Heavy weaners: What to expect from summer calf sales

Livestock agents are gearing up for the start of summer weaner calf sales, with the expectation prices will hit new highs.

Saleyards across Victoria are gearing up for the first week of summer weaner calf sales.

PRICES at next week’s summer weaner calf sales could hit new peaks, with young cattle rates at record highs and demand for stock to rebuild post-drought remaining strong.

Analysis of the past 10 years of average prices at the opening week of weaner calf sales by The Weekly Times shows prices for wearers has lifted more than 100c/kg in a decade.

And that figure is forecast to lift again this season, with agents speculating prices could reach as high as 440c/kg in the opening week of sales.

Elders Yea livestock agent Jamie Quinlan said the lead draft of weaner steers and heifers at next week’s Blue Ribbon sale at Yea were in “exceptional condition”, with large numbers of stock expected to weigh in at an average of 440-450kg.

Mr Quinlan said the yarding at the Yea weaner sale on January 8 would be 20 per cent bigger than last year, with 3900 autumn-drop calves expected to be yarded.

“We’re probably 300 to 400 cattle up on last year,” Mr Quinlan said.

“This year, with what the heifers could be making at the weaner sales, people have opted to keep them and sell them there.”

Mr Quinlan said he hoped prices for steers at the Blue Ribbon sale would reach beyond 400c/kg.

“Those heavier steers, I think, will get to about 400-430c/kg, maybe the odd sale of 440c/kg for those 380kg calves,” Mr Quinlan said.

“I’d say there’ll be a big bracket of calves weighing 320-380kg making $1580 to $1670.

“The couple of weaner sales I’ve been to so far, that seems to be the spread.”

Elders Albury livestock manager Brett Shea said the difference this year to last year’s weaner sales was the higher cattle weight, which would lift prices.

dec 30 online artwork weaner sales

“From a dollar-per-head perspective, a lot of the steer portion that’s been sold through December have been making between $1600 to $1800, and the heifer portion between $1400 to $1600,” Mr Shea said.

“The biggest factor will be the weight in the calves this year. There won’t be many below 300kg … I just can’t see many calves under 300kg presenting.

“Certainly it’s going to make the changeover reasonably tight for some producers.

“On the flip side, the benefit of getting a heavy calf early in the year means hopefully with a reasonable autumn and spring in 2021, you’ll have a heavier animal to sell out the other end.

“You go in buying an animal that’s an extra 40 to 50kg heavier, it means you potentially have another 100 to 150kg at the other end when it comes to sell that animal.”

In the Western District, J M Ellis & Co livestock agent Michael McMeel estimated prices would sit in the mid 400c/kg.

“Just with where it’s been in recent times … obviously there’s a lot of cattle (to sell) in one to two weeks which might put a bit of pressure on, but we won’t see too much selling under 400c/kg,” Mr McMeel said.

“The heifers might be down around 400c/kg, but generally a good run on Angus steer calves will sell around the mid-400c/kg mark.

“And that’s excellent, it’s great money for the calves we’ve produced.

“There’s more weight in the cattle this year than in past years, there’ll still be runs of lighter cattle, either side of 300kg. But not miles heavier.”

The recent cluster of COVID-19 cases and travel restrictions for some parts of NSW has highlighted the importance of integrating online selling platforms into the summer weaner sale, with the Yea Blue Ribbon sale interfaced with AuctionsPlus for the first time in the sale’s 34-year history.

“COVID-19 probably made us learn a little bit, and pushed us. It would be silly for us to go back to not having Auctions­Plus,” Mr Quinlan said.

“Even if we sell on one or two pens, it’s worth doing.”

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