Yarded: 3500

EYCI: 1085c/kg

Feeder rating (versus EYCI): +32pts

STEERS: 500-650kg: $2940-$3490, av 536c/kg: 360-500kg $2250-$3000 av 617c/kg; 280-360kg $1800-$2340, av 656c/kg.

HEIFERS: 360-500kg $2030-$2600 av 575c/kg; 280-360kg $1700-$2410, av 618c/kg

TRADERS made little change to ultra-strong Ballarat store cattle prices on Friday when a full house of feeder buyers remained hungry for numbers.

Averaging $6.05 a kilogram or $2636 a head for the preferred 400 to 500kg feeder weight steers, prices were viewed as being only marginally higher than centre’s month earlier and much larger March sale.

TB White & Sons principal and auctioneer Leo White agreed there wasn’t much change in overall prices.

The biggest difference he said was the polish on the cattle that’s disappeared with the onset of the cooler autumn weather.

However, on the buying side, Mr White said all the heavy hitters (the large volume buyers) were all present and operating more aggressively on the heavy weighted feeders, pursuing weights up to 550 kilograms live.

Elders auctioneer Nick Gray also saw heavy steer prices as being slightly improved.

“The feeder buyers pushed higher up the weights, hence some of the heavier steers between 500 and 550 kilograms were slightly firmer, Mr Gray said.

“But across the rest of yarding prices appeared relatively similar” he said.

Nutrien Livestock auctioneer John McKinnon quoted secondary heifer prices as being firmer after a lull in demand for this class in the month-earlier March sale.

“It was on the basis of more of our local breeders were seeking well-bred young heifers as future breeders” Mr McKinnon said. And, their increased competition against the regular heifer feeder and backgrounder orders certainly firmed this part of the market”, he said.

Watch Beef Central’s full post-sale interview with John McKinnon:

A highlight of this month’s 3500-head April offering was a greater supply of heavy steers (bullocks) with weights between 600 and 700kg.

These were absorbed almost entirely by a South Gippsland bullock-finisher interest that included the purchase of 11 Angus, 679kg at $3490, and 10 Angus, 637kg from vendor W&C O’Çonnell.

And,  yards of 12 Angus, 651kg at $3425 and 27 Angus, 620kg bought at $3275 from vendor, Hazelmont.

In fact, this increased supply of extra heavy weights resulted in no fewer than 25 individual sales being completed at prices above $3000 per head including a yard of 12 Herefords, 669kg, sold at $3000 by Loddon View and 13 Angus, 541kg sold at $3050 for DJ Ross.

Clip this link to watch vision of the opening sales of Ballarat’s April sale”

Other significant sales included, a yard of 14 Angus, 515kg sold at $3100, by Sweeney Road and 17 Angus, 566kg, sold at $3170 for vendors, Russell & Blurton.

J Larson, Ballarat sold 13 Angus, 463kg at $2800. Vendor Ashgrove sold a pen of 32 Angus, 443kg, at $2770 while M&C Wagg also sold at  $2770 a yard of 16 Angus, 442kg, as all fell into a selling range of $6 to $6.30c/kg.

As the sale progressed and weights declined the selling rate crept higher with a sale at $2570 or 625c/kg recorded for 20 Carrahil Angus, 411kg of the Gleeson family Clarendon, while 20 Rockridge Angus, 376kg made $2440 or 648c/kg.

Regular sellers, GA Crick & Co sold 24 Angus, 375kg at $2490 or 664c/kg while vendor Bisinella Developments was favoured with a strong sale at $2480 or 690c/kg for 20 Angus, 359kg.

NT & WM Johnston sold two yards that were taken by specialist feeders- a pen of 16 Angus, 407kg, sold at $2540 (624c/kg) and 16 Angus, 377kg cleared at $2420 (642c/kg).

In other sales of weaners, Hillview, Mt Prospect sold 26 Angus, 380kg, at $2480 (652c/kg); G&S Freeman sold 19 Angus, 335kg, at $2260 (674c/kg), pens of Morrocdong Pastoral Angus: 23, 325kg and 22, 273kg, made $2290 (704c/kg) and $1990 (729c/kg) while CJ&LM O’Farrell sold 18 Angus, 274kg at $2060 or (752c/kg).

Sales of small calves were best exampled by a yard of 25 Angus, estimated 230kg, sold at $1870 by vendor, Real Food Farming while CJ & LM O’Farrell sold, at $1880, a pen of 17 Angus with an estimated weight of 180-190kg.

UNJOINED HEIFERS

Sales of young, unjoined and empty heifers began at rates of 420c/kg for the heaviest climbing to 670c/kg for the lighter weights and those selected for future breeding.

JD Plush sold 14 Angus, 630kg to achieve the heifer top of $2680 (422c/kg) while a second yard of Plush Te Mania-blood heifers, 448kg, made $2600 or 586c/kg.

Vendor, H Hurley sold a small yard of four Angus, 588kg at $2450 (417c/kg) while at $2430 or (597c/kg) Nebpak Enterprises sold a pen of 21 Angus, 407kg,with both selected by breeders.

WV & HM Hodge sold two yards of Coolana-blood Angus with 30 head, 411kg sold at $2390 while a pen of 23, 355kg, made $2100.

Hillview, Mt Prospect sold 20 Angus, 394kg at $2420 (614c/kg), Bunding Ag sold 19 Angus, 334kg, at $2230 or 667c/kg while MF & RI Brain sold 26 Angus, 283kg at $1710.

Two heifer yards of Morrocdong Pastoral Angus, Paringa-blood, 300kg and 262kg, made $1850 (616c/kg) and $1750 (668c/kg) respectively while a pen of 22 Laureville Murdeduke-blood Angus, 282kg made $1880 (666c/kg).

BREEDING FEMALES

An improved selection of breeding females won strong support from local restockers.

Wimmera Downs, Greens Lake sold yards of Angus heifers pregnancy tested in calf to Banquet Angus bulls for a July-August calving at $3360, $3380 and $3500.

MBC Farming sold High Spa-blood Angus cows, with same-blood Angus young calves at foot for $3950 while P Saunders sold Rennylea-blood Angus 2nd and 3rd calvers, no station mated, with TeMania-blood March-drop calves for $3900.

However, receiving best money was a yard of 12×13 Witherswood-blood Angus 4th-calf cows, not rejoined, with March-April-born Rigga-blood calves that made $4320.

These were offered by R Gray, while this was closely followed by a sale at $4200 for CJ Bibby, with a yard of 16×16 Angus 5th-calvers, Murdeduke-blood, with well-grown, fresh 6-month-old Murdeduke-calves standing at foot.