Female results range from $900-$2450 at Mortlake

There was a big range of results at Mortlake’s female sale on Thursday, as widespread rain failed to lift prices. See the sale report.

Prices stretched from $900 to $2900 for PTIC heifers at Mortlake today in a sale that still seemed to be influenced by the hangover of the tough run for cattle last year.

The overall verdict was that well-bred females remained buyable, although the sale was a bit of a rollercoaster with some strong results for certain pens of heifers that had a repeat buyer following.

Such was the case with the top price of $2900 for Glenavon’s opening two pens of rising two-year-old Angus heifers that were due to start calving on February 1 for a tight eight-week drop. The heifers weighed 625kg and 618kg, with their lighter sisters at 556kg making $2750 and 11 at 532kg, $2375.

Buyers of the $2900 females Peter and Gerard Ryan, Hawkesdale, said it had been a dearer purchase than they had anticipated but they were prepared to go with the market for quality cattle they were familiar with. They were also supported by the fact their calves had topped the Mortlake weaner sale back in November at 352c/kg liveweight.

“It was better than we thought and I think the market has picked up a lot and you always have to pay for quality,’’ Peter said.

But the sale did lose momentum.

The opening pen of impressive Angus heifers from Stuart Hann, Nampara at Lucindale in SA, sold on one bid at $2000. The 11 heifers averaged 679kg and had been joined in mid-May for eight weeks. The next pen of 13 at 635kg made $1850.

Then the sale seemed to turn again and improve. Further into the market some EU-accredited Angus heifers from Nampara weighing 630kg made $2425.

Jeffrey Johnston, Macathur, paid $2425 for EU-accredited PTIC Angus heifers from Nampara at Mortlake today.

Auctioneer for J & J Kelly, Jack Kelly, said the sale had been a little hit and miss.

“The very good heifers were dearer but the medium and small types were often no better than they were (pre-Christmas),’’ he said.

“Buyers were very particular with what they wanted and any heifers that had a short joining and were well grown sold well in places but any thing that was off was a lot more difficult to sell.”

Illustrating this were the heifers from Chris Roberts, Cardargo Springs at Gerangamete, which had been artificially inseminated for a very tight five-week calving to low birthweight Angus bulls. The tops made $2350 and he had heifers at 549kg make $2250, which was a lot dearer than some other lines of a similar weight.

Overall the bulk of PTIC heifers sold from $1400 to $1900.

After watching his big run of PTIC Angus heifers sell, Mr Hann from Nampara said there appeared to be some confidence and financial hangover from the discounted rates people had been selling cattle for last year.

“I think this sale has certainly reflected the way calves sold last year,’’ he said.