Jamie Snow, Dunraven, Woomargama, presents the Herefords Australia champion pen of steers to David Trethowan, Cookardinia. The steers made $2420 or 628c/kg.
Autumn drop 2021 Hereford steers held their value at the Northern Victorian Livestock Exchange with the tops climbing $5 to $2475 as demand from northern grass finishers continues to be satiated.
Selling agents Corcoran Parker, Rodwells Peter Ruraro, Schubert Boers and Brian Unthank Rural yarded 3600 Herefords, black baldies and Euro cross steers and heifers on January 7.
The sale could not match the previous day’s record breaking $10.49/kg with the absence of lightweight weaners but there was strong demand for the black baldy run with steers over 350kg lifting in price by 32c/kg and black baldy heifers up by $90.
Active buyers included Corcoran Parker Wodonga and Wangaratta, Elders Albury, Mort & Co, Schubert Boers, Paull & Scollard Nutrien Ag, Bowyer Livermore, Brian Unthank Rural, Peter Ruraro Livestock, H Francis & Co, Elders Finley and Rodwells Benalla.
Topping the purebred weaner offering on a dollars per head basis was David Trethowan, Cookardinia, with a pen of 12 Wentworth blood steers weighing 440kg and snapped up by Schubert Boers for $2475 or 562c/kg.
On a cents per kilogram basis, the top price reached was 833c/kg for eight to 10-month-old steers weighing 216kg and sold by Adrian Murtagh, Mudgegonga.
The top pen of black baldy steers was offered by Hocking Mulwood, Mullengandra, were Rotherfield blood, weighed 418kg, and made $2570 or 614c/kg.
A small offering of heavy grown steers resulted in S & H Mahoney, Mansfield, selling the top pen of 15 black baldy steers, 21-22 months and 582kg, for $2940 or 505c/kg to Paull and Scollard Nutrien Ag.
The heavy end of the autumn drop 2021 steers made $2210-$2475 at the Premier Hereford, Hereford Cross and Euro Mixed Sex weaner sale.
Mundoora Pastoral, Jerilderie, topped the run of purebred heifers with Glentrevor blood unjoined females, 417kg, making $2370 to Howard Yelland, Glentrevor Herefords, Finley.
Howard also bought the seconds, 12 months and 363kg, for $2290 or 630c/kg for a client at Berrigan.
In the grown heavy Hereford steers, prices finished at $2450-$2940 or 505-653c/kg.
The heavy autumn drop purebred steers over 350kg lifted $5 on yesterday’s sale to settle at $2210-$2475 or 562-633c/kg.
The steers weighing 250-350kg sold for $1770-$2420 or 580-748c/kg – a fall of 19c/kg on the previous day, while there was only a single pen of light steers under 250kg at 833c/kg.
In the black baldy yarding, steers over 350kg made $2300-$2570 or 505-653c/kg, up 54c/kg, and those weighing 250-350kg sold for $2050-$2330 or 614-768c/kg.
Joinable Hereford heifers over 350kg finished at $2290-$2370 or 568-630c/kg and those under 350kg made $1400-$2020 or 590-688c/kg – up 15c/kg.
The black baldy females weighing 250-350kg were in demand from lot feeders and were $90 up to finish at $1850-$2260 or 608-682c/kg.
Jamie Snow, Dunraven, Woomargama, judged the champion pen of steers sponsored by Herefords Australia with the sash going to David Trethowan, Cookardinia, for a pen of 42. The Wentworth blood steers averaged 385kg and were bought by Schubert Boers for $2420 or 628c/kg.
Mr Snow said the steers were an even line with length, structural correctness, bone and were ideal feeder types.
He finishes Hereford steers for the heavy grassfed market and was actively sourcing cattle at 320-400kg.
Mr Trethowan said two years ago his top pen of steers made $1080 at Wodonga.
“I’m riding the wave flat out,” he said.
Vendors John and Jane Witherow, Murmungee, offered 43 steers and 25 heifers, Yavenvale blood, were thrilled to pocket an extra $530 on top of their 2021 steer price of $1770.
Mr Witherow said the prices were a long way from his top of $1030 in 2019 and he has rewarded himself with a new ute.
“I went to the Myrtleford and Wangaratta sales and they were very strong but I think the market will come back,” he said.
David McCormack, Bullioh, was nervous having the opening pen of autumn drop steers. His pen of 19 were the tops of the drop with 12 sired by Mawarra High Octane, and the pen averaging 403kg. Corcoran Parker paid $2470 – $485 above what David received for his top pen in 2021.
“I aim for those repeat buyers and bullock finishers,” he said.
Adrian Murtagh, who topped the market at 833c/kg, was pleased to enjoy the prices after recalling his top steers making $850 two years ago.
“It is all about supply and demand – the restocking after the rain,” he said.
Auctioneer Michael Unthank, Brian Unthank Rural, said the heavy weaner steers traded at 500-560c/kg or 100c/g off the pace of Thursday’s sale.
“The middle run of Hereford steers weighing 350-420kg made 600c/kg plus today,” Mr Unthank said.
The northern NSW and Queensland buyers were strong and we did see a few locals jump into the market today – that’s encouraging.
“Everyone is after heifers to join and the top quality heifers were making good money but the lighter heifers didn’t have the fire the other cattle had.
“In saying that, we have sold a lot of calves this week and the market is a little saturated, but this job will get dearer on the back of this widespread rain, particularly with the Queensland competition.”
Tony Reardon, Brooklyn Pastoral, Mansfield, offered both black baldy and Hereford steers to a top of $2360 after receiving $1830 last year.
“I hope these prices will stay around for a while but you just don’t know – they are probably getting a bit too dear as everyone has to have a win at the end of the day,” Mr Reardon said.
“The extra cash will go into genetics and infrastructure – there is fencing, pasture improvement, new machinery and new bulls to purchase.”
Top quotes
Steers
D & M Trethowan, Cookardinia: 12, Wentworth blood, 440kg, $2475 (562c/kg); 42, 385kg, $2420 (628c/kg); 35, 353kg, $2240 (647c/kg)
J McCormack, Bullioh: 10, Mawarra blood, 403kg, $2470 (612c/kg)
Syndal Herefords, Yea: 11, 10-11 months, Glenellerslie blood, $2390 (632c/kg)
Brooklyn Pastoral, Mansfield: 33, 8-9 months, Glendan Park blood, 380kg, $2360 (621c/kg); 54, 332kg, $2320 (698c/kg)
HM Campbell, Bullioh: 23, Yavenvale blood, 342kg, $2350 (687c/kg)
Nankervis Nominees, Corryong: 26, Yavenvale blood, 377kg, $2340 (620c/kg); 17, 355kg, $2220 (625c/kg)
S & I Jones, Huon: 7, Rosstulla and Wirruna blood, 10 months, 410kg, $2320 (565c/kg); 10,336kg, $2130 (633c/kg)
J & R Scales, Dartmouth: 20, EU, Glenellerslie blood, 12 months, 409kg, $2310 (564c/kg)
R & L Bethune, Mitta: 18, EU, Glenellerslie blood, 12 months, 367kg, $2310 (629c/kg)
J F Witherow, Murmungee: 25, Yavenvale blood, 8-10 months, 363kg, $2300 (633c/kg); 18, 311kg, $2050 (659c/kg)
Tony Marchese, Mansfield: 25, 10-11 months, Tarcombe and Wirruna blood, 361kg, $2280 (631c/kg)
G & D Comerford, Mansfield: 43, Rotherfield and Ravensdale blood, 346kg, $2240 (647c/kg)
G & A Murtagh, Mudgegonga: 7, Yavenvale blood, 8-10 months, 376kg, $2210 (587c/kg); 9, 322kg, $2120 (658c/kg)
R & S Hodgkin, Mitta: 12, Sugarloaf and Karoonda blood, 8-10 months, 323kg, $2200 (681c/kg)
Ingleby Ag, Walla Walla: 16, 8-10 months, 339kg, $2110 (622c/kg)
Black baldy steers
Hocking Mulwood, Mullengandra: 23, Rotherfield blood, 418kg, $2570 (614c/kg)
D & P Vance, Mansfield: 40, 9-10 months, 363kg, $2460 (679c/kg)
M Mahoney, Merrijig: 21, 10-11 months, 368kg, $2400 (652c/kg)
Brooklyn Pastoral, Mansfield: 17, 8-9 months, 349kg, $2360 (676c/kg)
D & M Trethowan, Cookardinia: 18, Wentworth blood, 357kg, $2360 (661c/kg)
P Condon, Eskdale: 12, 9-10 months, 348kg, $2330 (669c/kg)
J & K Fleming, Eurobin: 14, 9-10 months, 350kg, $2320 (662c/kg)
Nankervis Nominees, Corryong: 16, Yavenvale blood, 382kg, $2300 (602c/kg)
Heifers
Mundoora Pastoral, Jerilderie: 10, Glentrevor blood, 417kg, $2370; 39, 12 months, 363kg, $2290
Mardene Partnership, Bonegilla: 6, 12-13 months, Yavenvale blood, 408kg, $2320
Tony Marchese, Mansfield, 11, 10-11 months, Tarcombe and Wirruna blood, 330kg, $1950
Brooklyn Pastoral, Mansfield: 19, 8-9 months, $2020
Maranoa Pastoral Co: 15, 12 months, Bowmont and Newcomen blood, 275kg, $1860
Nankervis Nominees, Corryong: 21, Yavenvale blood, 284kg, $1820
Syndal Herefords, Yea: 12, 10-11 months, Oldfield blood, 282kg, $1770