A bidding duel between two industry heavyweights set the Hereford lanes alight at Hamilton today as buyers jockeying for quality future breeders sent prices skyrocketing to $2098.
The Hereford offering averaged 573c/kg or $1694 – $132 or 72c/kg above the Angus run of heifers.
Selling agents Elders, Nutrien Ag Solutions and J & J Kelly yarded 1406 Hereford, Angus and Euro heifer weaners for the All Breeds Weaner Heifer Sale on January 12.
Overall, the sale grossed $2.12 million and averaged 495c/kg or $1514.
The autumn drop purebred heifers weighing from 280-350kg sold for $1573-$2098 or 528-662c/kg while those under 280kg finished at $876-$1228 or 452-468c/kg.
Hereford/Shorthorn cross heifers made $1084-$1206 or 442-450c/kg and the Black Baldies over 300kg settled at $1223-$1499 or 370-500c/kg and those under 300kg made $1224-$1350 or 440-500c/kg.
A drawn-out bidding duel between Injemira Beef Genetics and Yarram Park Herefords created plenty of excitement in the Hereford offering and resulted in the yarding’s top price of $2098 or 662c/kg on both a dollars per head and cents per kilogram basis.
Marc Greening, Injemira, Book Book, NSW, secured the pen for his joined female program, Injemira Advantage.
Offered by Gordon, Jane and Owen McClure, Beerik Partnership, Coleraine, the pen of 46 Injemira, Yarram Park and Melville Park blood heifers weighed 317kg, were EU accredited, weaned, and March/April drop.
Their second pen of 32 weighing 287kg also sold to Injemira for $1813 or 632c/kg.
Mr Greening sources 200 to 300 Injemira blood heifers from the Western District sales each year.
They are naturally joined over eight weeks, this year using low birthweight paternal brothers of Australian record-breaking sire Injemira Redford Q287.
The PTIC heifers are marketed at Injemira’s annual bull sale in February.
“The heifers bought today are a single line from a client and will go into the joined program to be offered in 2024. I have these heifers’ full sisters which were purchased last year coming up in the sale in a month’s time as single lines of pregnancy tested and EU accredited females,” Mr Greening said.
“The instructions to my agent today was just buy them – you’ve got to pay for quality and those heifers are quality and are by top end bulls. On a dollars per head basis the price is still not too bad.”
He secured the Beerik heifers last year at $2200 and the PTIC females sold over $4000 at Injemira in 2022.
“it’s taking a punt but it’s also supporting the clients – they get increased competition on their calves and I get the opportunity to see how the females grow out in a large contemporary group, and it also gives clients an opportunity to restock with females ready to go.
“The heifer job is different from the steers as we really target the top end.”
Owen McClure said the price was a vote of confidence from the seedstock sector in his commercial operation.
The family retained all heifers over 320kg at weaning and the balance are usually bought by Injemira and Yarram Park.
Last year’s tops were 312kg and returned 750c/kg or $2340, and Owen had been expecting 430-450c/kg this year for the 103 head.
The Hereford run opened on the Herefords Australia champion pen judged by LMB livestock agent Darren Dawson, a manager of South Boorook Herefords from 1984 to 1997.
The pen of 18 EU and Greenhams Never Ever accredited heifers weighed 331kg, were March/April drop and were offered by John and Liz Craig, “Inverell”, Casterton, and bought by Antony Baillieu for Yarram Park’s commercial operation, Western District Pastoral.
Darren Dawson described the champion pen as exhibiting softness, body shape and plenty of top line.
Yarram Park Herefords manager Jeremy Upton has been chasing breeding females for the past decade to build herd numbers in the South Australian commercial operation trading as Western District Pastoral.
Mr Upton said country had been returned to pasture from blue gum production, allowing expansion of the 2500 cow herd.
Yarram Park is sourcing 300 to 400 heifers from the Hamilton and Casterton sales.
“We are trying to source future breeders from our bull clients as we know the breeding and they have been great supporters of our sales – what better place to identify future breeders than from commercial clients,” he said.
“It is great for the Hereford breed and they were a quality line up of cattle in the yards. There is a limited number of that sort of quality and known genetics, so it was a fantastic opportunity for us.
“We need about 300 heifers again this year so hopefully can top up numbers at Casterton. We don’t want to go under 290kg as we have to get them up to joining weight.”
Mr Upton had expected prices to be around 560-600c/kg at Hamilton.
“As it worked out it was well over that – fantastic for the breed and it’s a terrific time to be in the industry.”
The Pepper family, “Lochredal” offered March/April drop heifers, Glendan Park and Yarram Park blood, EU, MSA and Greenhams Never Ever accredited.
Their top pen weighed 298kg and sold on AuctionsPlus for $1573 or 528c/kg, exceeding David Pepper’s expectations of 490c/kg.
Hereford heifers
The Beerik Partnership: 46, Injemira, Melville Park and and Yarram Park blood, EU, March/April drop, $2098 or 662c/kg; 32, 287kg, $1813 or 632c/kg
Inverell: 18, EU accredited, Yarram Park blood, weaned, Greenhams Never Ever, 331kg, March/April drop, $1959 or 592c/kg; 39, 307kg, $1737 or 566c/kg
Lochredal: 22, EU, Glendan Park and Yarram Park blood, 298kg, $1573 or 528c/kg; 36, 266kg, $1228 or 462c/kg
Black Baldy heifers
Amaroo: 11, 326kg, $1499 or 460c/kg
Sandy Camp: 6, 400kg, Feb/March drop, EU, $1480 or 370c/kg
K R Hook: 15, 319kg, $1435 or 450c/kg
Yatcha: 17, 248kg, April/May drop, $1240 or 500c/kg
Vendors and buyers look on as the champion pen sells for $1959.
Owen McClure, Beerik Partnership, with buyers of the top price pen Marc Greening, Injemira Beef Genetics, Book Book, and Matt Tinkler, Elders southern livestock manager.
Owen McClure, Coleraine, with his family’s top price pen which sold for $2098 or 662c/kg.
Liz and John Craig, “Inverell”, Casterton, won the Herefords Australia champion pen of heifers at Hamilton.
David, Meegan and Cameron Pepper with Bentley Wood, sold their Lochredal pen of Glendan Park and Yarram Park blood heifers, 298kg, for $1573 or 528c/kg. The cattle were accredited with EU, Greenhams Never Ever, MSA and Pasturefed.
David Lyons, Melville Park Herefords, Vasey, caught up with Aaron Hill, TDC Portland. TDC paid $1179 for a line of Beerik Partnership calves weighing 252kg.
The Herefords Australia champion pen was judged by former South Boorook manager and now livestock buyer Darren Dawson.
Damien Harrington, Australian Wool Network, Stawell, was one of two losing bidders on the Herefords Australia champion pen.
The champion pen from the Craig family weighed 331kg and were bought by Western District Pastoral for 592c/kg.
The Elders Hamilton team with auctioneer Aaron Malseed sells the champion pen for $1959.
