Sold as part of the final stage of a herd dispersal near Penola, SA, these Angus yearling PTIC heifers made a very strong $2020. Click on image for a larger view.

THE past week’s heat wave and concerns in some regions about feed outlook heading into summer curbed buyer appetite for a larger offering of feeder/grower cattle on AuctionsPlus last Friday.

There was a slight correction evident in prices for some young cattle, on top of a modest 4pc rise in catalogue listings week-on-week, to 6529 head.

Recent patchy rain has put a dampener on listing numbers coming out of Queensland, which accounted for less than one third of Friday’s catalogue, while NSW numbers lifted to 3642 head, accounting for more than half the ‘virtual’ yarding.

Demand for domestic feeder-ready cattle remained strong, however.

In a breakdown of results by weight category:

Light steers less than 250kg made 328c to 403c to average 369c, down 5c on last week, while heifers in the same weight range made 311c to 403c to average 340c, down 42c after last week’s unprecedented highs.

• Steers 250-300kg sold from 342-401c to average 364c, down 6c, and heifers made 302-343c averaging 323c, down 20c.
• Steers 300-350kg steers made 308-364c to average 344c, up 2c, and heifers made 278-370c averaging 318c, up 16c.
• Steers 350-400kg made 324-360c to average 334c, down 12c, and heifers weighing over 350kg made 281c to 321c to average 300c, down 14c.
• Steers 400kg plus sold form 285-334c to average 321c.

This line of 80 EU-eligible Droughtmaster weaned steers from Emerald, 8-12 months weighing 250kg, sold for 372c or $930/head.

Among the sale highlights was a line of 80 Droughtmaster weaned steers, EU and LPA eligible account Mt Ball, Emerald (Central Qld), 8-12 months weighing 250kg, selling for 372c or $930.

Two lots totalling 63 Droughtmaster/Hereford and Angus/Hereford heifers at Goondiwindi made 343c ($945) and 327c ($965) respectively, while two lines totalling 161 Angus x Santa steers from Glenmorgan, southern Qld sold for 342c (335kg) and 335c (413kg) or $1382 respectively.

EU-eligible Angus steers 291kg out of Walcha on the NSW New England made 401c or $1169, while 325kg Angus x Shorthorn steers at Armidale made 364c or $1180.

Angus heifers 335kg sold for 370c or $1240, while 422kg Angus steers sold for 329c or $1390, and a large line of 144 Angus heifers out of Tumbarumba averaging 314kg, sold for 342c or $1075 for a sale value of $154,800.

Also featured in Friday’s weekly sale breeder offering were a couple of dispersals.

The final stages of an Angus herd dispersal near Penola, in South Australia’s southeast saw 72 Pathfinder-blood yearling PTIC heifers made a very strong $2020.

At Deepwater, NSW, another Angus dispersal of cows with calves at foot saw the 268 4-7 year olds make from $1700 to $1860, and older cows to $1500.

Elsewhere young cows with calves made $1565 to a top of $2200 for four to five year old Hazeldean blood Angus females with calves out of Cooma. Mixed-age lines made $1205 to a top of $1910 for 5-13 year old South Devon and Droughtmaster cows with Hereford calves at Inverell. PTIC females sold today were predominantly yearling first-calvers, selling from $1310 to the top of $2020.

Click here to view tabulated listings of last Friday’s AuctionsPlus sale results.

Some interesting larger  AuctionsPlus offerings in upcoming sales:

Nov 27: 1000 good quality commercial Angus cows, mostly 4-7 years, with crossbred calves at foot and re-mated to Limousin bulls, ex Hartley Grazing Mendooran, NSW (click here to view earlier report)

Nov 27: 220 Droughtmaster cross steers average 278kg, a/c I&S Nominees and Australian Green Properties, Tennant Creek, NT.

Nov 27: 560 mixed sex Brahman and Droughtmaster cross weaners, vendor-bred and one brand, certified Organic, a/c Prime Holdings, Tathumnarra, Augathella.

Nov 27: 480 Droughtmaster steers 180-300kg ex Murray Downs, Alice Springs (Landmark Russell Cobar).