Quality-bred young heifers destined for a life as future breeders were in high demand on the final day of the Hamilton weaner series on Friday.
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There were 1702 head yarded, averaging 311 kilograms, fetching $836.37/head or 268.7c/kg.
Heifers from 360-450kg made $984-$1218, av 291c/kg while those from 280-360kg made $690-$1166, av 270c/kg.
Sold to a top of $1218 a head, the market toppers were one of numerous lots taken to enter the bull paddock as six different lots secured bids resulting in four-figure sums.
While Angus and Hereford lots were the main focus of the demand, feeders also bid for the top end drafts and a large gallery of backgrounders pursued the mid-to-lighter end.
The most highly sought after was the complete drop of the Mount Napier Pathfinder-blood Angus heifers presented by Brett Linke and family.
The tops of the Mt Napier drop – 28 in the pen, 376kg - were bid to 324c/kg ($1218) while its second draft of 60, 341kg, made to a sale high of 342c/kg ($1166).
Also highly sought after were Jim Shaw’s Banquet-blood Winninburn Angus heifers, 342kg, that made 302c/kg ($1032/head) while Yarram Park and Injemira Genetics each made purchases in support of their respective Hereford bull-buying clients.
Great interest from backgrounders lifted the floor price from 230 and 240c/kg to 260c/kg for the lighter cattle
- Jack Hickey, JM Ellis & Co auctioneer
The sale of 1702 was conducted by the Independent Agents group involving Kerr & Co Livestock, LMB Linke, Southern Grampians Livestock, JM Ellis & Co and KP Lanyon.
Auctioneer Jack Hickey, JM Ellis & Co said the increased backgrounder support in the Friday market was the difference between the two heifer sales conducted at Hamilton.
“There was greater interest from backgrounders in the second sale and this lifted the floor price from 230 and 240c/kg to 260c/kg for the lighter cattle,” Mr Hickey said.
“And feeder rates were also jumped by 5-8c/kg as more graziers selected the better bred lots from heavier end for breeding,” he said.
The main feeder competition on the day was supplied by Westside Meats, Princess Royal Station and Hardwicks while JBS Australia purchased cattle to background in Tasmania.
The market started on a pen of Corro Angus heifers, 382kg, that made 277c/kg. A pen of 38 Comley Banks Angus heifers, 355kg, was sold at 270c/kg while a yard of 23 J&J Kane EU Angus heifers, 322kg, made 266c/kg.
The display of white-faced heifers was also exceptional.
Leon and Sally Wheeler sold EU Hereford heifers, 358kg, to Princess Royal at 266c/kg while R&W Hay snapped the Wheeler’s yard of Roan baldy heifers, 379kg, at 277c/kg.
Western District Pastoral swooped on Yarram Park bloodline-pens for an expansion breeding program in South Australia. The seedstock supplier claimed 236 head from the two heifer sales booking pens by the Rowan family, 300kg at 281c/kg, Paul and Carolyn Malseed’s Orana heifers, 336kg at 285c/kg and RS Rundell and Sons Hereford heifers, 321kg at 258c/kg.