THE 2024 Western District Weaner Sales concluded for another year on Friday with agents saying heifer sales were well above expectations with more than 20,000 cattle sold throughout the week.
The Hamilton Regional Livestock Exchange (HRLX) was buzzing with happy vendors and buyers, as consistent prices were a staple of the week.
Nutrien stock agent, Sam Savin, said steers also sold well, $0.10-0.20 higher than expected.
“I thought if we were going to be either side of 300c/kg we could do pretty well, but we had hardly anything below three dollars,” he said.
“It’s very obvious that the weaner cattle out of Hamilton do a right job for people because they come back and buy the same lines every year, especially your Gippslanders.
“The genetics out of Hamilton are doing the right thing.”
Northern buyers showed up as expected after heavy rains on their properties, while heifer backgrounders and fatteners from across Gippsland and South Australia arrived in force.
Colac breeders also made their way to Hamilton to buy, and the top end heifers ended up local.
The HRLX roof helped keep the hot summer sun away from the crowds on Thursday as Brian O’Halloran & Co, J & J Kelly, Elders and Nutrien sold 1800 head all breed heifer weaners.
It was a great start to the Thursday sale as the first six pens sold for more than 300c/kg, with the second pen reaching the top price of the day with 346c/kg.
The lot of 18 Angus heifers averaged 346.7kg and sold for a value of $1200p/hd as Nutrien stock agents took bids from the crowd.
The heaviest cattle were a pen of six Red Angus heifers averaging 374.2kg and were sold by GR Annett for 290c/kg or $1085p/hd.
Elders’ top price for the day was 336c/kg or $1218p/hd for a pen of 23 Angus heifers averaging 362.6kg from Sandy Camp.
While J & J Kelly auctioned 24 Angus heifers from Fernbank Park averaging 313.1kg and they sold for 316c/kg or $989p/hd.
Brian O’Halloran & Co had a top price of 310c/kg on two separate pens.
The first was 17 Angus heifers sold by John J Gapes averaging 348.5kg and valued at $1080p/hd, while the second pen consisted of 21 Angus heifers sold by D and K Else averaging 308.3kg and making $956p/hd.
Friday increased the pace, putting 2300 head of British breed heifers through the yards, and northern buyers showed up for it.
Four lots of Angus heifers matched the top price of the day of 386c/kg, of which JM Ellis sold three.
Of those, two were from Camp Creek with 22 head each, at 298.8kg ($1153p/hd) and 283.2kg ($1093p/hd).
Their best yarding was from Brett Linke, whose 16 heifers weighed 369.4kg each on average for $1422p/hd.
Kerr & Co represented Coffey P/S’ 27 Angus heifers, which weighed in at a 313.3kg average, making $1209p/hd.
Lanyons’ top price on Friday was 320.0c/kg on two separate pens; 10 Angus heifers from Kruger Ag (344.5kg average, $1102.p/hd), and 14 from Lonestar Partnership (278.6kg average, $891p/hd).
LMB Livestock auctioned 25 Angus heifers from D and L Van Someren for 324.0c/kg, with an average weight of 266.4kg making $863p/hd.
Southern Grampians Livestock had an extraordinarily heavy yarding of 21 Angus heifers from LM Kerr & Co.
The average weight was 385.5kg and was auctioned for 380c/kg, making the highest per head price of the day, at $1463p/hd.