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

Marion Daley, with sons Phil and Alan sold Charolais-cross heifers, 428kg at $2130 from their Arcadia property near Shepparton.

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.

Brett Shea Elders Albury livestock manager with client Alan Robinson, Jarobee Angus
Photo taken by Chris Howie’s daughter, Jaime who works at Elders Albury.

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.