Hereford heifers wow Hamilton crowd with record prices
The crowd was left speechless by the strength of prices at the final Hamilton weaner sale of the first week of the season. Here’s the latest from the saleyards.
THE crowd was left speechless when the opening pen of heavy Angus heifers at Hamilton today sold for 582c/kg, to break $2100 each.
And spectators could only shake their heads in awe when lightweight Hereford heifers peaked at 632c/kg.
Demand for heifers was extreme, particularly for any well-bred type, to go into breeding herds.
Fattening-style heifers made from 480c/kg-530c/kg, with the sale expected to average well over 500c/kg when final figures are calculated.
Kerr and Co livestock agent Andrew Gunn called it “a week to remember”.
“These prices could take some beating, and these could be records that will stay at the top of the leaderboard for years,” Mr Gunn said.
Michael Coffey sold a top-priced pen of Angus heifers in a stellar week for his operation, after his top steers sold to $2143 and averaged more than $1900.
“I’m just speechless, it’s been an unbelievable week,” Mr Coffey said.
His top pen of 19 heifers, EU accredited and weaned for six weeks, joining a draft of 43 heifers weighing 338kg, sold for 586c/kg.
All his calves sold to Garry and Judy McNamara from Irrewillipe, west of Colac.
The couple are leaving the dairy industry and embarking on a beef enterprise.
The 632c/kg price for Herefords went to Rundell and family from Breakaway Creek.
The heifers weighed 285kg, and were purchased by Hereford breeder Jeremy Upton, as he expands his South Australian beef herd.
Mr Upton also spent 601c/kg on the lead pen of 16 Hereford heifers from the Maleed family and Orana, weighing 320kg.
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