Wodonga store cattle sale: Hot rates for ‘wintry’ offering
Liveweight prices for steers have surged above 800c/kg at the latest Wodonga sale. See our detailed list of who’s been selling the top pens.
Light cattle continue to attract extraordinary prices at store sales, pushing above 800c/kg liveweight at Wodonga’s market today.
The offering of 1500 cattle was judged as “wintry” by auctioneer Justin Keane from Corcoran Parker, but buyers put that aside as they searched for stock.
Mr Keane said rates were as high as other recent store sales across southern Australia as fixtures struggle to find enough cattle.
“The market may not be any dearer (than other sales) but wow, we have forgotten what cheap is,” Mr Keane said.
“Buyers have taken into consideration that while some of the cattle might not have a lot of weight now, they could put on 60-70 kilograms in the next month or so in compensatory weight gain after winter.
“You won’t be able to buy a 220-kilogram steer in spring — they will all be heavier so while the cents-a-kilogram rates may go down then, the overall prices will still be high.”
The sale-topping calves on a cents-a-kilogram rate were a line of 192kg Angus weaners, with the steer calves making $1600 or 833c/kg.
Another good result was achieved by the Reid Trust, with the 185kg Herefords making $1500 or 811c/kg, while their lighter brothers, at just 141kg, made $1110 or 787c/kg.
Prices around 700c/kg were the going rate for the light weaner calves, and as weights increased, rates came back.
Angus steers weighing 300kg-330kg made 580-615c/kg with many calves falling in this weight range. Heavier steers made from 480c/kg to 530c/kg.
A feature offering came from Fairfield Park Pastoral Company, with their 11-month-old Angus calves making $1785, or 697c/kg, for 32 which weighed 256kg.
Competition did not soften for heifers, as a mix of fatteners and breeders bid to secure numbers.
Some of the standout sales included the Fairfield Park cattle again, with their 225kg Angus heifers making $1550 or 689c/kg for a pen of 22, while their lighter sisters, 29 which weighed 181kg, made $1300 or 718c/kg.
A handful of pens made more than 600c/kg, again for heifers at the lighter end of the weight range, including the top pen from G and M Hiskins, who sold 17 Angus and black baldies, 238kg, for $1525 (641c/kg) with the lighter line, at 187kg, making $1210 or 647c/kg.
But even the heaviest heifers made close to 500c/kg with a pen of Angus, 425kg, selling for $2090 or 492c/kg.
There was a small offering of cows and calves, which sold to $3880. The draft from Livestock Pastoral, made $3325-$3880 for the Angus and black baldy heifers, 2½ years, with calves to two months.
How the top lots sold:
STEERS
J&S Adams: 8 Angus, 492kg, $2500 (508c/kg).
Kipping: 4 Angus, 450kg, $2300 (511c/kg)
D&P Lagana: 14 Charolais, 455kg. $2290 (503c/kg).
T&L Norman: 8 Angus, 422kg, $2270 (538c/kg); 17 black baldy, 410kg at $2180 (532c/kg); 16, 345kg at $1970 (571c/kg).
Sharp Partnership: 20 Angus, 382kg, $2260 (592c/kg).
M&R Oates: 16 Angus, 406kg, $2150 (530c/kg).
B,D&C Russell: 2 Hereford, 527kg, $2140 (406c/kg).
Carabobola Pty Ltd: 5 Angus, 388kg, $2100 (541c/kg).
EWT Kirk and Sons: 8 Angus, 395kg, $2100 (532c/kg).
L&N Boyes: 8 Angus, 395kg, $2100 (532c/kg); 14, 327kg at $1980 (606c/kg).
Boolara Park: 24 Angus, 378kg, $2065 (546c/kg); 17, 332c/kg at $1990 (599c/kg).
Old Cobran: 28 Angus, EU-accredited, 359kg, $2000 (557c/kg); 21, 313kg at $1900 (607c/kg).
B Hynes: 14 Charolais-cross, 366kg, $1995 (545c/kg).
B&L McKimmie: 29 Angus, 308kg, $1990 (646c/kg).
Scott Thiel Pty Ltd: 13 Hereford, 354kg, $1980 (559c/kg).
HEIFERS
Rangan Charolais: 2 Angus, 425kg, $2090 (492c/kg); 8, 346kg at $1825 (527c/kg).
Bermarden: 6 Angus, 405kg, $2020 (499c/kg).
Boolara Park: 25 Angus-cross, 339kg, $2010 (593c/kg).
P McCormack: 9 Hereford, 398kg, $1970 (495c/kg); 7, 385kg at $2820 (470c/kg).
M&R Oates: 9 Angus-cross, 377kg, $1965 (521c/kg).
Bowler Station Unit Trust: 8 Angus, 376kg, $1940 (516c/kg).
L&N Boyes: 16 Angus, 357kg, $1920 (538c/kg).
B Hynes: 15 Charolais-cross, 345kg, $1880 (545c/kg); 15, 329kg at $1780 (541c/kg).
J Hortin: 15 Charolais, 329kg, $1780 (541c/kg).
Sharp Partnership: 7 Angus, 336kg, $1745 (519c/kg).
J&R Scales: 10 Hereford, 355kg, $1730 (487c/kg).
Scott McKimmie: 7 Angus-cross, 327kg, $1695 (518c/kg).
C&N Briggs: 5 Angus, 305kg, $1675 (549c/kg); 8, 286kg at $1600 (559c/kg); 5 Hereford, 158kg at $1030 (652c/kg).
Ingledale Holdings: 14 Angus-cross, 308kg, $1675 (544c/kg).
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