averaging $2072.

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These five-year-old Charolais proven breeders, 620kg, with Charolais calves at foot from Apsley, VIC sold for $2740.

Among last week’s interfaced weaner sales, the Euroa Feature Steer Weaner Sale saw an exceptional draft of cattle brought together by Elders, Landmark and Rodwells. With just over 2800 head on offer, bidding was fierce, however local buyers outbid online buyers on all fronts through the sale.

The sale which was interfaced and live audio streamed with AuctionsPlus for the first time, was supported well with users logging in from as far north as Bonshaw and Walcha, NSW; west to Jamestown SA, and a user from Southern Tasmania. The online catalogue saw 3700 hits with agents and vendors taking advantage of uploaded assessments and presale information online last week.

Looking forward, next Wednesday 14th of December Euroa has its Feature Heifer Weaner and Female Sale, with the online catalogue already available. This sale will also be interfaced and live audio streamed to maximize bidding competition.

AuctionsPlus also interfaced the Landmark offering of the Naracoorte Weaner sales on Thursday and Friday. The yarding of around 900 steers and 500 heifers generated plenty of online interest, with 65 bidders logging-in to watch and listen live to the steer sale and online bids coming from three states, and the heifers attracting 50 registered bidders with online action from SA and Tasmania, and securing one pen of heifers.

The physical sale attracted a large gallery of buyers, both local and interstate, with strong prices across the board. Larger runs of black EU cattle attracted premiums on both days. With the outstanding season in SA, the cattle were significantly heavier than recent years resulting in good returns for producers.

Click the link below to view a short video reporting on the Naracoorte steer and heifer sales.

 

  • Next Friday, December 16 will be the final Eastern States AuctionsPlus sales for the year, returning on Friday, January 6 2017.

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