Northern poducers are missing out on yard weaning premiums

The use of yard weaning prior to sale has increased dramatically in Victoria and southern NSW, but agents say some northern producers could be missing out on premiums for yard weaned cattle.

Inverell agent Bob Jamieson, Bob Jamieson Agencies, said yard weaning was a huge factor for him when buying weaners, to the point where he was willing to pay a 10 to 15 cent per kilogram premium for good quality, yard weaned cattle.

"We're strongly recommending yard weaning and most of the northern calves we buy are yard weaned," Mr Jamieson said.

"We recently bought cattle from a sale at Tenterfield that weighed 292 kilograms and were yard weaned. Those calves went onto barley straw, and when they were weighed eight days later, they averaged 296kg. If they weren't yard weaned, they could have lost up to 30kg with the stress of the saleyards, transport and not eating."

Yard weaning broadens market opportunities, with more options for cattle that are ready to go onto feed. The premiums for yard weaned cattle can be hidden, but they're substantial, Mr Jamieson said.

"Sometimes that can be to the tune of 25c/kg more for yard weaned cattle."

The business, which has many feedlot clients and is a major supplier for the NH Foods Whyalla feedlot at Texas, recently bought 201 steers at the annual "Koobah" weaner sale at Nundle, topping at $1310 a head and averaging $1226.

While Mr Jamieson is usually looking for heavier weaners, he's more likely to buy a pen of yard weaned cattle that are 20kg lighter than heavy calves straight off their mothers.

"We bought a lot of the top pens, but we were thinking 'how cheap were they' because there's so much value in those weaners having been weaned properly," Mr Jamieson said.

"If we can't buy weaned calves, sometimes we'll actually wean calves at the saleyards for 10 days before transporting them."

It's a similar buying method for Elders Killara trading manager Andrew Talbot, Quirindi, who wants cattle that are prepared to handle feedlot conditions.

Mr Talbot was another big buyer at the "Koobah" sale, purchasing 171 of the heaviest heifers that topped at $1050.

"Preconditioning cattle to deal with feedlot conditions is critical," Mr Talbot said

"When cattle come onto feed they need to have the right temperament, know to drink from a trough and eat from a bunk, and be used to confined spaces. Cattle that are yard weaned are generally quieter.

"Most cattle in a feedlot experience quite a bit of stress over the first two or three weeks with transport, induction, mixing with other cattle and having a new feed source.

“We want cattle that are going to eat on the day one of being in the feedlot, not day seven.”

Last week's mountain calf sales in Victoria, which reached a high of $1710 for heavy Hereford steers at Omeo, were the perfect example of the importance of yard weaning, Mr Talbot said.

At the Ensay sale, steers topped at $1640, and steers reached $1550 at Benambra.

"Yard weaning is something that southern producers do really well," Mr Talbot said.

"Buyers can go into those sales with confidence, so there's more competition.

"Unfortunately the northern producers haven't embraced yard weaning like those in the south, but there's never been a better time for producers to yard wean calves, given the big increase in weaner prices through 2016 and into 2017."