Weaner calf sales 2023: Everything you need to know
Our experts bring you the buyers, sellers, and market trends from the first week of the weaner sales. See all the action from Wodonga, Wangaratta, Mortlake and Yea.
The highly anticipated annual calf sales have kicked off. Our experts bring you the buyers, sellers, market trends and top prices. Scroll to see reports from across the week.
JANUARY 6 WANGARATTA:
7pm: A pen of black baldy heifers sold in the final hour of four days of weaner sales in north east Victoria won the mantle for the week’s top price.
The 18 black baldy heifers, weighing 351kg, made the best rate of $2250 and 641c/kg for the entire week of selling, which indicates reputation and quality will create intense competition.
The final sale of the four days - which saw more than 22,000 calves and grown cattle offered at Wodonga and Wangaratta - was judged dearer than Wodonga earlier in the day. However, part of this was attributed to the better quality lines.
The sale-topping black baldy heifers were sold by C and T Healy after a spirited bidding battle that saw two parties go head to head.
In the end, it was John Payne and his daughter Julie Payne, who won and said they knew the cattle’s performance after buying them in previous years.
“You get what you pay for,” Mr Payne said.
The Paynes, who run a herd of about 250 black baldy and Hereford cows, will join the new purchases to a Black Simmental bull to produce heavy steers and bullocks.
The heifer weaner price - the best seen over the four days of sales for either steers or heifers - was just one highlight from the Wangaratta fixture, which produced c/kg rates above 500c/kg on several occasions, a feat hardly seen at the Wodonga sale earlier in the day.
Steer weaners weighing 350kg, and less and particularly those under 300kg attracted the highest rates on a c/kg basis, including a pen of 18 black baldies, 281kg, which made $1600 or 569c/kg.
Most of the steer weaners above 350kg sold from 450-500c/kg, at around $1560-$1890.
European calves won the mantle for the highest priced steers with a pen of Charolais-Angus sold by Rangan Charolais at Charleroi topping the market with its pen of 413kg Charolais-Angus which sold for $2050 or 496c/kg.
The top pen of Hereford steers, judged the best-presented whiteface line, sold for $1710 and returned 486c/kg for vendors Brooklyn Pastoral Company from Mansfield.
Away from the stellar top heifer weaner result, other heifer weaners made 420-500c/kg across whiteface and Euro-cross females.
JANUARY 6 YEA:
2:30pm: The weaner market jumped at the Yea sale today as feature breeders lines fetched well more than 500c/kg.
Prices climbed by $100 to several hundred dollars in places compared to the Mortlake weaner sale yesterday.
“It was definitely better than we expected leading up to the sale based on what the trends this week have been,” Nutrien Delaney Livestock auctioneer Anthony Delaney said.
“We would have been up around $100,” Mr Delaney said when comparing the market to the weaner sales of this week.
The Oliver family sold one of the standout drafts of the day with the top lots in both the steer and heifer offerings.
The first two lots of the sale, offered by the Oliver’s, secured $2060 or 503c/kg and $1990 or 477c/kg for pens weighing 409kg and 417kg, respectively.
As the Nutrien agents continued down the first run, the momentum intensified as the fast-paced auction kept bids flowing.
While steers weighing more than 300kg at Mortlake yesterday struggled to crack 500c/kg, several lots weighing more than 300kg easily surpassed that earlier benchmark.
A lot of Angus steers from Strath Rural achieved 538c/kg or $1750 for 23 at 325kg, while Ian and Judy Marshman’s Hereford steer line reached 555c/kg for 18 at 326kg while another 25 at 291kg made 577c/kg.
Heavy-weight steers from 360kg to 415kg fetched in the high 400c/kg range - from 460c/kg and up - with a few cracking the 500c/kg threshold.
Quality steers from 300kg to 350kg returned from 480c/kg up to highs of 538c/kg.
Gippsland and local bullock producers were competitive throughout the heavier weaner steers, and northern commission buyer Andrew Lowe was active throughout the middle-of-the-run types.
Alongside Mr Lowe, commission buyers Duncan Brown and Campbell Ross were also active.
Two lots of heifers stood out among the rest.
The Griffiths pen of 40 Angus heifers at 374kg topped the market at $2060 or 551c/kg, while the Oliver Angus heifers followed in close behind with 20 Angus at 379kg returning $2010 or 530c/kg.
JANUARY 6: WODONGA
11:15: Values have settled at a lower level at Wodonga today as an absence of a couple of crucial buyers and a change of breed impact prices.
Today’s yarding of 3683 includes Herefords, black baldies and Euro-cross cattle, and buyers
have less to spend to secure these lines.
Most are judging the sale to be back 20c/kg on what was seen yesterday at the chase centre.
The sale’s best price of $1965 was paid for the tops of the draft of Hereford calves from the Trethowan family at Cookardinia. The top pen of 20, weighing 397kg, returned 495c/kg, while the send pen, at 361kg, made $1700 or 490c/kg, and the third pen of 48 at 318kg made $1580 or 497c/kg.
The prices paid for this run of cattle were typical of those seen today across all whiteface cattle and even the black baldies, with most drafts selling under 500c/kg.
A few pens poked their heads above this, but these were usually under 300kg liveweight, and the remainder sold from 440-490c/kg.
Some of the better results included the annual draft from J McCormack, whose pen of 18 Herefords weighing 340kg made 529c/kg while M Swasbrick sold 15 Hereford and black baldy steer calves for $1410 or 532c/kg.
The fickle nature of today’s market was evident when two pens from the same vendor saw the lighter pen make more than their heavier brothers.
Arwothal sold 23 Hereford steers, 317kg, for $1500 or 489c/kg, while the next pen of 20, weighing 256kg, actually made more at $1610 to return the sale’s best rate of 629c/kg.
The best of the black baldies were sold by Hocking Mulwood with their pen of 399kg steer weaners making $1950 or 489c/kg.
Euro-cross steer weaners sold in a tight range of $1650-$1800 with a pen of 404-kilogram Charolais-Angus topping at $1910 or 473c/kg for vendors B, K and T Petzke.
Vendor John Neilson, from Sandy Creek, was awarded the best-presented pen of Charolais-cross steers, with the 17 weighing 394kg making $1750 or 444c/kg. A year ago, similar-weight steers made $1900.
“We have to take what we can get,” Mr Neilson said.
“We have done all we can to get them to this stage as well presented as we could, and the rest was up to the buyers.”
10:15am: Two notable buyers were missing from the gallery have contributed to a 20c/kg drop in prices at Wodonga this morning. The top price so far is $1965 for 20 Hereford steers weighing 397 kilograms. The steers were sold by D and M Threthowan and returned 495c/kg. Most steers are making 460c/kg to 490c/kg.
The best price on cents per kilogram so far is 656c/kg for a pen of 215kg Herefords, which made $1410. The selling continues with the European-cross cattle set to go under the hammer soon. There’s an additional 2500 cattle still to sell when buyers move across to Wangaratta this afternoon.
8.30am: Northern Victoria’s final weaner sales at Wodonga and Wangaratta today will bring the total number of calves sold at the centres to more than 20,000.
The action kicks off at Wodonga this morning with 3686 and another 2500 cattle are booked
to be sold at Wangaratta this afternoon.
JANUARY 5: MORTLAKE
3pm: A sizeable yarding of 6300 weaner steers and heifers filled out the Mortlake yards - and carpark - today at the feature sale, which drew a large crowd of buyers, vendors and onlookers.
Rates for weaner steers were quoted to be similar to the other weaner sales this week but notably down on December store sale rates.
“It’s hard to compare just yet because it is only the second or third day of weaner sales, but we’re another 15c to 20c back on the December sale for the same weighted calves,” Elders Kerr and Co livestock manager David Patterson said.
“And as soon as you lost your quality, you lost another 30c to 40c,” Mr Patterson said.
Weaners steer weighing between 300kg to 360kg made from 470c/kg to 500c/kg and above in places, while types below 300kg made from 500c/kg up to 550c/kg.
A select number of pens weighing more than 400kg cracked the $2000 mark, including 14 Angus steers at 47kg from D & G Lucas, which returned $2025 or 488c/kg.
A more extensive spread of buyers bought up a smaller number of cattle, respectively, with elevated competition from Gippsland and South Australia.
Notable buyers on the rails included Mort and Co, JBS, Hardwicks, Teys Charleton and commission buyer Duncan Brown.
“The appetite for cattle in the north isn’t as strong as it has been in the last 12 months, so we didn’t have those buyers lining up like we did last year,” Mr Patterson said.
The heifer market started off exceptionally well, with the large lines of quality heifer drops making as much as their brothers that sold earlier.
“There wasn’t a lot of difference between the heifers and the steers for the best calves,” Mr Patterson said.
“When you could put a line together, there was some serious competition.”
10am: “Similar rates” was the price level quoted by buyers and vendors alike as the first run of the Mortlake weaner sale dispersed.
A sea of black steers filled the first two runs to kick off the Angus offering.
While a few select pens neared the $2000 milestone, with one lot of 34 Angus from Penrith Nominees returning just shy at $1912 or 498c/kg, most pens made between $1500 to $1700 for weights ranging from 300kg to 360kg.
JANUARY 5: WODONGA
1:30pm: The weight of weaner numbers being offered across Victoria this week started to impact on results today at Wodonga, with rates falling.
And in a clear indication of just how choosy buyers were, there was a noticeable premium for weaned calves, which some judged at between $100-$200.
The market did break through $2000 with a pen of 12 Angus weighing 426kg making $2020 or 474c/kg.
But unlike a year ago when it was hard to buy a calf for less than $2000, the trend set at all sales to date this week meant the $2000 mark was rarely breached.
Elders Victoria/Riverina state livestock manager Matt Tinkler said buyers were wary, and while the longer-term outlook for beef was strong, there was some reticence in spending up to restock.
“There would have been people who bought weaners last year at $2400 that haven’t sold yet, and they may not make a lot of money out of them,” Mr Tinkler said.
The weaned versus unweaned price differences were most obvious in the heavier lines of weaners weighing 370kg and more.
The first lane of Angus steer weaners which were 380 kilograms and more, settled at 460-490c/kg with some indicative sales, including Angus weighing 380kg and making just $1760 or 463c/kg.
As soon as auctioneers moved onto weaned cattle, prices lifted by at least $100 or about 20c/kg.
Two vendors with similar cattle in the Hereford offering gave a clear indication of buyer preference for weaned cattle.
Sleigh Pastoral at Jerilderie sold 25 Poll Hereford unweaned steer calves weighing 372kg for $1820 or 489c/kg while another branch of the Sleigh Pastoral, run at Ruffy but selling weaned calves received $1925 or 509c/kg for 378kg Poll Herefords.
Rates jumped above 500c/kg for cattle 350kg and lighter, and under 300kg, rates tipped above 550c/kg.
Indicative sales included B and K Dedic’s 25 Angus weighing 299kg which made $1680 or 562c/kg, and Waverly Farming’s 28 Angus weighing 289kg which made $1590 or 550c/kg.
A few key orders, one of which from the NSW New England and one from Tamworth, NSW, underpinned heifer prices with some cattle at the top end being bought for breeding.
The best-presented pen of Angus heifers was sold by Spring Bank Estate, with the 26 Angus weighing 312kg making $1710 or 548c/kg to the Tamworth buyer.
The top price for heifer weaners was $1870 paid for a pen of 26 Angus weighing 365kg which returned 512c/kg for vendors Nellshire.
Many pens of better heifers made more than 500c/kg, while smaller and less well-bred lines made 440-500c/kg.
A standout pen of Macsway Pty Ltd heifers sold for 586c/kg, with the 43 weighing 304kg selling to the New England order for $1780.
10:15am: Early in the sale at Wodonga this morning, only a few pens of Angus steers broke through the 500c/kg barrier.
Buyers were prepared to pay a premium for weaned cattle. Unweaned cattle sold at a discount of around $200.
It was noted that there were a few buyers absent today, and this contributed to lower prices.
8am: Weaner action has moved away from purely black cattle today at Wodonga today.
The offering of 5138 cattle brings the number sold at Wodonga and Wangaratta to almost 16,000 cattle this week.
JANUARY 4: WANGARATTA
5.30pm: Big lines of high-quality cattle pushed prices higher at Wangaratta today as the northern weaner week moved on from Wodonga.
The offering of 4400 Angus steers and heifers was dominated by several vendors who each offered hundreds of cattle, and it seemed buyers were keen to secure them.
The Manning family’s Davilak Pastoral Company from Mansfield was the major vendor with almost 20 per cent of the offering with 750 Angus steers.
The cattle, which held several accreditations, sold to a top of $1870 paid for six pens or 188 bought in one line, ranging in weight from 355-364 kilograms.
This equated to 514-527c/kg.
Rodda Manning said the calves weighed 20-30kg less than last year, with weight gains delayed by the wet and long spring.
The balance of the Davilak calves sold from $1600 for 265 kilogram calves (605c/kg) up to $1800 for 367kg steer weaners (490c/kg).
The $2000 mark was broken a few times for steer weaners, with the sale’s first pen setting the pace.
The pen of 37 Angus steers sold by Deepdale and Seaton from Tallarook weighed 437kg and sold for the sale-topping $2120 or 485c/kg. The second pen from the same vendor, at 385kg, also broke $2000, making $2010 and returned 522c/kg.
Prices for better-bred steer weaners settled above 500c/kg, with many making 510-540c/kg.
Calves under 300kg sold above this, though, including a pen of 19 Angus weighing 274kg from the McPherson family, which made 588c/kg or $1610.
The competition did not waver when it came to the heifer offering, and as was seen at Wodonga, some female prices neared or even bettered the steer prices on a cents-a-kilogram basis for vendors.
This included the heifer weaners from Deepdale and Seaton, with their top pen of 37 heifers, 346kg, making $1870 or 540c/kg, while the second pen from the same run, at 346kg, made $1850 or 534c/kg.
Heifer weaners are mainly made above 500c/kg with rates closer to 550c/kg for select lines to go for breeding.
An order from Tamworth, NSW, believed to be for future breeders to join to Wagyu bulls, underpinned bidding.
Elders auctioneer Oliver Mason said the feature lines of cattle offered at Wangaratta had spurred competition.
“I think these feature cattle sold better than we expected,” Mr Mason said.
“We all knew the market would be cheaper than last year, but I would say the Wangaratta prices are as good or even better than those set at other sales this week.”
3pm: Steers have broken the $2000 mark on three occasions during early selling at Wangaratta this afternoon.
There was a big offering from Davilak Pastoral at Mansfield with more than 700 steers from this vendor going under the hammer. Steers sold to 605c/kg. Most steers made more than 500c/kg. Selling continues with 4400 making up the yarding.
JANUARY 4: WODONGA
1.30pm: Heifer prices offered some surprising results at Wodonga by being close to, if not better than, steer rates in places.
Many of the pens of heifers were consistently making more than 500c/kg.
The best price today at Wodonga for heifers was $1950 for a pen of Angus femaleweighing 324 kilograms to return an impressive 602c/kg.
Most heifers offered made 440c to 550c.
11.30am: Weaners have consistently sold for more than 500c/kg at Wodonga today as solid support finds a new market level.
While vendors have seen a price fall of hundreds of dollars for their weaners compared to last year, most seem grateful the price check has been more significant.
The offering of 5300 Angus steer and heifer weaners has sold as far north as Toowoomba, Qld, and Tamworth, NSW, and commission buyers have also been active, but no single buying area has been dominant.
The sale’s top weaner price of $2010 was paid for the tops of the draft from Mayfield Pastoral Company. The pen of 44 weighing 398kg returned 505c/kg.
Mayfield also sold several other pens, including 21 weighing 355kg which made $1780 (501c/kg) and 14 at 321kg, which made $1670 (520c/kg). The steers were all EU-accredited.
Corcoran Parker director Cameron Hilton said the evenness of the offering was exceptional, and the weight range of most of the steer weaners at 275-350kg, made them ideal for restockers.
“Our feeling is that the prices are clearly below last year but above where they were two years ago,” Mr Hilton said.
“Vendors would have to be happy because last year’s rates were exceptional, and the prices are about what we expected them to be.”
Vendor Dawn Macaulay from Huon sold more than 100 Angus steers, with the top pen weighing 378g making $1900 (503c/kg); the next pen of 28 weighing 346kg making $1800 (520c/kg) and the third pen of 30 weighing 309kg making $1670 (540c/kg).
Mrs Macaulay said her steers had averaged $1724 in 2021 and $2460 last year, so this year’s prices were a matter of perspective.
“There is a big crowd here today, and I honestly thought the prices would be less,” Mrs Macaulay said.
Fellow vendor Mark Quilter from Quilter Nominees at Narrandera, NSW, received $1580-$1800 for his draft of 263-331kg weaners, or 544-600c/kg.
It was one of the few sales that broke through 600c/kg today, and while it was a consolation to be in the top c/kg price bracket, the rates were still a significant discount on last year.
“We sold steers up to $2500 last year so that $700 is certainly a big drop,” Mr Quilter said.
Just one pen of Angus steers weaners made more than $2000, and most settled between $1600-$1800 and 500-550c/kg.
The weaner sale action moves on to Wangaratta this afternoon with 4400 penned and waiting to be sold.
10.30am: Weaner week has continued at Wodonga today as 5300 steers and heifers give the first real indication of new year prices.
Early on, one pen of 44 Angus steers, weighing 398 kilograms, broke through the elusive $2000 barrier to return $2010. The steers offered by Mayfield Pastoral Company received 505c/kg.
There was a big crowd of buyers and vendors at Wodonga on Tuesday morning. The sale showed some momentum, compared to yesterday, but prices were still below last year’s levels.
Buyers were prepared to pay 500/kg or more on most lots.
A pen of European Union-accredited steers returned 584c/kg. The Angus steers weighed 290 kilograms.
Many of the same buyers at Wodonga will head to Wangaratta this afternoon with livestock agents predicting a long day of selling.
JANUARY 3: WODONGA:
The southern weaner sales have kicked off on a flat note as vendors absorb prices which are hundreds of dollars below those set a year ago.
Wodonga’s first day of sales today was a yarding of about 1000 weaner and grown cattle, and rates quickly settled at between 450-500c/kg for almost all cattle, regardless of weight.
In the January sales last year, few weaner cattle made less than $2000, but there were no weaners that sold above this at Wodonga with only yearling cattle breaking that mark.
It had some in the crowd speculating that the prices at the first sale could have two effects – either encourage some more buyers to attend attracted by the lower prices, or it could see vendors withdraw their cattle from sales later in the week and hold on farm.
Buyers came from as far away as Toowoomba, Qld, and Tamworth, NSW, and there was local support, but few examples of spirited bidding as buyers sat back.
Nigel Grant from Mannus, NSW, sold several pens of Angus steers and heifers, which topped at $2000 for a pen of 16-month-old steers which weighed 426kg and returned 469c/kg.
Mr Grant said he expected the market to be back, but if he had been selling later in the week, may have withdrawn them from the market due to the big price fall.
“Everyone was a bit concerned coming into the sale but we are coming off prices that have been extraordinary,” he said.
“No one will be surprised it is back and it has been amazing but how much it has come back is a bit of a shock.”
Buyer Dev Carman from Berrigama bought Angus steers for about $1850 after paying $2450 for similar steers a year ago.
“We probably only broke even for the steers we bought last time so we needed to pay less, and we paid $600 less than a year ago,” he said.
The best price for weaner cattle was $1800, paid for a pen of 20 Angus weighing 377kg sold by R and K Bennett. The lighter pen from the same vendor, at 346kg, made $1740 or 503c/kg.
A big run was offered by Alademo Pty Ltd, and reflected the tight dollar per head range buyers were prepared to spend, regardless of weight. Its top pen of Angus steers, 382kg, made $1770 (463c/kg), with the next pen at 388kg making the same price (456c/kg); a 349kg pen made $1750 (501c/kg); a 347kg pen made $1740 (501c/kg) and the lightest pen at 343kg made $1730 (504c/kg).
One of the best prices on a cents a kilogram basis for steers was 545c/kg paid for a pen of 27 Angus which weighed 297kg and were sold by Tangam Pastoral to Mort and Co feedlot for $1620.
The top price for heifers was a pen of 16-month-olds sold by Graneli Pty Ltd, with 23 of the future breeders, 410kg, making $1850 or 451c/kg. The lighter pen from the same vendor, at 268kg, $1710 or 465c/kg.
Light Hereford heifers, at 339kg, made $1330 (392c/kg) while Angus heifers 240-270kg made up to 525c/kg but down to 467c/kg.
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