A quality line of females met with good buying interest considering market conditions when they went under the hammer at last week's Nutrien Livestock Great Southern Blue Ribbon Female Sale at Mt Barker.
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Right through the offering return buyers and a handful of new ones both in the yards and AuctionsPlus showed they still had faith in the cattle industry, bidding positively on the females as they looked for replacement breeders to either add to their herds or start new herds.
While prices were back on the record highs of the past couple of years, agents were still happy with the results as prices were above expectations and the clearance was very good with only a handful of pens passed in.
In the sale, prices hit a high of $2850 for PTIC Angus heifers, while PTIC cows sold up to $1350 and unmated Angus-Friesian heifers topped at $800.
Sale summary
- PTIC Angus-Friesian heifers: $1000-$2100
- PTIC Angus & Angus cross heifers: $1000-$2850
- PTIC Poll Hereford heifers: $1100
- PTIC Angus & Angus cross cows: $650-$1250
- PTIC Murray Grey cows: $600-$1300
- PTIC Poll Hereford cows: $1050-$1250
- PTIC Charolais cows: $1350
- PTIC Chargrey cows: $1250-$1350
- PTIC Shorthorn cows: $1100-$1250
- Unjoined Angus-Friesian heifers: $600-$800
All up in the sale the Nutrien Livestock selling team, under the control of auctioneer Harry Carroll, sold 772 females to not only local buyers along the South Coast, but also some from further away including the South West, Wheatbelt and Upper Great Southern, from 807 offered for an average of $1463, which was back $1455 on last year.
In comparison, in last year's sale 675 breeds sold for an average of $2918 with PTIC heifers topping at $4450 and PTIC cows at $3100.
PTIC Angus-Friesian heifers
The PTIC Angus-Friesian heifers got the sale underway and in these pens two vendors combined to offer and sell 78 heifers for between $1000 and $2100 at an average of $1594.
Return vendors the Houden family, The Southden Trust, Redmond, was the biggest vendor in the section offering and selling 54 owner-bred and bucket-reared 24-month-old heifers from its dairy operation, for between $1000 and $2100 to average $1665.
Topping the Houdens offering at $2100 was a pen of seven which sold to W Kranendonk, Denmark, while not far behind was another pen of seven which sold at $2000 to A Kranendonk, Denmark.
Return buyer Twin Lakes Holdings, Manjimup, was also active on the Houden's heifers and picked up two pens of eight at $1900 and $1850, while D Horn & LF Rogers, Manjimup, picked up a pen of eight at $1600.
All the heifers offered by the Houdens were sired by Quanden Springs Angus bulls and out of Friesian heifers.
They are in calf to bulls carrying Coonamble bloodlines bred by the Gatti family, Redmond, selected for their calving ease and high growth and are due to calve from February 25 to May 9.
The other vendor in the run was Ravenhill Pastoral Trust, Narrikup, which offered and sold 24 heifers (three pens of eight) for $1400-$1500 to average $1433.
The $1500 top-priced pen of eight from Ravenhill Pastoral was purchased by Jabenco Trust, Kronkup, while LE & AG Wolfe, Denmark, and I & V Tippett, Bow Bridge, both purchased a pen of eight each at $1400.
The 24mo heifers from Ravenhill Pastoral were PTIC Lawsons Angus bulls and due to calve from March 23 to May 5.
PTIC beef heifers
Not only was the day's $2850 top-priced pen of females sold in this run of PTIC beef heifers, but it was also the largest category in the sale with 363 heifers offered.
By the end of the run 328 of the 363 heifers offered were headed to new paddocks at values between $1000 and the day's $2850 top to average $1870.
The PTIC Angus and Angus cross heifers made up nearly the entire run, with 93 per cent of the heifers offered being black.
All up there were 336 Angus and Angus cross heifers offered and 322 of them sold under the hammer for between $1000 and $2850 for a $1884 average.
Leading the charge in the offering and selling the $2850 top-priced pen were Lindsay and Shirley McDougall, LJ & SM McDougall, Denmark, who offered their entire 2022-drop of heifers in the sale as part of a genuine herd reduction.
All up the McDougalls offered and sold 56 owner-bred, 24mo Angus heifers based on Koojan Hills and Coonamble bloodlines for between $2250 and $2850 at an average of $2600.
The $2850 top-priced pen of eight well-grown heifers gained interest from many buyers but in the end it was Clinton and Sharon Rayner, Norwood Ridge Pty Ltd, Albany, who were also the top-priced buyers last year, that prevailed at $2850 to take home the pen.
Along with securing the top-priced pen from the McDougalls, the Rayners also picked up three more pens of eight from them at $2700, $2600 and $2250.
The McDougalls also recorded the sale's $2800 second top price when it sold a pen of eight heifers to Jim Firns and family, Old Penny Holdings, Boddington, who purchased with the support of Nutrien Livestock, Williams agent Ben Kealy.
Other buyers of the McDougall heifers was R Robinson & CA Walsh, Kordabup, who purchased eight at $2650, while Waymu Farms, Albany, collected eight at $2350.
All the heifers sold by the McDougalls are PTIC to low birthweight Koojan Hills Angus bulls and have a calving period of February 22 to May 10.
Longtime sale vendors Luke and Christy Gatti and children Jessica and Fernando, L & C Gatti, Redmond, were major vendors of owner-bred PTIC Angus heifers and were also among the top prices when they offered and sold 42 heifers for between $2200 and $2650 for an average of $2407.
Taking a liking to the 21mo, moderate framed heifers based on mainly Coonamble Hector, Junior and Navigator bloodlines from the Gatti family was Mr Firn along with his son-in-law Wal Sullivan and grandson Dan Sullivan, Old Penny Holdings, who were looking for heifers to restock a farm they were getting back from a lease.
They purchased the first three pens of Gatti heifers, paying $2650 for eight, $2500 for nine and $2400 for another eight.
Other buyers of the Gatti heifers were TS & KH Mier, Narrikup, which purchased eight at $2300 and Waymu Farms, which secured nine at $2200.
All five pens of heifers sold by the Gatti family are in calf to easy calving Angus bulls based on Bartel genetics and due to calve from February 27 to April 19.
Longtime sale vendors the Forbes family, Dundeal Holdings, Narrikup, was not only the largest vendor of PTIC Angus heifers, offering and selling 53 head but it also achieved some of the better prices.
The mix of owner-bred and purchased in heifers based mainly on Coonamble Angus bloodlines from the Forbes family sold between $1600 and $2050 to average $1828.
They are all PTIC to low birthweight Coonamble Angus bulls and due to calve from February 27 to April 30.
Topping the Forbes family's offering at $2050 was a pen of eight when sold to Nutrien Livestock, Albany/Denmark representative Michael Lynch, who was buying for Rickety Gate, Denmark, which also picked up another pen of eight sold by the family at $2000.
Other buyers of the Forbes heifers were Old Penny Holdings which collected eight at $2000 while Mark and Pamela Wood, MA & PK Wood, Green Range, purchased a pen of nine and two pens of six all at $1700.
First-time vendors Aaron and Kate Davis, Murroo Farms, Gairdner, were also on the volume vendor list offering and selling 50 Angus owner-bred heifers based on Coonamble bloodlines for between $1650 and $1800 at an average of $1707.
Mark and Pamela Wood purchased two pens of eight Murroo Farms heifers at $1800 and $1700, while Wallacup Farms, Manypeaks, which purchased through Elders, Albany representative David Lindberg, secured a pen of eight and a pen of nine both at $1700.
The heifers sold by Murroo Farms are in calf to Coonamble Angus bulls and due to calve from March 13 to May 18.
Regular vendor Baboo Pastoral, Green Range, offered and sold 36 Angus heifers (four pens of nine) which are in calf to low birthweight Coonamble Angus bulls and have a calving of March 1 to April 30.
Old Penny Holdings picked up one of the pens at $1700, while Wallacup Farms secured two-both at $1700.
John and Lesley Doncon, Tamaru Grazing Co, Kalgan, who were dispersing their Angus/Poll Hereford herd due to leasing their property, offered and sold three pens of heifers (18 head) including a pen of six Angus-Poll Herefords at $1250 to GC & ER Frusher, Narrikup and a pen of six Poll Herefords for $1100 to Western Meat Packers.
Both pens were PTIC to Angus-Poll Hereford cross bulls and due to calve from February 19 to June 21.
There were also pens of Red Angus and Murray Grey heifers offered in the run but they failed to meet vendor reserves and were passed in.
PTIC cows
A big run of PTIC cows ranging from three years old through to mature age were offered and these included Murray Grey, Angus, Shorthorn, Chargrey, Poll Hereford, Charolais and Angus-Poll Hereford breeders.
All up there 335 cows offered and sold from a low of $600 up to a top of $1350 for three pens for an average of $1106.
Topping the run at $1350 were a pen of Charolais cows and a couple of pens of Chargey cows.
The first vendor to hit the $1350 mark was GH, KL & DA Williams, Denmark, when it sold a pen of five Charolais cows at the value to JW & V Taylor, Mt Barker.
The fourth and fifth calvers (6-7yo) were PTIC to Simmental bulls and due to calve from February to 22 to April 23.
The other vendor to achieve the $1350 top price was the Carroll family, Rayview Park, Albany, which offered mature age Chargrey and Poll Shorthorn cows in the run.
Topping the Rayview Park offering at $1350 were a pen of nine Chargreys and a pen of eight Chargreys which both sold to an eastern Wheatbelt grazier who operated on AuctionsPlus.
The same buyer also bought another pen of nine at $1259 and two pens of eight both at $1300.
Also buying Chargey cows from Rayview Park were JW & V Taylor and Mr Lindberg for a Manypeaks buyer, who both secured nine at $1250.
All up Rayview Park offered and sold 60 Chargreys for an average of $1292.
When it came to the Poll Shorthorn offering from Rayview Park, it consisted of 40 cows which all sold to a top of $1250 twice and average of $1203.
The first to pay $1250 for the Rayview Shorthorn cows was Mr Lindberg who purchased a pen of 12 at the value for his Manypeaks' client, while the other pen to make $1250 contained nine cows and sold to the eastern Wheatbelt grazier on AuctionsPlus who also purchased another pen of seven Shorthorns from the offering at $1100.
Both the Chargrey and Shorthorn cows sold by Rayview Park are PTIC to Quicksilver and Silverstone Charolais bulls and due to calve from March 1 to April 30.
The offering of Murray Grey cows may not have topped the prices in the run, but they made up the biggest percentage of the yarding.
Nearly all the Murray Grey cows on offer were from Len and Kerri Hill, AL Hill, Ravensthorpe, who were dispersing their herd having leased out one of their farms.
The Hills offered and sold 142 Murray Grey cows based on Monterey bloodlines and in calf to Monterey bulls, that ranged in age from three years old to mature, for between $600 and $1300 for an average of $978.
The Cowcher family, DP & GR Cowcher, Quindanning, chased the younger pens on offer from the Hills, picking up three pens.
The Cowchers secured a pen of 10 and a pen of eight 4yo cows, both at $1300 and a pen of six 3yos at $1100.
All three pens were PTIC to Monterey Murray Grey bulls and due to calve from February 27 to July 10.
Also buying from the Hill offering was the Metcalfe family, Metcalfe Pastoral, Koojan Hills Angus and Melaleuca Murray Grey studs, Manpeaks, which was looking for cows to be recipients in their ET programs.
The Metcalfes purchased three pens of 7yo cows (18 head) which are PTIC to Monterey Murray Grey bulls and due to calve from February 27 to July 10 for $1250, $1200 and $1050.
After selling heifers the Forbes family, Dundeal Holdings, became buyers in the cow run and purchased 45 PTIC cows (eight pens) ranging from 3yo to mature age from the Hill offering for between $700 and $900.
They paid $900 twice, firstly for a pen of five 6yo cows and then for a pen of five 4yo cows.
The remainder of the Hill's cows (55 head), which were 7yo, 8yo and mature age, sold to Western Meat Packers and Elders, Albany livestock manager Wayne Mitchell, who was buying for a South Australian processor for between $600 and $1250.
West Fitzgerald-based Gossy Farming offered a run of 28 second and third Angus calvers and they sold between $650 and $1250 for an average of $1073.
Making the top money for Gossy Farming were two pens of second calvers which sold to TG & VP Medlen, Williams, bidding through Nutrien Livestock, Williams, representative Louis Payne.
Mr Payne bought a pen of seven for the Medlens at $1250 followed by a pen of eight at $1200.
Also buying from Gossy Farming was Upland Farm, Denmark, which purchased a pen of five second and third calvers for $1150.
All the cows from Gossy Farming were PTIC to Angus sires and have a calving period of May 16 to July 16.
The Morris family, Morrisvale Livestock, Narrikup, had two pens of 6-8yo Angus cows in the line-up which were PTIC to Limousin bulls and due to calve from March 15 to June 15.
One pen of six was purchased at $1250 by Western Meat Packers, while Mr Mitchell purchased a pen of five at $1200 for his South Australian processing order.
John and Lesley Doncon, Tamaru Grazing Co, along with offering PTIC heifers also offered PTIC cows in the sale as part of their herd dispersal.
Their offering consisted of 36 Angus-Poll Hereford cross and Poll Hereford cows ranging in age from 3yo through to 8yo and they all sold for between $1100 and $1250 for an average of $1189 to Western Meat Packers and Mr Mitchell, for the South Australian processing order.
All of the Doncon's cows were PTIC to Angus and Poll Hereford bulls and due to calve from February 19 to June 21.
The best price in the Doncon's offering of $1250 was achieved three times firstly for a pen of six Angus-Poll Hereford fifth calvers, then for a line of eight Angus-Poll Hereford sixth to seventh calvers and finally for a pen of four Poll Hereford 7-8yo cows.
Unjoined Angus-Friesian heifers
A small run of unjoined Angus-Friesian heifers rounded out the sale but unfortunately there wasn't much interest showing from buyers on these.
In the run two vendors offered and sold 31 heifers to a top of $800 and an average of $687 all to Western Meat Packers.
Topping the offering at $800 was a pen of seven 18mo heifers from BP & LN O'Farrell, Youngs Siding, which also sold a pen of six of the same age at $600.
The other vendor in the run was P & AM Mostert, Redmond, which sold eight 12-14mo heifers at $700 and a pen of 10 at $650.
What the agent said
Nutrien Livestock, Mt Barker agent and sale auctioneer Harry Carroll said overall they were happy with the final sale result given the current position of the cattle market and seasonal conditions.
"I think it was a good sale especially in terms of clearance as we only passed in five pens of heifers and prices for the PTIC heifers were similar to other mated heifer sales we have seen this year," Mr Carroll said.
"The sale saw good support from mainly repeat buyers, who know the heifers and a couple of buyers that have bought previously but not for a number of years.
"There was also a good spread of buying support with buyers coming from the local area as well as further afield including the South West, Wheatbelt and the Quindanning/Boddington area.
"It was a very good line-up of PTIC heifers, which the sale is becoming renowned for and I think it was probably the best line-up of heifers we have yarded in the sale.
"The owner-bred Angus heifers sold particularly well which included a line of genuine dispersal heifers and this helped the rest of the heifer offering make values above expectations.
"The PTIC cow offering varied in age and condition and these sold relative to what was in front of buyers and they probably sold above our presale expectations in the end.
"Overall it was a good solid sale given current conditions and it was certainly better than our presale expectations."
