NUMBERS listed on AuctionsPlus surged ahead this week despite wet conditions in many areas, with 9272 head offered across four eastern states sales – a 36 percent rise on the previous week.

Prices across all stock categories generally rose, with particularly strong competition on cows with calves at foot, and light steers. Clearance rates rose to a massive 90pc across all cattle offered, driven by 618 different bidders and 309 guests logged-on for the sales online.

Catalogues drew cattle from every state and territory, including 720 export Brahman steers from Heytesbury Cattle Co’s Birrindudu Station, on the edge of the Tanami desert southwest of Katherine – 330kg steers for the Indonesian market which sold for 374c for $1232 on-farm. Birrindudu is famous as the starting point for Peter Sherwin’s massive Sherwin Pastoral cattle empire in the 1980s-90s. See this listing clip taken using a drone below, for a good impression of the country, as well as the cattle:

Other highlights from yesterday’s weekly Friday sales among young cattle included a large line of 556 Droughtmaster and Droughtmaster cross heifers from Warrawagine Cattle Co, via Marble Bar in WA’s Pilbara region. The heifers, being divested due to the poor season in the Pilbara region, averaging 222kg at 8-24 months, sold for $700 on-farm, with a hefty freight bill to NSW on top.

Also featuring yesterday was a line of 154 7-8 month old Forest Park blood Santa steers from Blackall QLD, 263kg, which sold for 435c/kg or $1145 a head, and 72 315kg 8-10 month old Santa steers from the same vendor which sold for 413c or $1300.

A line of Angus and Angus cross 11-12 month old 314kg steers from Murrumbateman NSW sold for 464c/kg or $1455, while unjoined 12-15 month old 343kg Angus/Shorthorn feeder heifers from Forbes NSW sold for 385c/$1320, and 12-14 month old unjoined old Te Mania blood 362kg Angus future breeder heifers from Warren NSW sold for 458c/$1655.

Part of a line of 556 Droughtmaster heifers, 222kg from Marble Bar in WA’s Pilbara region, which sold to a NSW buyer yesterday for $700 on-farm.

In a breakdown of young cattle sold this wek, by weight range:

• Steers weighing less than 250kg sold from 334c to 460c to average 429c/kg live, up 2c; while heifers in the same weight range sold from 313c to 426c, with an average of 367c.
• Steers 250-300kg sold from 413c to 457c, averaging 403c/kg, up 26c; while heifers sold from 310c to 460c, averaging 386c, up 10c
• Steers 300-350kg sold from 372c to 464c, averaging 411c, up 23c; while heifers sold from 291c to 413c, averaging 356c
• Steers 350kg+ sold from 371c to 413c, averaging 393c, up 1c; while heifers sold from 341-458c to average 367c.

Breeding cattle attract intense competition

Among breeding cattle a large offering of cows with calves at foot saw intense and fierce competition from buyers, especially on young cows and first-calvers, which ranged from $2370 to $2900 and averaged $2600.

The top price in this range went to a line of 40 Kenny’s Creek blood, 440kg 24-26 month old Angus cows, with 102kg calves at foot from Boorowa NSW, pictured below, which sold for $2900.

Three to four year old cows and calves sold from $2410 to $2610 and averaged $2520. The top price lot were Glenell blood three-year-old 498kg Shorthorn cows with 170kg calves at foot from Tamworth NSW.

Cows and calves aged 5-10 years averaged $2180 and sold from $1900 to $2540.

Joined and PTIC females were also in hot demand as intense bidding continued from last week
with the top price going to a mob of 24-32 month old Angus heifers 443kg from Walcha NSW, PTIC to Wagyu bulls and sold for $2300.

A line of 624kg six-year-old Weebollabolla blood proven Shorthorn breeders from Condobolin NSW, PTIC to Weebollabolla and Royalla blood bulls, sold for $1660.

Source: AuctionsPlus