A total of 492 head was on offer from Dennis Heywood and sons Neil and Lachlan, who own and operate DKF Heywood and Sons, Glenlock, Everton, Victoria, during day one of the Angus grown and weaners sales held at Northern Victorian Livestock Exchange (NVLX) today.
The Heywoods sold 319 Angus steers ranging in weight from 257 to 356 kilograms through Elders, to average roughly $930 and top at $1125 for 17 steers weighing in at 356kg per head.
On the same bloodlines for 20 years now, the animals sold were of Witherswood, Ireland, Fernhill and Pinnacle genetics. They also have recently added a Ben Nevis Angus bull to the mix which they look forward to seeing the progeny of.
All animals offered by the Heywoods were yard weaned in early December and sold vaccinated twice with Ultravac 7-in-1 and drenched with Dectomax Pour-On and Arrest Easy Dose.
Elders Albury agent Brett Shea said the line up of steers from DKF Heywood and Sons had the potential and frame with the hard work already done – “the steers are ready to fly”.
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“It is a great opportunity to put together a line of 319 steers to this quality and consistency,” Mr Shea said.
The Heywood family also sold 173 heifers that ranged in weight from 251 to 281 kilograms. The 29 tops sold for $810 per head.
The heifers offered by the Heywood family were notably 50kg lighter, compared to last year due to the season, Dennis Heywood said.
“It has been a very terrible season to put it bluntly,” Mr Heywood said.
“We have held onto our stock over this time, and we have been feeding everything.”
The Heywoods copped 226 millimetre over a period of four hours during a storm in mid-December that caused their hay shed to be inundated with up to two-foot of water and damage to 10 kilometres of fencing.
“We had to pull all the hay out, and it is all ruined feed now,” Mr Heywood said.
“The rain hasn’t down much for pasture growth – it has just grown weeds, which will dry out and die from the continuous heat.
“It did however fill up the dams so we at least now have water.”
Mr Heywood said despite getting this rainfall, they will need to continue buying in feed and feeding everything as all their paddocks are stocked.