Wodonga agents, Corcoran Parker, took a bold step to become a solo agent, and open the annual calf sales for 2018, at Barnawartha, Wednesday, January 3.
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See subscription optionsWith New year falling on Monday, the western district sales were put back to the following week, leaving this sale as the leader for the other sales to come.
Yarding 2763 head, on a cooler summer day, gave plenty of room to display the cattle, and give the selling agent opportunity to rest between drafting nd penning, and the actual sale.
Corcoran Parker front man, Cameron Hilton, said “we got to sleep reasonably early, and when we arrived fresh the next morning, the cattle were all lying down resting.
Commencing the sale on a few pens of yearling steers saw the top pen of 19 Angus steers, 16 months, 533 kilograms liveweight, sell for $1490, and others, 410-495kgs, made from $1240 to $1390.
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L Nankervis, Laceby, sold the highest price pen of 2017 autumn drop calves, 410kgs, for $1255 with competition coming from interstate and local district bullock fatteners.
As the sale progressed, and weights receded, Rangers Valley came into play for EU accredited steers, and Hopkins River feedlot were another contender.
Buyers were mindful of weight, as the very good quality offering meant higher dollar figures. Jack Lebner, Corryong, sold 29 Angus steers, 400kgs, for $1250.
All cattle sold had their weights displayed after at least a six hour curfew, and most of the heavier weaned steers sold to an equivalent liveweight price range of 310-323c/kg.
The sale progressed onto the largest consignment of steers of Davilak Pastoral Company, Mansfield.
Their 457, Glendaloch blood steers weighed from 312-398kgs except for one light pen. Selling to strong competition, these EU accredited steers sold from $1120-$1235 with strong demand setting a trend for the balance of the sale.
The equivalent liveweight price range was from 337-371c/kg. Because of the good season only a few pens of steers weighed less than 300kgs. The last pen of 15 Davilak steers, 254kgs, sold for $920.
An order for steers to fill a live shipping order aided the competition and one buyer from Forbes, NSW, only came into play for the few lighter weight cattle, and more so for the heifers.
The 2017, autumn drop heifers sold to trends, dearer than the last regular store sale here at Barnawartha, despite the lack of one major buyer.
Prices ranged mostly between $800 & $1170 with buyers looking for future breeders setting the strongest pace. M&B Roche, Whorouly, sold 36 heifers from $1085-$1170. These peaked at 320-331c/kg lwt with most others from 278-310c/kg.
