ELDERS penned 1259 cattle, which were generally of excellent weights and quality in its monthly store sale at Boyanup and the end result showed a slight easing for most classes.
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Buying saw agents dominate the clerking sheets, along with a stronger showing from an Eastern States lotfeeder, plus some some grazier purchases.
Recent rains had little effect on demand, as many are still nervous of follow-up rain in the near future.
The top end of the beef steers sold to $1968 and were at 460c/kg at the lighter end.
The first run of beef heifers was promoted as future breeders and these reached $1950 when selling appraisal.
The rest of the beef heifers sold to $1708 and 400c/kg.
A small number of beef-cross steers topped at $1602 and 340c/kg, but with the small number it is hard to get an accurate comparison.
Friesian steers sold to $1611 and topped at 332c/kg.
Pens of quality dairy poddies sold to competition, reaching $850 paid for mature types.
Some good quality young first-cross heifers attracted competition to sell to $1375.
Mated second calving cows sold for $2200, while the best cow and calf unit made up to $2800.
The opening four pens of Angus steers of Monterey and Mordallup blood from P & F Giadresco & Sons, Stratham, were outstanding and Nutrien Brunswick/Harvey agent Errol Gardiner snapped up all four pens for a local client.
The pens of 10 each saw 482kg steers make the top of $1947 at 404c/kg, 465kg steers sold at 416c/kg and $1936 with the other pens making $1919 and $1827.
A pen of eight steers weighing 513kg sold by J Vander Schaaf went to the bid of Elders, Busselton representative Jacques Martinson, at 376c/kg to cost $1929.
Buying for Princess Royal Trading, Burra, South Australia, Graeme Brown snapped up five pens in a row, topping at $1768 for seven steers weighing 444kg from GJ & KL Cain, Margaret River.
John Gallop quietly compiled a few pens for his lotfeeder client, starting with 13 Angus steers sold by DJ & DR Wells weighing 353kg costing $1461 at 414c/kg.
A pen of black steers sold by J & S Italiano cost Mr Gardiner $1864 after bidding to 368c/kg for the 506kg steers.
A few pens later Mr Gardiner paid the beef top price of $1968 for nine Italiano Charolais steers weighing 502kg that made 392c/kg.
Charolais steers from CM & DJ Forrest went to VA & MP Wright when the 551kg steers sold for $1885 at 342c/kg.
The 460c/kg top beef cents per kilogram price pen was among the many pens bought by Elders, Brunswick/Harvey agent Craig Martin, with the pen of 11 steers from DJ Shine & Co selling for $1325.
It was well into the run of special breeding heifers before the $1950 top price was achieved and it occurred when Elders Margaret River representative Brendan Millar placed the winning bid on the nine Angus heifers from GJ & KL Cain.
Patane Farms, Myalup, sold several lines to a top of $1900, bought by Elders, Bridgetown representative Deane Allen, with Mr Martin taking four pens to $1850.
Elders Capel representative Rob Gibbings paid the top of $1708 for two 502kg heifers from J & S Italiano in the normal beef heifer section and then later picked four Charolais from this vendor for $1698.
The top cents per kilogram price in the heifer pens was 400c/kg and it was bid by Mr Martinson for 10 Red Angus heifers weighing 221kg from Dansinup Grazing that made $884.
The small offering of beef cross steers topped at $1602 when a pen of 500kg steers from D Panetta, Harvey, went to Mr Gibbings at 320c/kg.
The Friesian steers were mainly mediumweights with the heaviest steers sold by Kookabrook Livestock topping at $1611 when Geoff Allen, Boallia, bid to 320c/kg for the 500kg steers.
Hayes Farms had numerous lines for sale and Mr Gardiner took six pens for two different clients, paying to a top of $1483.
Peter Lofthouse, Wokalup, paid the top of 332c/kg for 11 weighing 366kg to outlay $1217.
The better results included the pen of six steers weighing 512kg selling to Geoff Allen at 300c/kg and $1537.
Another four weighing 470kg, from Astarkas Pty Ltd, were sold to Alex Roberts, Elders Boyanup, for $1259 and 268c/kg.
The dairy poddies were mainly more mature types with the oldest from L & V Fitzpatrick topping at $850 when selling to David Lofthouse, Wokalup.
Elders, Nannup agent Terry Tarbotton, took the next pen of Fitzpatrick calves at $820.
Later Mr Tarbotton paid $820 for another pen of Fitzpatrick steers as well as a single West & Haggerty poddie for the same money.
Lines of 15 from Negus Enterprises made $750, as did 14 from CA Panetta, Harvey, with both pens going on the truck for Mr Tarbotton's client.
Bucket-reared, first-cross heifers attracted the usual specialists to the sale with six Montbelliarde cross from West & Haggerty topping at $1375 when bought by Mr Roberts.
A pen of 12 Angus cross sold by J & C & R Drennen sold to KL & AJ Jilley for $1325, who bought the next nine heifers at $1275.
Heavy conditioned pregnancy tested Angus cows from AE Roesenor, Harvey, sold for $2200 to Ross Scurria Grazing.
A single Murray Grey cow and calf from Gem Grazing sold for $2800 to Mr Gbbings, who bought the last unit for $2200.
WHAT THE AGENT SAID
ELDERS Donnybrook representative and sale auctioneer Pearce Watling said a good quality yarding of cattle was presented in the sale.
"A good mix of beef steers and heifers along with a good selection of first-cross and Friesian steers sold to a stronger gallery of buyers than previous sales," Mr Watling said.
"Breeder cattle, unjoined Angus heifers and Angus-Friesian heifers met strong enquiry and mated cows also sold well.
"Heavyweight beef steers in the 400-500kg range sold to a top of 422c/kg for some lovely Angus steers to be dearer 20c/kg on the previous month.
"Feeder and backgrounder steers remained firm on the previous month with good buyer activity.
"Beef heifers sold to be 10-20c/kg stronger on the previous month and again there was a premium in heifers for vet checked guaranteed to breed heifers with these selling to a top of $1950.
"First-cross beef steers met solid grazier competition, as did Friesian steers sold liveweight which sold between 280-330c/kg.
"Appraisal Friesians sold to a good gallery of grazier buyers to be $50-$80 dearer on the previous month."
