The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator finished the month on 545.75c/kg – down from 575c/kg last month.
Herefords hit stellar highs in the nation’s store markets during April with weaners topping at $1530, heavy steers at $1710 and breeding females returning $2020.
Despite buyer nerves over dry seasonal conditions, demand also remained strong for Hereford infused store cattle with yearling steers topping at $1490. However, feeder steer and over-the-hooks prices generally began to trend downwards across the month.
April was also marked by the announcement of the second live shipment of Hereford and Black Baldy slaughter steers to China, and the offering of forward contracts by live exporter Wellard for Hereford bull calves.
The nation’s top Hereford weaner steer price was set during the month at $1530 at the Roberts Bothwell weaner sale in Tasmania.
The Poll Hereford steers, aged nine to 10 months, weighed 468kg, and were sold by Philip and Narelle Davie, Ouse, to buyer Ray Brammage for a northern Tasmanian steer finisher.
The Glen Innes Hereford and Crossbred weaner sale in northern NSW offered 584 steers selling to a top of $1139. Diana and Ross Stewart, “Vale View’’, Deepwater, won the best pen of Hereford steers, making a top of 342c/kg.
The top price pen of unjoined females was the champion pen of Hereford heifers, sold by Mark Campion, Pinkett, for 318c/kg.
In the first run of the Cooma autumn special calf sales, grown Hereford steers, 18-20 months, were sold by Peter and Sue Knox, Bombala, to Ladysmith Feedlot for the top price of $1345. Hereford heifers sold at the same sale on the back of restocker demand to 375c/kg.
In the same circuit series at the annual Cooma calf sale, Herefords topped the market when a pen of 12 steers, 14-16 months, from Shane O’Neill, Westbrook, sold for $1300. Significant sales were made by Ross, Geoff and David Frazer, Adaminaby, with purebred steers, 12-14 months, at $1120.
The Elders Cooma calf sale saw MB Trading Pty Ltd, Moonbah, sell purebred steers, Yarradale blood, weighing 369kg for $1100
The 48th annual autumn store sale at Tumut featured purebred steers, 10-12 months, Yavenvale and Gobbaralong blood, weighing 412kg, from Yaven Pastoral Company, Adelong, selling for $1270.
At the nearby 48th annual Adelong autumn store sale, Ron and Grant Brown, Adelong, sold purebred steers, eight to 10 months, Greenhills blood, for $1000. Chris and Robyn Bright, Adelong, sold heifers, 9-10 months, for $770.
Hereford steer and heifer weaners topped the Dubbo store sale in April – steers under 200kg sold to 347c/kg or $540 while heifers under 200kg sold for 263c/kg or $450.
Herefords returned the top price at the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange weaner sale at Carcoar, NSW. Purebred steers topped the yearling steer category, 330-400kg, on $1220 or 329c/kg.
Sponsored by Herefords Australia, the champion pen of Hereford steers was won by Maria, Ric and Alf Cocco, Tarana, for their 299kg steer weaners, six to seven months, and return 341c/kg or $1020.
In Victorian markets, despite limited feedlot competition at Bairnsdale store sale, C Scott & Co sold 472kg Hereford steers for $1380 while R M Treasure sold steer weaners, 270-290kg, for $820-$850, and heifers for $435-$760.
Dry conditions resulted in increased yardings at Wodonga during the month, with W & J Wells, Boho South, selling Hereford cows and calves, Mawarra blood, from $1760 to $1880, and joined heifers for $1300.
Third to fifth calving Hereford cows with spring drop steer calves and rejoined topped the Yea store market at $2020.
The run of weaner sales in Tasmania continued in April, with Herefords Australia sponsoring the champion pen at the Roberts Bothwell sale. It was won by Philip and Narelle Davie, Ouse, with nine to 10 month old steers, 346kg, selling for $1300 or 375c/kg to a Tasmanian steer finisher.
At Powranna, Trim Pastoral, Kooringa, sold 62 Poll Hereford steer weaners to a top of $1130 and average of $893.
Scott and Amanda Michael, Carriewerloo Station, Port Augusta, sold Hereford and Black Baldy cattle up to 406c/kg at the Strathalbyn store sale in South Australia. The 210kg Hereford steers sold for $820 while the Black Baldies, 186kg, made $755 or 406c/kg.
Warreanga Pastoral Company, Donovans, offered purebred steers at the Mount Gambier store sale, 408kg, for $1315 to Thomas Foods International.
In Queensland markets, Peter Jeffrey, Avilem, Tenterfield, sold his top pen of 323kg EU accredited Hereford weaner steers for 349.2c/kg or $1129 to Ironbark Herefords. The pen was sashed as the Herefords Australian sponsored champion pen.
In Western Australian markets, F Grigson & Sons, Jurien, topped the Muchea market with Poll Hereford steers weighing 615kg and returning $1710. The light portion, weighing 580kg sold for $1583.
A & M Barndon, Moonyoonoka, sold grain assisted Poll Hereford steers, 390kg, at Muchea for $1275 while Spring Creek Grazing Co topped the Mt Barker sale with purebred steers, 622kg, at $1704.
AuctionsPlus featured high pass in rates this month but PTIC Poll Hereford cows, 656kg, from Rugby, NSW, made $1310 and PTIC heifers with calves, from Violet Town, Vic, made $2080.
The Pitt Sons Walcha, NSW, weaner sale was run in conjunction with AuctionsPlus and resulted in Hereford steers making 302-320c/kg, Black Baldies 315-328c/kg, Hereford cross 314c/kg, purebred heifers 260c/kg, Black Baldy heifers 256-292c/kg and crossbreds 250-258c/kg.
Backgrounder steers from Goodiwindi, weighing 331kg, sold for 317c/kg or $1050 on AuctionsPlus.
In the Black Baldy results, Yaven Pastoral Company sold 373kg steers for $1180 and 371kg heifers for $1140 at the Tumut store sale. Steer weaners, 194kg, from Redpa, Tasmania, sold on-line for 371c/kg or $720.
Among the crossbred prices, Murray Grey-Hereford cross steers from Stirling Bros, Pemberton, weighing 515kg, made $1493 to Johnson Meats in the Manjimup market in WA.
In northern NSW at the George and Fuhrmann annual weaner sale, there was record bidding for Santa Gertrudis-Hereford cross steers to $1439 and heifers hitting $1244.
The Herefords Australia sponsored champion pen of Hereford infused steers was won by John and Maree Smith, Woodenbong. Their pen sold for 382c/kg or $1407.
Teys paid $1490 for Shorthorn-Hereford cross steers offered by Michael and John Maher, Clarke’s Hill, at the Ballarat store sale.
The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator finished the month on 545.75c/kg – down from 575c/kg last month.
Meat and Livestock Australia reports short fed (100-120 days on feed) EU steers, weighing 380-500kg, averaging 298c/kg – down from 342c/kg last month.
In the domestic paddock sales, steers (280-350kg) averaged 301c/kg and heifers (same weight) averaged 291c/kg.
NSW over-the-hooks rates for MSA yearling steers stood at 524c/kg for 280-300kg carcass weight.
Ends