Pictured after this week’s Jeogla feature steer sale interfaced on Auctions Plus were from left, Ben Hiscox(Bob Jamieson Agencies), Dominic Roche and Richard Braham (Jeogla), Bob Jamieson and Kieran Te Velde (BJA).

CATTLE numbers listed on AuctionsPlus sky-rocketed this week to 13,558 head, the highest weekly tally for more than 12 months.

Numbers rose 6070 head or 81 percent on the week before, boosted in part by 1700 steers offered as part of the annual Jeogla/Wallamumbi steer sale which notched-up what may be an Australian record c/kg price for such a large line of young cattle (full details below).

In Friday’s regular weekly AuctionsPlus sale, a line of heavy Angus steers from Goondiwindi, QLD, weighing 476kg made 324c/kg or $1543/head, while yearling Brangus steers from Tenterfield, NSW made 380c/kg or $1367.

Young straightbred Hereford steers attracted buyers, with the top of three signature lines from Mansfield, Victoria averaging 206kg making 427c/kg or $880/head. Their heavier brothers weighing 300kg made 377c/kg or $1130.

In female lines, young weaner Bald Blair blood Angus heifers weighing 247kg made 348c/kg or $860 a head, while heavier yearling Santa heifers from central western NSW weighing 396kg made 306c/kg or $1250.

In a breakdown of the offering by weight:

• Steers weighing less than 250kg made 338c/kg live to 427c, averaging 373c, while heifers in the same weight category sold from 309c live to 348c, averaging 331c.
• Steers 250-300kg sold from 288c to 367c to average 343c, easing slightly 11c/kg on last week; while heifers ranged from 300c to 340c, averaging 313c/kg
• Steers 300-350kg ranged from 307c/kg to 377c/kg, averaging 330c; while heifers were limited in numbers and ranged from 281c to 325c/kg
• Steers over 350kg were high in numbers, making 298c to 380c to average 330c, up 6c on last week; heifers in this weight category were strong in numbers and sold in a large range from 251c to 316c to average 289c/kg.

Numbers of PTIC females were similar to last week and prices remained strong as restockers continue to secure breeders. Yearling PTIC heifer numbers were up on last week to range from $960/head to $1500 to average $1216/head. The top line of PTIC yearling Charolais cross Angus heifers weighing 488 kg, were from Armidale and joined to Glenmorgan Angus Bulls.

A signature line of Santa PTIC heifers and cows from Condobolin, NSW sold well. Year-old heifers sold for $2020 which was the top price for PTIC females for the week, and cows averaged $1810. The same vendor also sold two Santa 30-month-old bulls, one reaching a staggering $17,600.

In the cow and calf sales, majority sold were mixed aged which ranged from $1130 to $1820 to average $1405/head. The top price was a line of proven Angus breeders, joined to a Black Limousin with black Limousin calves at foot averaging 231 kg, from Wallabadah which sold for $2520.

Jeogla feature sale averages ‘incredible’ 344c/kg or $1445/head

The annual Jeogla feature steer sale interfaced on AuctionsPlus during the week saw the 1712 steers catalogued average 344c/kg, to return an incredible $1445/head average. The entire sale gross close to $2.5 million.

It may well be an Australian record average c/kg price for such a large line of single-vendor cattle – especially as these were mostly heavy feeder steers, averaging 340kg across the yarding.

Vendors Dominic and Kate Roche watch Wednesday’s Jeogla Wallamumbi sale, interfaced on AuctionsPlus

Buyers and bidders came out of the woodwork, with at least 70 percent of the offering heading onto grain. Some found the going a bit tough, faced with determined bidding either in the yards or online. Largest volume buyers were NH Foods Oakey, Elders Killara, TFI and Kerwee however some smaller owner-operator yards also scored lines of quality feeder cattle.

AuctionsPlus bidders were a major buying force in the auction, contributing 40pc of cattle sold. Online buyers came from across southern and Central Queensland, the Liverpool Plains and the Hunter Valley, taking a total of 698 head in 27 lots. Forty-two bidders logged-in online, to compete for the cattle with physical buyers at the sale near Armidale.

Top price of $1730 was for a pen of 17 black steers averaging 538kg.

Click here to view full summary of Friday’s AuctionsPlus weekly sale results.