Manjimup Heifers Sell Strongly to $934

Thursday 21st May 2009

Farm Weekly

FarmWorks yarded just over 300 cattle at its Manjimup sale last week and buyers responded to the quality presentation, helping the market finish stronger compared to recent sales at the venue.

The majority of the yarding came from local vendors but there were a few lines of cattle trucked in from outside areas, including Esperance and Narrogin.

Prices for all classes were dearer with bulls selling up to 130c/kg, resulting in the highest prices paid for bulls since the the yards re-opened, while beef steers sold strongly topping at $866 and 175c/kg.

A small run of Friesian steers topped at $647 and 110c/kg .

Heifer prices were also strong topping at $934 and 127c/kg, while cow values increased to 123c/kg. The cow and calf units units which rounded out the sale topped at $755.

Taking top price honours in the beef steer section of the sale at $866 was a line of 11 570kg steers trucked over from Esperance by DW & SA Cox, when they were secured by Western Meat Packers at 152c/kg.

A further two lines of steers offered by the Coxes also made good money when they were bought by Harvey Beef.

Harvey Beef paid 155c/kg for a line of seven 511kg steers and 160c/kg for a draft of 10 501kg steers.

Also coming a long way for the sale were three lines of grainfeed steers from Melchiorrie Farms, Narrogin. Topping the Narrogin line-up was a pen of eight steers weighing 494kg, when they were knocked down for 168c/kg to cost Harvey Beef $830.

Taking home the other two lines of Melchiorrie Farms steers was DJ Shine & Co Roelands.

The Roelands operation paid 167c/kg for a draft of seven steers averaging 464kg.

Prices for yearling steers were also strong, with Charcol Springs paying 174c/kg for a line of 10 steers averaging 335kg offered by L Ockwell & Roche.

Another to buy yearling steers was Parclay Contracting, which secured eight Simmental cross youngsters averaging 258kg, offered by DA Altria for 142c/kg, and six Angus steers averaging 370kg from GP & RM Muir for 175c/kg.

A run of bulls opened the sale and the trade was quick to snap them upat prices not seen at the yards since they re-opened.

Topping the bulls in liveweight prices was a pen of three Angus bulls from Gandy Timbers weighing 792kg, when they were knocked down to Western Meat Packers for 133c/kg.

Western Meat Packers also secured a further three bulls from Gandy Timbers weighing 725kg for 126c/kg.

However in dollars it was a Limousin bull hitting the scales at 985kg offered by RA & MJ Doust, which attracted a bid of 129c/kg to cost Western Meat Packers $1271, while a 995kg bull from JC & LW Ryan cost Western Meat Packers $1254 when they had the final bid at 126c/kg.

Heifer prices peaked at 127c/kg for a pen of six 319kg Anguss cross heifers offered by Sovereign Hill, sold to this value to cost Western Meat Packers $405.

Making 125c/kg were two sole entries: the first was a 600kg heifer offered by WD & IM Phillips, while the second was a 550kg heifer offered by P & MJ Scherini.

Both heifers were brought by Western Meat Packers.

Western Meat Packers also secured top heifer in dollar terms when it paid $934 for a single heifer weighing 785kg offered by JC & LW Ryan.

Taking top honours in the cow section was a pen of four cows averaging604kg from Reland Pty Ltd when they were knocked down for 123c/kg to cost Western Meat Packers $743.

Reland also took the top price in terms of dollars when it sold a 745kg cow for 120c/kg to Western Meat Packers for $894.

Western Meat Packers also paid 122c/kg for four Simmental cows weighing 582kg from GL & RK Dickson.

A run of cows and calves rounded out the sale and these sold to a top of $755 for a pen of three Gelbvieh cows and calves offered by LK Sambell & Co, when they were bought by EJ & P Liddelow & son.

The Liddelow also paid $680 for a pair of Red Angus cows with calves at foot offered by LK Sambell & Co.

Also taking a liking to the Sambell's cow and calf units was J & DL Bogoias, which paid $600 for two Red Angus units, and $600 for another five Red Angus units.

What the agent said: FarmWorks Auctioneer Neil Foale said the quality of cattle on offer was better then the sale the fortnight before and buyers bought accordingly. "There was a large contingent of buyers from the trade buying as well as a mix of graziers and lotfeeders," Mr Foale said. "The market was stronger with cow prices up 3-5c/kg, while bull prices were the highest they have been since the yards have reopened selling up to 130c/kg. "There was also a good run of steers from the Esperance area which sold strongly from 152-160c/kg, while three good pens of grainfed steers from Narrogin weighing 460-494kg sold between 166-168c/kg in a strong market. "Graziers and lotfeeders at the sale keenly purchased the better bred yearling cattle which resulted in prices being very firm for these types."