ANGUS calves dominated the run of early weaner sales, with exceptional prices paid for both steers and heifers at sales in Victoria and South Australia.
Particularly high demand came from backgrounders and lotfeeders in NSW.
The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator was at 1162.80 cents a kilogram on January 12, after finishing 2021 at 1169.22c/kg.
Kicking off the New Year weaner sales was the 4500-head yarding at Wodonga on January 5, where pure Angus steers reached a top of $2880 a head.
Northern buyers played a big role in the high prices, with most calves ranging from $2300 to $2500.
The leading pen of Alpine-blood steers, from the Klippel family, Berringama, Vic, averaged 441 kilograms at nine to 10 months of age and were purchased through Nutrien Toowoomba.
Other top bids for Angus weaner steers included $2710 for 420-kilogram Cascade-blood calves, nine to 10 months, from Superlotfive Pty Ltd, Bonegilla, Vic.
On the same day at Wangaratta, prices for 2021-drop weaner cattle rose by as much as $800 a head compared with the same sale 12 months ago. The 3650-head yarding saw steers selling for more than 900c/kg and heifers sold over 750c/kg, with a large number going back to the paddock.
Feature runs included 700 10-month-old Glendaloch-blood steers from the Manning family of Davilak Pastoral Co, Mansfield, that topped at $2615, and 683 nine to 10-month-old calves from Dennis Heywood, Glenlock, Everton that topped at $2615 for the heaviest steers.
Some of the Heywood family's lighter calves, weighing 212kg, achieved the top cents per kilogram price, making $2000 or 943c/kg.
On day two of the Wodonga sales the market dropped slightly, with the best Angus weaners making $2540, grown Angus-cross steers to $2900, and heifers reaching $2680.
The best Angus weaner heifers as judged by Angus Australia went to Frank, Paul and Robert Caponechia, Bobbinwarrah, Vic, with the Witherswood and Jarobee-blood calves weighing 336kg making $2290 or 681c/kg.
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Angus-cross steers topped the crossbred sale on day three at Wodonga, with Rotherfield-blood black baldy steers from from David Hocking, Mulwood, Mullengandra, weighing 418kg at nine to 10 months, making $2570 or 614c/kg.
At Naracoorte, SA, the first two days of weaner sales on January 6 and 7 grossed close to $20.8 million, with 5961 steers selling to an average of $2337 and $6.51 a kilogram, and 3327 heifers averaging $2059 and $6.29/kg.
While returns for heavy weaner steers were back, with an extra 1500 head than usual, it was a solid sale, with a noticeable premium for pure Angus steers.
The following week at Hamilton steer prices soared past 770c/kg, with the 4120-head yarding including a large number of heavier Angus and black baldy calves.
While returns for heavy weaner steers were back, with an extra 1500 head than usual, it was a solid sale, with a noticeable premium for pure Angus steers. The top pens sold from $2500 to $2800, and those heavier steers from 380kg to 420kg made from 589c/kg to 650c/kg.
Most of the calves were bound for northern NSW but there was also demand from restockers in Gippsland, Vic.
Demand from NSW backgrounders and feedlots was high from the first of three sales at Casterton, Vic, on January 11, where lighter steers sold for more than 830c/kg in a 2800-head yarding. Among the high prices was $2472, paid for a pen of 51 390kg Angus steers aged from nine to 10 months, from Ulonga.
