More than 1500 head of cattle were offered at the Kempsey Stock and Land 29th annual steer and bullock sale today on the Mid North Coast.
Buyers from Queensland, Hunter Valley and west to Ebor were ringside as a quality yarding of local cattle went through Kempsey saleyards.
“2018 is looking good especially our feed situation with plenty of rain now we are getting the summer heat, so we should be right until winter,” Laurie Argue from Kempsey Stock and Land said.
”We had a good turn over of numbers last year in the Macleay Valley, numbers should be the same this year if not better.”
The best pen of bullocks (sponsored by Vetmec/Chemvet) was awarded to Tania Clarke with the runner-up Mick Mainey.
The best pen of feeder steers (sponsored by Mavin Truck Centre) went to Ken Burke with runner-up Peter Tyne.
The best pen of weaner steers (sponsored by Dee Amber Rural) was awarded to Allan Winslow with runner-up Peter Halliday.
Allan and Claire Prior auctioned off a bullock with proceeds going to cancer research.
Steers to $1723
by Jamie Brown
Despite some concern, ahead of Friday’s Kempsey Stock and Land steer and bullock sale, that new year prices would slide away from last year’s highs, the reality turned out to be better than that with a top price of $1723.
More than 1500 head were on offer bringing excellent demand from feedlotters, fatteners and processors. Light black cattle made up to 386 cents per kilogram for 178kg from the O’Donnell family, Euroka.
Lemontree feedlot, Millmerran Qld, were the volume buyer through Landmark Toowoomba and David Gillett, South Grafton, paying up to $1492 for two-toothed Santa/ Hereford originally bought at Kempsey and backgrounded by Larry and Lee Geddis, formerly Bundaberg now Kinchela Creek.
Wingham Beef Exports bought 13 heavy bullocks paying up to $1723 for a pen of five six-toothed Brangus, 700kg at 246c/kg and $1551 for six-toothed brindle Brahman cross, 625kg for 248c/kg and the same money for a six-toothed blue roan, 615kg.
Brian and Charlie Killmore, Kinchela, found the market for bullocks just as strong as before Christmas, but bid up to $1501 for six toothed Santa Gertrudis, 605kg at 248c/kg.
Gus Raymond, Bellingen, paid up to $1465 for four toothed Charolais, 542kg at 270c/kg.
Jeremy Cummins, buying for Teys, Condamine Qld, paid up to $1427 for two-toothed Santa/ Hereford 498kg at 286c/kg, all of which will go on grain for 100 days before processing for export.
Dorrigo buyer Tim Bayliss, Ray White, purchased several pens including 16 two-toothed Angus steers, 494kg for 286c/kg or $1463. Bred by Dennis and Helen Mitchell “the Run” Nulla Nulla, these cattle head to Marango Station with the intention of putting on a kilo per day until early May when they will be sold-on. “It’s a risk that the prices today will hold on for a few more months,” said Mr Bayliss.
Mick Mainey, Clybucca, who took a reserve ribbon for his bullocks, sold 14 milk tooth Angus cross, 436kg for 300c/kg to make $1311.
Warren Clarke, working for Rose Smythe, Aldavilla, sold 29 Angus/ Brangus 460-520kg to average $1500. The enterprise bought back in paying $930 for two pens of Santa cross milk tooth steers, 310kg at 300c/kg.
The McKeever family, Willi Willi, sold 10 Angus, 267kg for 340c/kg to make $908.
Big framed Friesan dairy steers fetched the lowest dollar, with lower quality export beef expected to get punished in coming months as processors work to reduce their frozen stockpiles. Prices ranged from $866 for 424kg at 204c/kg to 456 for 294kg at 155c/kg with many going to Throsbys at Whittingham via Singleton.
Of note – on the previous day, when Ray White hosted their steer and bullock sale with 1000 head, Ross McManus, Pola Creek via Kempsey, sold his own bred Simmental over Charbray/Simmental, 470kg at less than 13 months and still sucking mum, for an impressive $1400 to Bindaree Beef, Inverell.