NSW steer finishers competed strongly on big runs of vendor bred, European Union accredited calves at the Hamilton Hereford feature weaner sale with prices hitting the Western Districts circuit topper for purebred steers of $1930.
Selling agents JM Ellis & Co, LMB Livestock & Land, Lanyons, Kerr & Co, Southern Grampians Livestock and J & J Kelly yarded 2473 Hereford and Hereford cross steers and heifers for the feature weaner sale on January 11.
The run of quality autumn drop Hereford steers averaged 472c/kg or $1541 and grossed $1.96 million while the Hereford cross steers averaged 482c/kg or $1697. Overall, the sale grossed $3.81 million.
Active buyers included Paul Mason, Wellington, Alex Scott & Staff, Warragul, Injemira Beef Genetics, Book Book, James Brown, Ray White Albury-Wodonga, TDC Penola, Miller Whan & John, Mt Gambier, JBS Australia, Mercer Ag, Wannon, and commission buyer Andrew Lowe, Wagga Wagga.
Buyers were rewarded with weight in the lead pens and purebred steers over 350kg liveweight made $1548-$1930 or 400-494c/kg – a rise of $97 and 14c/kg on the morning’s Casterton sale.
The purebred steers weighing 260-350kg finished at $1184-$1694 or 302-492c/kg – up $86 and 10c/kg on the morning’s sale.
There were few pens of lightweight weaners 260kg or less and they fell $35 to settle at $931-$1243 or 432-480c/kg.
The Hereford/Shorthorn steers sold for $1398-$2001 or 462-498c/kg while the Hereford/Simmental steers returned $1343-$2081 or 440-498c/kg.
A small run of Hereford cross heifers made $882-$1473 or 360-454c/kg.
Coles national livestock manager for beef and lamb, Stephen Rennie, judged the Herefords Australia champion pen, awarding the sash to Gordon, Jane and Owen McClure, Beerik Partnership, Coleraine, for a pen of 29 European Union accredited steers, Yarram Park, Injemira and Melville Park blood, and weighing 378kg.
The pen sold for $1844 or 488c/kg to Wagga Wagga commission buyer Andrew Lowe. Beerik offered 101 steers and last year the calves topped at 615c/kg or $2358.
Mr Rennie said the Beerik steers had maximum credentials with EU accreditation, grass fed, weaned, good temperament and evenness of the pen making them attractive to purchasers wanting flexibility for markets.
He suggested vendors include the health status, including time since weaning and all health treatments to maximise purchasers.
“We select on phenotypical traits as well as placing a strong emphasis on EBVs and follow the progeny through to know how different bulls are performing,” Owen said.
He agreed with Mr Rennie’s suggestion on highlighting the health status of weaners saying “it can help the next buyer with their drench and mineral treatment choices”.
“It is certainly worth passing the information on,” Owen said.
He supplied heifers to the Chinese export market in 2020-2021 and will offer heifers at Hamilton this year.
The sale opened on the draft from Leon Wheeler, Wallacedale, with the pen of 23 EU accredited, Yarram Park and Mawarra steers, weighing 409kg, receiving the best presented pen award.
They were snapped up by steer finisher and repeat buyer, Paul Mason, Wellington, NSW, for $1930 or 472c/kg – the top price on a dollars per head basis for the purebred autumn drop steers.
Mr Wheeler’s seconds were a pen of 26 Shorthorn/Hereford steers, February drop, weighing 402kg, and returning $2001 or 498c/kg, the equal top sale price on a cents per kilogram basis. His thirds, a run of 82 Herefords weighing 371kg sold to Paul Mason for $1788 or 482c/kg.
Although his liveweights were down he said one of the roan steers had surprised him by weighing 534kg at 11 months. Last year his top steers weighed 430kg and sold for $2632.
He was anticipating a realistic $1800 average this year for the 194 steers and will offer 100 heifers on Friday at Hamilton.
“Last year was an exceptional year but you can’t expect it all the time. The feedback from the buyer was last year’s calves killed out alright, but he has to make a bit more margin,” Mr Wheeler said.
He treated the Shorthorn/Hereford steers with Bovilis MR for the feedlot buyers and was rewarded with $2001 for the pen.
Mr Wheeler selects bulls for “solid types to achieve yield” in his 500-cow herd.
Also among the run of purebred Herefords was a pen of 18 steers from Ian Sutherland, “Dargeeling”, and sired by Herefords Australia Super Sire Wirruna Matty M288 and Injemira Redford M122. The steers weighed 337kg and sold for $1533 or 455c/kg to Miller Whan and John, Mt Gambier.
They were one of the first progeny of Wirruna Matty to be offered in a major commercial physical Hereford sale.
During the sale, Kerr & Co paid tribute upon the passing of “a great Hereford man” Bob Rundell, of Breakaway Creek. R S Rundell & Sons offered a draft of 150 Glendan Park and Oak Down blood steers
Elders Southern Livestock Manager Matt Tinkler had passed favourable comment on the weaned status of the steers at Casterton and buyers at Hamilton showed their preference for weaned cattle by discounting unweaned pens by 40c/kg.
The top price in the Hereford infused steers was $2081 for Hereford/Simmental steers sold by Alva Downs. They were Injemira blood, weighed 418kg and returned 498c/kg, the equal top price of the sale on a cents per kilogram basis.
Paul Malseed, “Orana”, Breakaway Creek, sold his top pen of 17 Yarram Park blood steers, 379kg and EU accredited, for $1804 or 476c/kg. The weight was similar to last year but back on price from $2380.
His seconds were a pen of 47 weighing 350kg and returning $1694 or 484c/kg bought by Andrew Lowe.
“It’s easier to keep operating on today’s prices than where it was six to seven years ago even with the way inputs are now,” Mr Malseed said.
Repeat buyers for the Orana calves include steer finishers Paul Mason, Tim Hutton and John Wyld.
Paul retains over 80 heifers a year and classes on eye pigmentation to achieve a 100 per cent pigmentation in the cow herd. He also likes a frame score six, and above average growth for 200-, 400- and 600-day weight.
He exported the bottom end of the heifers to China for $1800 or 900c/kg a head and will offer another 40 on Friday at Hamilton.
“I had to make the call two months ago which way to go and the (saleyard) prices then weren’t that bad. I like to see them sell locally,” Mr Malseed said.
Bernie Grant, LMB Livestock and Land, Hamilton, described the Hereford run as “outstanding” with buyers from southern NSW, Gippsland, South Australia and local districts.
“That’s what draws buyers here. They know they can get those well-bred Hereford cattle at Hamilton and that gives the market the buoyancy,” Mr Grant said.
“The middle run of steers was around $1500-$1600 and the lead steers out to $1800-$1900.
“The sale was to expectations on par and in places a shade better than Monday’s (Angus) sale.”
Hereford steers
L Wheeler: 23, EU, Yarram Park and Mawarra blood, 409kg, $1930 or 472c/kg; 82, 371kg, 482c/kg, $1788 or 482c/kg
The Beerik Partnership: 29, EU, 378kg, Yarram Park, Injemira and Melville Park blood, $1844 or 488c/kg
Wootongvale: 16, Injemira and Days blood, 388kg, $1831 or 472c/kg
Orana: 17, Yarram Park blood, 379kg, $1804 or 476c/kg
R S Rundell & Sons: 14, EU, Glendan Park and Oak Down blood, 372kg, $1729 or 465c/kg
Giant Rock: 28, EU, Injemira, Days and Glendan Park blood, 358kg, $1725 or 482c/kg
Lochredal: 26, EU, Yarram Park and Glendan Park, 358kg, $1675 or 468c/kg
Rowan: 27, Yarram Park and Glendan Park blood, 364kg, $1674 or 460c/kg
G E Russell Pastoral Co: 18, Yarram Park blood, 371kg, $1647 or 444c/kg
Elmgrove: 23, Injemira and Yarram Park blood, 327kg, $1584 or 470c/kg
Dargeeling: 18, Wirruna and Injemira blood, 337kg, $1533 or 455c/kg
Elgin: 26, Russlyn and Banemore blood, 341kg, $1517 or 445c/kg
Henty-Anderson Partnership: 14, Allendale and Morganvale blood, 343kg, $1502 or 438c/kg
Old Ripponhurst: 38, EU, 312kg, March/April drop, Injemira blood, $1497 or 480c/kg
Hereford infused steers
Alva Downs: 15, EU, Simmental/Hereford, Injemira blood, 418kg, $2081 or 498c/kg
L Wheeler: 26, Shorthorn/Hereford, 402kg, February drop, $2001 or 498c/kg
The Highlands: 17, Simmental/Shorthorn/Hereford, 414kg, $1987 or 480c/kg
S Ferrier: 20, Shorthorn/Hereford, 400kg, $1880 or 470c/kg
Mooralla Pastoral: 7, Hereford/Simmental, 313kg, $1377 or 440c/kg
Adam, Trevor, Axel, and Matt Fry and Nelson Williams paid $1338 or 492c/kg for 24 Injemira blood steers sold by David and Michelle Elsom, Old Ripponhurst.
The opening run of quality steers from Leon Wheeler, Wallacedale, tops at $2001.
Gordon, Jane and Owen McClure, Beerik Partnership, Coleraine, won the Herefords Australia champion pen with their 29 EU accredited, Yarram Park, Injemira and Melville Park blood steers.
Buyers and vendors crowd the gallery at Hamilton where autumn drop Hereford steers topped at $1930 and Hereford cross steers at $2081.
Ashley Hewitson, Donna Eichler, Rhys Wheeler and Leon Wheeler, Wallacedale, with the top price and best presented pen of autumn drop Hereford steers, 409kg, Yarram Park and Mawarra blood, selling for $1930.
This pen of steers were AI sired by Herefords Australia Super Sire Wirruna Matty and Injemira Redford M122, and sold for $1533 or 455c/kg for Dargeeling.
Buyers of Hereford steers at Hamilton were Marc Greening, Injemira Beef Genetics, Book Book, and Andrew Lowe, Wagga Wagga.
Paul Malseed, “Orana”, Breakaway Creek, sold this pen of 17 EU accredited and Yarram Park blood steers for $1804 or 476c/kg. He is pictured with Jeremy Upton, Yarram Park Herefords, Willaura.
James Brown, Ray White Albury Wodonga, left, and Andrew Whan, Miller Whan & John, Mt Gambier, has operated on Hereford cattle throughout the week.
Owen McClure, Beerik Partnership, with Ian and Andrew Button, Southern Grampians Livestock.
Herefords Australia Youth committee member Grace Elsom, Emigrace Herefords, with her family’s pen of Old Ripponhurst steers, 312kg, Injemira blood, and making $1497 or 480c/kg.
Gordon, Jane and Owen McClure, Beerik Partnership, Coleraine, won the Herefords Australia champion pen with their 29 EU accredited, Yarram Park, Injemira and Melville Park blood steers.
