From Nambrok, VIC, a line of about 150 Hereford cows and calves, PTIC cows and heifers sold from $1460 to $1900, with the 589kg cows pictured making $1600.

Lighter steer prices tended to decline, while heavier steer categories lifted a little in a smaller offering on AuctionsPlus this week.

Cattle listing numbers this week reached 10,104 head, down 20pc on the week before. Cows with calves at foot brought the most numbers to the sale with 27pc of the listings.

Southern Queensland buyers were the most active this week, buying 1481 head. The north-west slopes and plains and lower south-east of South Australia completed the top three purchasing regions of the week.

Cows with their first calves at foot averaged $1145 and prices ranged from $750 to $1800. Top price went to a line of Gilmour, Danedite and Moolaboola blood Angus cows from Camperdown, VIC. These cows were aged from 4 to 7 years, averaged 560kg and had been depastured to Angus bulls. The Angus calves at foot were aged from 5-6 months and averaged 268kg.

From Nambrok, VIC Hereford cows 4-5 years averaging 589kg, with calves at foot sold for $1600. From the north, a line of predominantly Santa cows and calves from Roma, QLD sold to a buyer in Longreach for $1110. These cows were aged 4-9 years, averaged 526kg and hade 7-12 week old Angus-sired calves at foot.

PTIC females averaged $1255 this week and prices ranged from $840 to $1550. From Nambrok, VIC 134 Hereford PTIC cows were sold for an average of $1531, to Victorian and South Australian buyers. These cows were aged 3-4 years and had been PTIC to Hereford bulls.

A line of PTIC Angus and Angus cross heifers 17 to 18 months averaging 357kg from Walcha, NSW sold for $940.

Light steers less than 200kg sold from 247c to 406c this week to average 359c. Top price went to 170 Angus steers, 4-5 months averaging 151kg, from Blackville, NSW. Other highlights included Angus & Angus cross steers 175kg from Dunedoo, NSW returning 347c; and Angus x Hereford steers 174kg from Glen Innes, NSW returning 313c.

Steers 200-280kg sold from 195c to 361c this week, to average 298c, down 5c on last week. Top price went to unweaned Angus steers 8-10 months averaging 260kg from Claude Road, TAS. Other highlights included Poll Hereford & Angus x Poll Hereford steers, 10-12 months 264kg from Mitchell, QLD returning 314c; and Limousin cross steers, 10-11 months averaging 209kg from Ilford, NSW returning 298c.

Steers 280-330kg averaged 319c this week, down 11c, and sold from 261c to 450c. Top price went to a line of Speckle Park x Angus steers, 9-10 months averaging 290kg from Penola, SA. Other highlights included unweaned Poll Hereford x Angus steers 9-10 months averaging 322kg from Nabowla, TAS returned 351c; and Angus steers, 14-16 months averaging 318kg from Rouchel, NSW returning 302c.

Heavier steers 330-400kg sold from 292c to 363c this week, and returned an average of 327c, up 20c on last week. Top price went to Coolana and Glatz blood Angus steers, 9-10 months averaging 363kg from Penola, SA. Other highlights included Angus steers 13-14 months, 358kg from Tomahawk, TAS returning 336c; and Angus steers 8-10 months, 352kg from Jingellic, NSW returning 318c.

Heavy steers +400kg averaged 309c this week, and sold from 253c to 341c. Top price went to a line of Angus & Angus cross steers, 9-10 months, averaging 415kg from Penola, SA.

Heifers less than 200kg sold from 165c to 306c this week, averaging 266c, down 12c on last week. Top price went to a line of Angus heifers 4-5 months, 142kg from Blackville, NSW. Other highlights included Angus & Angus cross heifers, 3-5 months averaging 172kg from Dunedoo, NSW returning 291c; Droughtmaster cross heifers 9-15 months, weighing 198kg from Moura, QLD returning 205c.

Heifers 200-280kg ranged in price from 222c to 313c this week, averaging 249c. Top price went to a line of unweaned Angus & Angus cross heifers, 7-9 months, 256kg from North Scottsdale, TAS. Other highlights included Angus & Angus cross heifers 11-13 months 200kg from Uralla, NSW, which returned 270c; 8-15 month old crossbred heifers, 233kg from Tambo, QLD which returned 236c.

Heifers 280-330kg averaged 252c this week, down 13c on last week and sold from 207c to 277c. Top price went to a line of Simmental/Simbrah heifers, 11-13 months averaging 288kg from Texas, QLD. Other highlights included Angus & Angus cross heifers 13-14 months, averaging 316kg from Simpson, VIC returning 260c; and Angus heifers 14-16 months, averaging 295kg from Scone, NSW returning 206c.

Heavier heifers 330-400kg sold from 247c to 302c this week and averaged 276c, up 3c. Returning the top price was a line of Angus and Angus cross heifers, 13-16 months averaging 372kg from Yelarbon, QLD.

Heifers greater than 400kg in weight sold for 315c for a line of 13-15 month old, Hereford heifers, averaging 413kg from Meander, TAS.

• The final AuctionsPlus sales for the year will be held next week, returning Monday and Friday, January 6 and 10 next year.

Source: AuctionsPlus