AuctionsPlus’s unparalleled ability to put together buyers and vendors from geographically disparate parts of the continent was on show in this week’s online sales, where cattle numbers eased by about 11 percent to 9694 head across four sales.

The standout movement was a line of Shorthorn and Shorthorn cross heifers from Gillingarra, near Newman in WA, which will make a 3500km journey across Australia to their new home in central western NSW.

The 100 heifers, averaging 246kg in a fairly wide weight range, and aged 8-18 months, sold for $665 a head. The heifers were offered as chance-mated, but unlikely to be in calf due to age and weight. Estimated to load at 38 per 40-foot deck, an option was provided to fill the remainder of a B-double load with similar cattle, amounting to another 15 head.

There’s been a trend recently in Western Australian sheep and cattle heading to eastern states to restockers and backgrounders.

It partly reflects the imbalance in pricing on either side of the continent presently, following the effects of two years of sustained drought on eastern states flocks and herds. That trend is clearly reflected in the map published here, documenting percentage changes in herd size over the past three years across Australian regions. Click here to view Beef Central’s recent article on this topic.

A similar pattern is being seen in sheep, with a large yarding of 9000 WA-bred Merino ewes being offered out of Elders’ Moora yards this Thursday, being heavily targeted at potential buyers in the eastern states. Click here to access a summary of the sheep on offer.

Young cattle highlights from AuctionsPlus sales this week included a line of 119 Droughtmaster steers 246 kg from Julia Creek, Qld which averaged 419c/kg or $1030 a head.

Also in the north, a line of 240 Angus steers from Winton, western Qld, made 368c/kg or $1320. These Kenny’s Creek blood steers bred by the Henwood family’s Yammatree Family Trust averaged 358kg at 10-17 months, and will making the journey into southern Qld.

The same vendors also had a significant offering of Kenny’s Creek blood Angus steers and heifers out of their NSW holdings, including 312 Angus feeder steers 408kg at 12-14 months from Vieta, Hillston, NSW, offered in four lines, which made $1500 or 368c/kg. A second run of 470 Angus steers 12-14 months at 364kg from the same property made $1380 or 378c/kg, while 110 lighter Angus steers 309kg, made 414c/$1280.

Standout lines for young females included a line of Booromooka-blood Angus heifers from Uralla, NSW. These future breeders made $1330 or 393c/kg and are ready to become good quality future breeders for the successful purchaser. Further south a tidy line of Angus weaned heifers from Hindmarsh Tiers, SA made $1030 or 401c/kg.

In a breakdown of young cattle sold yesterday, by weight range:

• Steers weighing less than 250kg sold from 369c/kg to 450c/kg to average 421c/kg, up 14c; while heifers in the same weight range sold from 270-474c/kg, averaging 377c, easing 5c
• Steers 250-300kg sold from 357-426c, with an average of 403c, steady on last week; while heifers sold from 340-401c to average 368c, up 3c
• Steers 300-350kg sold from 332-429c, averaging 385c, up 5c; while heifers sold from 338-393c, averaging 361c, easing 4c
• Steers 350kg+ sold from 329-379c, averaging 370c; while heifers sold from 328c-362c, averaging 348c/kg.

Breeding cattle highlights

PTIC female numbers this week were slightly up on last week, and prices were significantly stronger on previous weeks as restockers looked to secure breeders.

PTIC heifers averaged $2068 with a line of Hereford heifers, 432kg at 18-20 months, PTIC to Yavenvale Hereford bulls, from Oxley, NSW selling for a standout price of $2700.

Top price for PTIC heifers was $3050 paid as part of a dispersal for a quality line of HBR registered Angus account of Pinnacle Angus Stud located in Myrtleford, VIC. These 19-30 month old heifers averaged 459kg and are PTIC to top Angus sires.

Young breeder females made from $1680 to $2500 to average $2117. The top price went to two lines of 3 year old Angus cows, PTIC Angus bulls from Caramut, VIC.

Cow and calf numbers this week remained steady with young proven breeders (3 to 4 years) averaging $2578 with the top price making $3100 for a line of organic accredited Banquet blood Angus females from Darlington, VIC. These cows had Angus calves at foot averaging 275kg, with the females being PTIC to Banquet blood Angus bulls.

Wagyu influence

Another strong result included a line of 3-4 year old cows and calves from Casterton VIC, that made $2910. These Coolana blood cows had Wagyu calves at foot weighing 102kg, with the cows being re-joined back to Wagyu bulls.

Wagyu cattle continued to make their presence known in today’s Eastern States sales with mixed sexed F1 Angus weaners making the top price of 753c/kg or $1522. These steer and heifer calves were from Walcha, NSW and weighed 202 kg.

Wagyu cross Brangus steers 10-12 months weighed 356kg from Lotus Creek, QLD made an impressive 734c/kg or $2615.

On the Wagyu breeder side, there was a Wagyu Fullblood reduction sale with cattle sourced from Kangaloon, NSW. On offer was mixed aged registered cows, with prices ranging from $3550 to $5300 to average $4783.

 

• Click here to access full summary of Friday’s AuctionsPlus sales results.

 

Report includes content sourced from AuctionsPlus.