Northern Victorian whiteface breeders produced a quality yarding of grown and weaner steers at Wangaratta on Thursday, but it was the female’s time to shine with prices topping at $1190 for black baldies.
Selling agents Elders and Corcoran Parker yarded 1600 Hereford, black baldy and Euro grown and weaner steers and heifers on January 4 for the Wangaratta Premier All Breeds Feature Weaner sale.
The heavy grown Hereford steers weighing over 350kg liveweight sold for $1200-$1250 or 264-277c/kg, while the grown black baldy steers made $1295-$1460 or 270-317c/kg.
In the autumn drop weaners, the purebred steers over 350kg sold for $1035-$1120 or 270-312c/kg, and the middle run weighing 280-350kg made $670-$1035 or 200-301c/kg. The lighter weight steers under 280kg settled at $710-$750 or 260-291c/kg.
The black baldy autumn drop weaners over 350kg finished at $1090-$1190 or 296-325c/kg, and the middle run at 280-350kg settled at $1010-$1090 or 304-326c/kg, up $20 per head.
The heifers were a bright spot with the black baldy females attracting attention and selling for $950-$1190 or 236-317c/kg. Those weighing under 350kg sold for $570-$945 or 237-274c/kg.
The offering of Hereford heifer weaners were all under 350kg and finished at $660-$820 or 241-255c/kg.
Cattle were booked to Grant Daniel Long, Ray White, Corcoran Parker, Australian Wool Network, Elders Myrtleford, Mort & Co, AuctionsPlus, commission buyers Graham Ward and Damian Whyte, and steer finishers Denis Heywood and John Muraca.
Herefords Australia Deputy Chairman Marc Greening was on hand to present the champion pen to Tony Reardon, Brooklyn Pastoral, Mansfield, in a back-to-back win for the Brooklyn cattle.
The pen of 32 Hereford steer weaners aged eight to 10 months and Glendan Park blood, weighed 358kg and were snapped up in a bidding duel by Markwood steer finisher John Muraca for $1120 or 312c/kg.
The Brooklyn Pastoral cattle topped the autumn drop purebreds and also topped the sale on a cents per kilo with black baldy steer weaners at 326c/kg.
Topping the black baldy steer weaners on a dollars per head basis was Raheen Partnership, Merrijig, with a pen of 25, aged 10-11 months and 370kg at $1190 (321c/kg).
The Reardon family offered 143 Hereford and black baldy grown and weaner steers.
A third generation Hereford breeder, Tony Reardon used to lotfeed cattle and appreciates size, weight for age and finishing ability in his Herefords. He will offer black baldy heifers at Wangaratta next week.
“With the hybrid vigour, we get more weight on them – I keep the best of the black baldy heifers for value adding as 20-month-old preg tested heifers,” he said.
Much pre-sale hype focused on a pen of black baldy heifer weaners offered by Cameron and Tracey Healy, Osborne Flat.
The pen of 16 nine-month-old heifers, out of high country bred Yarram Park and Mawarra blood cows, weighed 375kg and were bought by Stephen Street, Elders Myrtleford, on account of repeat buyer Kirsty Taylor, Albury, for $1190 or 317c/kg.
“We like the temperament of the Hereford cows and the hybrid vigour makes a big difference to the weight of the black baldy calves,” Mr Healy said.
Topping the purebred heifer weaners was E and P Harris with females aged eight to 10 months, Ingomar blood, weighing 337kg, and making $820 or 243c/kg.
Mudgegonga Hereford breeder Maurice Goonan offered 50 steers, 12 months, topping at 396kg.
Mr Goonan’s steers equalled the top purebred price of $1120.
Corcoran Parker auctioneer Justin Keane quoted the run of grown cattle at 270-300c/kg for 450-500kg black baldy and 260-270c/kg for heavy Hereford steers, all going straight to feedlots.
“In the weaners, Brooklyn Pastoral had 336kg calves making $1090 or 324c/kg and their lighter brothers made 325c/kg. They had a really good run of Hereford cattle, well and truly weaned with the lead at 358kg and $1120” Mr Keane said.
“The Brooklyn cattle were a great representation of their breed. That good Hereford steer at Wangaratta was probably about 300-315c/kg.”
Mr Keane said prices for heifer weaners level pegged with the sales earlier in the week.
“On Tuesday we sold heifers all day from 250-270c/kg so the heifer section today were very solid – Hereford heifers made 250-260c/kg, while black and baldy cattle made 250-270c/kg,” he said.
“The heifers today were as good from a cents per kilo point of view to Tuesday and cattle from a breeding point of view were still A-grade.”
Mr Keane said the well weaned cattle were a big tick from a buyer’s point of view.
“A lot of these cattle are going north onto green feed and will take steps forward.”
Tom and Ben Reardon flank their father Tony after winning the Herefords Australia champion pen for the second year in succession at Wangaratta.
Herefords Australia Deputy Chairman Marc Greening, Tom, Tony and Ben Reardon, Brooklyn Pastoral, with Alvio Trovatello, Glendan Park, at the presentation for the champion pen of autumn drop weaners.
Markwood steer finisher John Muraca paid $1120 for the champion pen of steers from Brooklyn Pastoral.
Cameron and Tracey Healy, Osborne Flat, sold black baldy heifer weaners, 375kg, for the top heifer price of $1190.
Charlie Barry, Brian Kelly, and Lachlan Kelly, all of Kilmore, sold Tarcombe blood Hereford steer weaners $970 or 289c/kg.
Stephen Street, Elders Myrtleford, and Maurice Goonan, Mudgegonga. Maurice sold autumn drop steers to $1120.
The vendor bred champion pen was weaned and had all the health treatments.
