Yarded: 1368

EYCI: 999c/kg

Feeder steer rating: -10pts

Steers: 360-500kg $1950-$2500, av 530c/kg; 280-360kg $1730-$1970, av 620c/kg; 200-280kg $1535-$1880, av 720c/kg

Heifers: 360-500kg: $1880-$2160, av 506c/kg; 280-360kg $1670-$1940, av 554/kg; 200-280kg: $1350-$1870, av 655c/kg

 

 

COMPARED to a month ago, Wodonga store cattle prices have kept pace with the galloping industry benchmark indicator rising sharply at the monthly Nutrien-Paull & Scollard and Elders market on Thursday.

With the benchmark EYCI up six percent over the past month, the strong rise in prices saw bids for heavier cattle increased by $100-$120 a head while lighter weights were as much as $150 to $200 a head higher, with young heifers a highlight.

At 1368 head, the Nutrien-Elders August offering was 500 fewer and contained a larger percentage of breeds other than Angus.

Nutrien P&S auctioneer Will Jennings said while sale numbers were not huge, quality was quite exceptional for the time of year with a good number suited both ways… for the store buyer and the short-term domestic feeder.

Young auctioneers Will Jennings, Nutrien P &S and Tom Cousins, Elders in full flight at this month’s corporate companies store cattle market.

The shorter numbers and a relaxation of the previous Covid attendance restrictions saw more local buying, with the interest in light heifers definitely a highlight, Mr Jennings said.

In Beef Central’s post-sale interview with auctioneers, Oliver Mason, Elders, said demand had found a new level.

“The market was again lucky to offer another feature line – penned first in the steer run – to give the sale an excellent start” Mr Mason said.

Offered by the Trethowan family from Cookardina and Nutrien, Mr Mason said these received strong feeder support to average near to $2500 while everyone had $1900 to buy black weaners.

“Broadly speaking most cattle were $100- $150 dearer than our July sale” Mr Mason said.

Watch Beef Central’s recorded interview with Oliver Mason and Elders trainee auctioneer, Harry Cousins:

To commence the market a limited display of cows with calves at foot saw most pen-lots trade above $3000, topping at $3190 for a yard of 12 Hereford young cows rearing 2-4-month-old Hereford calves.

As mentioned, at the head of the steer run a feature line of 150 Hereford steers breed at Cookardina, NSW by RA & MH Trethowan “Lindawarra” attracted bids calculated from 489 to 526c/kg.

The Trethowan-Hereford line comprised a draft of 60, 521kg, sold at $2550, a second pen of 20, 496kg, bid to $2470 while a third draft of 70, 456kg that realized $2400.

Averaging $2469 a head and 487kg, the entire draft was snapped up by southern Riverina feeder, J&F for its Yambinya feedlot at Burraboi.

Heading the sales of weaner steers, LG & MV Boswell, Table Top, NSW, sold a yard of 13 Angus, 415kg at $2210.

The Meadows, Talmalmo, NSW, sold 21 Angus, 388kg at $2120 while KR Bird, Balldale, NSW, sold 22 Angus, 381kg at $2160.

These heaviest weaners, above 380kg pulled rates of 530-560c/kg while receiving a similar bid of $2160, JG Crain, Cudgewa, Vic, sold 16 Angus, 364kg that spun calculator to almost $6/kg.

Wilksch Partners, Culcairn, NSW was another volume seller. They cleared a pen of 27 Angus 299kg, at $1970, with a second yard of 24, 221kg, fetching $1675.

Wangamong Pastoral, Oaklands, NSW sold 23 Angus 273kg, at $1880 while another two-pen draft of Angus steers by S O’Neil, Jindabyne, NSW also generated plenty of interest with a pen of 24, 296kg sold at $1950 while a second yard of 28, 223kg cleared on $1770.

A change of colour saw 22 Hereford steers, 327kg, sold for $1950 by HR & SM Holdsworth, Jindera while a second Holdsworth-Hereford pen, 301kg, made $1865.

A bid made at $2170 headlined sales of Charolais steers. Sold by Goldsworthy Ag, their pen of eight weighed 412kg while B & D Bruce sold yards at $2020 and $1800 for pens weighed at 372kg and 311kg respectively.

Watch this video of the leading steer sales:

The demand for heifers was equally intense with bidding started at a lofty 490c/kg for 400-plus kilogram lots before spiraling upwards to 550c/kg for pen-lots over 280kg, and to $6.50 and $7/kg for lighter weights.

For pen-lots with weights between 300 and 400kg this meant most sales were made between $1700 and $2000, topping at $2160.

The heifer-toppers were a yard of seven Angus, 496kg by AC & JA Robinson, Rennie, NSW, while VP & MA Daldy, Arcadia, Vic, sold 11 Charolais-Shorthorn-Hereford heifers, 428kg at $2130.

Other notable sales included 15 Angus, 418kg sold at $2050 by HT Clancy, Pleasant Hill, NSW, LG & MV Russell, Table Top, NSW – 15 Angus, 390kg, $2000 while G&L Bairn, Bonegilla, Vic sold 23 Angus, 386kg at $2010.

Almost all of the above were collected by orders feeding for the domestic market including a yard of 20 Angus, 387kg sold at $1990 by Two Rivers, Tocumwal, NSW, along with KR Bird, Balldale with a yard of 17 Angus, 354kg sold at $1940.

Wilksch Partners, Culcairn, NSW sold 22 Angus, 276kg at $1750 along with a yard of 15 Angus, 232kg, sold at $1510.