MORE northern competition and buying activity from global processor JBS Swift added a bit more oomph to Enruoa's weaner sale.
Values were judged to be stronger than the previous day’s sale at Yea, although buyers remained wary of chasing prices much beyond $800 a head for the heavy steer calves.
Elders auctioneer Ben Minogue said the sale would return a solid price average thanks to demand for the middle and lighter run steers.
“While we didn’t have the $840 and $850 calves we had a lot in the $700 to $760 range and I would say it was solid without being over the top,’’ he said.
“The north stepped in again on the lighter calves which was good to see.’’
Key buyers included Mark Barton, booking steers to Moolong in NSW; commission buyer Damian Whyte buying for Moree in NSW; and the Sundown Pastoral Co from Inverell in NSW.
JBS Swift was also active on heavier weaners, with their ‘yo yo’ type performance of attending some sales and pushing prices, and not appearing at others, continuing to disgruntle some people.
There was a handful of sales over the $800 mark at Yea, reaching a top of $825 three times, with some of these prices tending to be at the lower end of the c/kg scale at down to 194c (for 425kg Murray Greys).
Based on the indicator weights displayed by agents, prices for most heavier steers with displayed indicator weights of 300kg plus ranged from 220c to 235c/kg, depending on quality and numbers.
Sales in this range included Levan Vale’s line of 73 Angus, indicator weight 329kg, which sold for $755 or 229c/kg to a local buyer; and Ingpen Farms 24 Angus at 330kg which sold for $770 or 233c/kg.
Lighter steers then got dearer, as evidenced by sales such as $760 or 257c/kg for 18 Angus from Strath Hill that weighed 295kg.
The heifer section was varied, due in part to mixed quality with some agents noting how breeders were keeping more replacements this season which was affecting the depth of quality on offer.
Bidding reached $745 for 20 Angus heifers from noted breeder Robert Love, Jumbuck Park. The calves had an indicator weight of 317kg, equalling 235c/kg. Not far behind at $730 was Lindsay Park’s 12 Angus that weighed 339kg (215c).
After this most of the better bred type heifers sold from $550 to $650, although the sale did hit a flat spot on some plainer females that sold down to $485.
