Heavy grass finished Hereford steers continued to make their way into the nation’s store markets during March, returning up to $2190.
Pasture finished steers returned $1570-$2190 or 341-407c/kg, while yearling steers over 350kg finished at $1400-$1800 or 319-434c/kg and those under 350kg settled at $1210-$1350 or 351-437c/kg.
Feeder steers made $1400-$1762 or 333-398c/kg. In the weaner pens, those weighing over 350kg returned $1360-$1660 or 383-448c/kg, steers weighing 280-350kg made $936-$1350 or 325–450c/kg and the lighter weights under 280kg made $930-$1340 or 473-429c/kg.
In the Hereford females, weaners over 300kg averaged $1210 or 401c/kg, heifers under 300kg finished at $920-$1100 or 352-398c/kg, while yearling heifers averaged $1120 or 308c/kg and backgrounding heifers were $1090 or 355c/kg.
Station mated heifers and calves sold for $2150-$2400, PTIC cows with calves for $2750, PTIC cows for $1800 and unjoined cows for $2078.
In Victoria, the Pakenham March store sale opened with a pen of 510kg Hereford steers consigned by Gardley Pty Ltd, Officer, and selling for $2080 or 407c/kg. Clive and Noeleen Downing, Ripplebrook, sold 344kg steers for $1210 or 351c/kg in the same yarding.
At Leongatha in March, Don and Kay Belcher, Wonga Park, Woodside, sold a line of 42 Hereford steers, 10-12 months, 341-375kg, for $1520-$1660 or 442-445c/kg. George and Lorraine Simmons, Woodside, sold steers 10 to 12 months with the tops weighing 397kg and returning $1600 or 403c/kg. M and J Chatfield, Toora, sold 473kg steers for $1890 or 399c/kg. DM Phelan, Billy Creek Station, Staceys Bridge, sold a run of 142 steers, 10-12 months, and 14 months, with the tops weighing 429kg to make $1740 or 405c/kg and those weighing 375kg making $1520 or 405c/kg.
Also at Leongatha, S and H Mahoney, Mansfield, sold rising two-year-old Hereford steers, 585kg, for $2190 or 374c/kg to Don Bowman, Elders Leongatha.
At Yea March store sale, J Cowan sold Hereford steers, 580kg, for $1980 or 341c/kg, Kaldera Holdings sold steers 492kg for $1750 or 355c/kg.
Bill and Mary Goldsworthy, Eurobin, sold Rosstulla and Ravensdale blood steers, 418kg, for $1570 or 375c/kg, at the annual weaner sales at Myrtleford.
Tim Woodgate, Buchan, consigned a big run of 247 mixed sex, June-July 2022 drop Herefords to a top price of $1610 at Bairnsdale. His draft included 368kg steers at $1610 or 448c/kg, 347kg steers at $1330 or 383c/kg, 301kg heifers at $1210 or 401c/kg and 276kg heifers at $1100 or 398c/kg. G and S Moon Pastoral, Black Mountain, sold 81 Hereford steers and 48 heifers, June-July 2022 drop, including a top pen of 304kg steers for $990 or 325c/kg and heifers weighing 256kg for $920 or 378c/kg at Bairnsdale.
Hicks Herefords, Running Creek, sold 180 Ironbark blood weaned steers, 414kg, EU and Never Ever accredited, 11 to 13 months, for $1800 or 434c/kg. C and J Griffiths, Wooragee, sold a run of 49 Yavenvale blood feeder steers, 430kg and 17 to 18 months, for $1620 or 376c/kg.
3L Pastoral, Laceby, sold station mated heifers, 478kg, Injemira, Ravensdale and Guilford blood, and 28-32 months, with black baldy calves, for $2400. Agtrade, Woodhouse, sold yearling heifers, 363kg, and 14 to 16 months, for $1120 or 308c/kg and backgrounder heifers, 306kg, for $1090 or 355c/kg.
Across the border into NSW, Grant and Kylie Kneipp, Battalion Herefords, Dundee, sold steers weighing 326kg to return 348c/kg and the lighter weights at 208kg made 450c/kg at the Inverell store sale. In the heifers, Peter Stewart, Emmaville, bought the Battalion heifers, 293kg, for 352c/kg for joining to Santa Gertrudis bulls.
L and R Davis, Willow Tree, sold cows, 527kg, Kidman, Tycolah, Cascade and Wirruna blood, three to four years, and PTIC to Bowen bull for $1800 or 341c/kg. P and M Forsyth, Willow Tree, sold feeder steers, 494kg, Cascade and Bowen blood, and 17 to 18 months, for $1650 or 333c/kg.
Vary Family Trust, Barraba, sold Bowen, Evesham and Allendale blood yearling steers, 382kg, 15 to 18 months, for $1580 or 413c/kg.
J and Y Benton, Glen Innes, sold a run of yearling steers, 308-358kg and 13 to 15 months, for $1350-$1400 or 391-437c/kg. The EU accredited steers were by Ironbark bulls selected for high growth, structural correctness, eye muscle area and muscle.
Paspaley Pastoral, Kurrajong Park, Coolah, sold a run of 225 Hereford steer weaners, 196kg, seven to eight months, for $930 or 473c/kg and 115 feeder steers, 367kg, 18 to 20 months, for $1400 or 381c/kg. The 100 Paspaley heifers, 250kg, and eight to 11 months, made $990 or 395c/kg.
Rollsville Partnership, Gulgong, sold Dalkeith blood station mated heifers, 475kg and 28 to 20 months, with calves for $2150.
Mannus Valley Livestock, Mannus, sold station mated cows, 482kg, two to three years, with calves for $2750. B and M Reid, Bendemeer, sold a draft of 62 Tycolah and Yalgoo blood feeder steers, 416kg, EU accredited, and 16 to 18 months, for $1610 or 386c/kg.
D Harrison, Braidwood, sold Billilingra blood steers, nine to 11 months, and 354kg, for $1360 or 383c/kg and the seconds weighing 291kg for $1240 or 425c/kg.
In South Australia, the market toppers at Strathalbyn were April-May drop steers, 477kg, from M and K Peters, Kimba, making $1520 or 319c/kg. Harlock Pastoral, Naracoorte, sold weaned steers, 326kg, Allendale and Days blood, EU accredited, Bovilis MH + IBR vaccinated, nine to 10 months, for $1350 or 413c/kg.
North to Queensland where Warren Point Pastoral, Mitchell, sold Hereford cows for $2078 to average $1892 at Roma store sale. CA Hauff & Son, Blackall, sold four decks of Hereford feeder steers, milk tooth, 450-520kg, at the Blackall weaner sale with the top steers weighing 509kg made 346.2c/kg or $1762.
At Boyanup store sale in Western Australia in March, McCormick Milling sold 371kg steers for $1559 or 420c/kg.
Down to Tasmania where G and D Marshall, Sheffield, sold feeder steers, 406kg, 16 to 18 months, for $1620 or 398c/kg and Kinglands, Redpa, sold weaned steers, 274kg, 7.5 to nine months, for $1340 or 429c/kg.