This line of Angus/Shorthorn steers, 7-9 months weighing 246kg from Gravesend, NSW sold today for 471c/kg or $1160 a head

CATTLE numbers listed on the AuctionsPlus online trading platform remained high this week, with lighter steers and heifers continuing to feature strongly in a total consignment of 12,420 head.

Highlights among the lighter steers on offer included a line of Angus/Shorthorn steers, 7-9 months weighing 246kg from Gravesend, NSW which sold for 471c/kg or $1160 a head.

A line of mixed age Brahman cross and Brangus cross steers 10-18 months averaging 163kg, from Pentland, North Qld sold for 468c/kg or $760.

A line of Shorthorn steers, 7-11 months weighing 264kg, also from Gravesend, sold for 456c/kg or $1205, while Angus and Angus cross steers, 9-12 months weighing 269kg, from Padthaway, SA sold for 427c/kg or $1150.

Among medium weights, highlights included a line of 110 Pine Creek blood Angus steers, 9-11 months weighing 342kg, from Hay, NSW which sold for 403c/kg or $1380, and 118 Brangus and Charolais cross steers, 12-15 months weighing 347kg, from Westmar, on Queensland’s western downs which sold for 401c/kg or $1260.

A line of Te-Angie blood Hereford steers, 18-22 months weighing 353kg, from Armidale, NSW sold for 380c/kg or $1340.

Light heifer listings which sold well included 180 crossbred heifers, 10-18 months weighing 175kg, from Pentland, Qld which sold for 431c/kg or $755, and a line of Angus and Angus cross heifers, 10-12 months weighing 203kg, from Inverell, NSW which sold for 409c/kg or $830.

From Padthaway, SA, a line Angus and Angus cross heifers, 9-11 months weighing 261kg sold for 440c/kg or $1150, while a line of Angus/Herford and Angus cross heifers, 13-14 months weighing 299kg from Nundle, NSW sold for 401c/kg or $1200.

Heading north, 144 Droughtmaster heifers, 8-12 months weighing 254kg from Winton, QLD sold for 439c/kg or $1116, while a further 136 of their brothers 289kg at the same age, made $1199.

Among heavier heifer lines, 108 Angus heifers, 12-14 months weighing 349kg from Lightning Ridge, NSW sold for 417c/kg or $1455, and a small line of 12 EU Santa Gertrudis/ Shorthorn heifers, 12-15 months weighing 327kg from Scone, NSW sold for 387c/kg or $1265.

Heifers weighing over 350kg made 375c/kg or $1390 for a line of 49 Alpine-blood Angus, 14-15 months weighing 370kg, from Guys Forest, VIC.

144 Droughtmaster heifers, 8-12 months weighing 254kg from Winton, QLD sold for 439c/kg or $1116 this afternoon, while a further 136 of their brothers 289kg at the same age (pictured) made $1199.

In a breakdown of young cattle sold today, by weight:

• Steers less than 250kg sold from 390c to 471c, averaging of 422c/kg live; while heifers sold from 347c to 431c, averaging 388c
• Steers 250-299kg sold from 356c to 456c, averaging 408c; while heifers sold from 341c to 440c, averaging 392c
• Steers 300-349kg sold from 361c to 403c, averaging 384c, while heifers sold from 352c to 417c, averaging 380c
• Steers 350kg + sold from 346c to 392c to average 364c, while heifers in the heaviest weight category sold from 330c to 375c to average 355c.

Breeding cattle highlights

PTIC female numbers this week remained steady, with young breeder females averaging $1703, with a line of 41 Bell River blood heifers, 16-18 months, PTIC to Pine Creek Angus bulls, from Wellington, NSW selling for the top price of $1770.

Proven breeders this week averaged $1628, with the top price at $1700 paid for a line of six-year-old Angus cows, PTIC to Angus bulls, from Merriwa, NSW. Mixed aged breeder highlights included went to a line of Brahman and Brahman cross cows, 2-10 years, PTIC to Angus, Santa and Charolais bulls, from Blackall, QLD which sold for $1330.

Cow and calf numbers this week remained consistent with maiden females, averaging $2446 with the top price of $2800 for a line of Dunoon blood Angus females from Ganmain, NSW. The cows had Angus calves at foot averaging 272kg, with the females being joined back to Ireland blood Angus bulls.

Cows  3-4 years old with calves averaged $2316, with the top line of Angus cows from Wellington, NSW with Angus calves at foot and re-joined back to Angus bulls, making $2800.

Proven breeder numbers this week increased, producing an average price of $2406. The top line of five-year-old Angus cows and calves from Wellington, NSW sold for $3200.

These cows had Pine Creek Angus blood calves at foot weighing 263kg, also being re-joined back to Pine Creek Angus blood bulls. Mixed age lines averaged $1530 with the top price of $1600 for a line of crossbred cows and calves. These cows were 3-10 years old with 116kg calves at foot, from Delungra, NSW.

Wagyu offering

Wagyu cattle continued to make their presence felt in today’s AuctionsPlus sales with F1 steers making a top price of 789c/kg liveweight, or $2245. These Wagyu/Angus steers from Roma, QLD were 11-15 months weighing 284kg. F1 Wagyu/ Angus heifers, 11-15 months weighing 278kg from the same vendor sold for 684c/kg or $1905.

Today’s Bar H Grazing Wagyu online seedsock sale, run on AuctionsPlus, attracted 86 guests and 114 bidders, while the catalogue had 2994 hits.

The top priced bull was Bar H K1416 which sold for $22,500, with the bulls averaging $11,046.

The top priced female was Bar H 1656 selling for $14,000, with an average price for the unjoined females of $5400 and for the PTIC females of $8200. The top price semen package was $1700 and the top priced embryo package was $3200.

Source: AuctionsPlus