It was a strong start to the 2024 weaner season at the Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange with prices easily surpassing the pre-Christmas sales.
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Widespread rain over the holiday period, especially along the eastern seaboard helped wash away some producers' fears of the forecast El Nino weather pattern and the steers yarded were exceptionally well bred also giving buyers confidence.
There were fewer 400kg steers than the December sales with most in the 300-400kg weight range and autumn drop weaners.
Overall the 3010 steers averaged 364kg and averaged $1130.
PPHS's Richard Harvie quoted steers as making $30 to $80 a head more than before Christmas and also noted a $60 to $100 premium for weaned calves.
"It was a bit stronger than expected although Wangaratta, (Vic) and the other interstate sales earlier in the week were too," he said.
"We didn't think we would get a great deal of NSW buying but there was some which certainly helped and then we had strong support from the locals who are there every year."
He said lightweight calves continued to make less than their heavyweight counterparts with 350 to 420kg steers making $3-$3.30/kg while "little cattle" changed hands from $2.70/kg to $2.90/kg.
Interstate based commission buyers Jeremy Cummins and Brendan Jacobsen made their presence felt on the rails although there were plenty of orders from the Millicent, Penola and Mount Gambier areas.
Powerscourt Pastoral's Gary Bowyer, Robe - who offered the opening pen of the sale with his son Ryan- said the $1440 they received for the 445kg, February/March drops was a "pleasant surprise". These steers were knocked down to TFI.
Topping the sale in dollars a head were 20 March/April drop Angus from Karana Holdings, Lucindale.
These 442kg EU eligible steers sold to Princess Royal feedlot, Burra for $1476.
TFI won the bidding duel on many of the 268 Angus and Speckle Park steers from Boonderoo Pastoral Company's Elad property buying eight pens of the Angus, including four of them with a single knock.
Over the past couple of years the Seears family have been reverting the Lucindale property they bought from harvested blue gum country back to grazing land and said targeting the weaner sales suited their business.
"It was a great result given where the market was before Christmas, we always set some high expectations for our cattle and some big targets but the prices are what we had hoped for," Boonderoo Pastoral Company's Lachie Seears said.
Their well-bred consignment averaged $1198 with the highest cents a kilogram rate paid $3.31/kg for 80 Angus which weighed 369kg.
Another regular seller Karatta Pastoral Co, Binnum, received $1350 for 37 February/March drops.
The same buyer, TDC Livestock & Property, Penola, snapped up 23 Angus of the same age from Glendoon Pastoral, Binnum for $1320.
Ferris Partners, Keilira, also had a terrific draft of Angus steers which topped at $1335 or $3.36/kg.
Most of the coloured cattle were a little off the pace making $2.70/kg to $2.90/kg. Among the best of these was 23 Murray Greys from SR&S Whitehead, Kadnook. The 406kg steers made $1090.
TDC Livestock & Property's Rob Handbury said prices were between 10c/kg and 30c/kg better than their last December sale in Naracoorte with very few calves making less than $1000.
Mr Handbury said there was a conscious effort by vendors to wean their calves with any 15c/kg "trimmed off" the price of any unweaned calves.
"As per previous years about half of the steers were EU eligible and we saw a 10-15c/kg premium as has been there for a long time from the extra feeder competition," he said.
About 1400 heifers are being yarding for day two of the weaner sale to commence at 9am tomorrow,(Friday, January 5).
- MORE TO COME
