IT WAS a small but keenly sought after penning at the Hamilton all-breeds heifer weaner sale on Thursday.
Elders and Nutrien yarded 863 heifers which reached a high of 578 cents a kilogram and averaged 496.5c/kg.
The average weight across the yarding was 312kg and sold to an average of $1551 a head.
Elders Livestock manager, Aaron Malseed, Hamilton, said the sale kicked from the start after the price levels steadied.
He said pen one made 504c/kg and it "went from there".
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Mr Malseed said that a larger percentage of the early runs of heifers were likely to be going back to the paddock for breeding.
"They were good cattle making that money. The quality was suited to breeding purposes," he said.
He said this year's yarding followed a light yarding in 2020.
A lot of producers had kept extra heifers for breeders and others had retained their second and third draft heifers to take advantage of the feed available and some had gone for export earlier on, he said.
He said most prices were more than $500 extra per head on last year's sale.
Vendors were rapt with what they had received in the steer and heifer sales.
"It's great to see them being rewarded for what they produce," he said.
Nutrien Savin Livestock Marketing director, Sam Savin, said the sale was "bit different to last year".
"It was tough last year. I thought we got away with the steers last year but the heifers were tough," he said.
"Last year we were selling heifers at 240c, 250c, 260c - and this year they are making over 500c - more than double," he said.
He said the first lane of their heifers represented a lot of bloodlines, lot of breeding and genetics and a lot of those had gone back for breeding.
One particular order from Nutrien Bolton at Walcha on the NSW Northern Tablelands purchased 111 heifers.
"We had the feeder job as the back up to the breeders with our clients heifers going back to our clients," he said.
Andrew Whan of Miller Whan & John, Mt Gambier, SA, bought 162 while East Gippsland buyers took away 122.
Ray White Albury purchased 153 for various orders and AuctionsPlus booked 65 head.
The lead pen of 36 sold account Harton Hills, MacArthur, made 530c/kg. The Coolana and Toora West blood heifers weighed 318kg and came out at $1687 a head. The next pen of 24 weighed 303kg and made 521c/kg or $1580. The same vendor sold eight black baldy heifers, 283kg, for 475c/kg or $1347.
Sandy Camp forwarded a consignment that included pen one of 29 at 341kg that made 504c/kg or $1722. A second line of seven at 368kg that made 464c/kg or $1710 and 13 at 371kg that made 462c/kg or $1716.
Highest price on a per head basis was a pen of 16 sold account Heatherbrae South that weighed 361kg and made $1786 or 494c/kg.
Carinya had a draft that included 15 Angus at 329kg that made 508c/kg or $1673 and a second pen of 16 at 290kg that made 514c/kg or $1493. They also forwarded black baldy heifers with 12 weighing 302kg making 506c/kg or $1532, 15 at 249kg that made 530c/kg or $1321. The heavy pen of black baldies weighed 330kg and made 484c/kg of $1598.
Selling at the top liveweight price of 578c/kg, was a pen of 11 black baldy heifers account Tyrone that weighed 234kg and came out at $1356. They also sold 22 at 287kg that made 522c/kg or $1499.
For full coverage of the weaner sales this week, including detailed market reports, The Land will post updates here.
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