Strong demand and quality offerings at red-hot Supreme Springing Heifer Sale

Temperatures may have soared across the State last weekend and at the beginning of this week, but they were nowhere near as hot as the prices recorded at the Elders Boyanup Supreme Springing Heifer Sale last Friday when the record books were rewritten.

On the back of increased demand, a better season in the South West and on the South Coast as well as a quality line-up of first-cross heifers, records tumbled with prices topping at a new record price of $5200, while the overall sale average of $3535, smashed the previous record of $3275 set in 2021 when the cattle market was booming.

Sale Summary: under the hammer results)

• Offered: 537
• Sold: 537
• Top: $5200
• Gross: $1,898,100
• Average: $3535

Comprising Angus-Friesian

• 432 offered and sold, $2500-$5200, average $3624

Murray Grey-Friesian

• 45 offered and sold, $3100-$4000, average $3498

Speckle Park-Friesian

• 36 offered and sold, $2500-$3300, average $2864

Shorthorn-Friesian

• 12 offered and sold, $3000-$3400, average $3233

Hereford-Friesian

• 9 offered and sold, $2500-$2600, average $2544

Red Angus-Friesian

• 3 offered and sold, average $3400

Fuelled by improved beef returns in the past 12 months and a better feed season for most buyers compared to last year, the buying register of 51 prospective buyers, based anywhere between North Dandalup to Albany, competed with confidence right through the catalogue to secure their replacement breeders.

Right from the opening pen the buyers in the stands made it clear they were there to buy the offering of 537 vendor guaranteed PTIC first-cross heifers, AI and naturally mated with a maximum calving period of 12 weeks, meaning all the selling team, led by auctioneer Pearce Watling, had to do was count up the bids.

With this strong buying support, at the completion of selling, the Elders team had sold all 537 heifers at auction for a gross of $1,898,100 and an average of $3535.

This resulted in the average being up $262 on last year, while the gross lifted $520,000.

In last year's sale the Elders team offered and sold 421 heifers for a gross of $1,378,100, an average of $3273 and a top price of $5000.

But it wasn't only the $5200 top price pen that attracted competition, there were another 16 pens which made between $4000 and $5000.

In the end it was a pen of Angus-Friesian heifers from one of the sale's original vendors, the Roberts family, KS & EN Roberts & Son, Elgin, which claimed top price honours, selling for a new State record top price and what is believed to be a national record price of $5200 for PTIC first cross heifers, breaking the previous State record price of $5000 set last year.

Mr Watling took an opening bid of $4000 on the eight soft, roomy heifers and from there a bidding war broke out.

Finally after some serious back and forth it was Graham Ayres, Graham Ayres Livestock, Bornholm, who prevailed and was written in as the buyer on the clerking sheets.

The eight heifers were synchro AI-mated to polled Limousin bull, Unison Nadie N93 and have a tight 20-day calving period from January 20 to February 9.

The Ayres family has been regular buyers of Angus heifers from the Roberts family for a number of years.

Along with buying the day's top-priced pen, Mr Ayres also purchased a pen of seven Angus-Friesian heifers at $4700, which was the day's second top price.

This pen of heifers also has a 20-day calving period from January 20 to February 9 after being synchro AI-mated to Unison Nadie N93.

Mr Ayres said they regularly purchased from the Roberts family and have always been happy with the results they achieve with their heifers.

"The heifers we purchased today had good frames and softness, as well as a good temperament," Mr Ayres said.

The Ayres run a herd of 220 Angus-Friesian breeders which are joined to Charolais bulls after their first calf for a late January and February calving.

They market their calves straight off their mothers and already this year they have sold one load to Woolworths in the first week of December which averaged 260kg dressed and another 60 calves are contracted to go at the end of this month.

"Our calves are going really well this year and are certainly heavier than the past few years," Mr Ayres said.

"We have had an excellent season, it is still green and there is plenty of feed in the paddocks."

Angus-Friesian/Red Angus-Friesian

The Angus-Friesian and Red Angus-Friesian heifers were the first to go under the hammer and not only did they dominate the yarding with the 435 head penned making up 81 per cent of the sale, it was also where the record breaking $5200 top-priced pen was presented.

The large offering of classy black and red heifers were offered by 10 vendors and with extremely strong bidding from the buying gallery, they all sold at an average of $3623, which was up from the $3242 last year when 362 head sold.

Along with selling the sale's $5200 top-priced and $4700 second top-priced pens in the run, the Roberts family, the largest overall vendors in the sale, sold another four pens of heifers which had been synchro AI-mated to Limousin bull, Unison Nadie N93 and are due to calve from January 20 to February 9 (20 days) for $4000 or more including the sale's third top-priced pen at $4600.

The $4600 third top-priced pen, which contained seven heifers, was purchased by longtime sale supporter Charlie Brockman and Vanda Allen, DV Brockman & Co, Cowaramup, with the support of Elders, Margaret River/Busselton representative Jacques Martinson.

The Dunnet family, OM Dunnet & Co, showed its appreciation for the Roberts family's synchro AI-joined heifers when it secured a pen of seven at $4400.

Fellow Nannup producers Gerald and Cheryle Brown, GC & CA Brown, who were at the sale looking for replacement females for their breeding herd, also chased the synchro AI-joined heifers from the Roberts family.

They secured two pens of seven both at $4200 early in the offering.

In addition to these two pens, the Browns purchased seven heifers for $3700 from the Roberts' offering which had been naturally joined to Unison Limousin bulls and have a four week calving starting February 10.

The Browns run about 230 breeders, which are mainly first-cross and after their first calf the Browns join them to Bonnydale Black Simmental bulls.

All up the Roberts sold 75 Angus-Friesian heifers in the run for an average of $4199.

In addition to their Angus-Friesian heifers the Roberts offered and sold three Red Angus-Friesian heifers for $3400 when they were knocked down to the Carroll family, Tirano Farms, Nannup, who had missed out on many of the Roberts family's top-priced pens.

The three heifers are due to calve from January 20 for 20 days after being synchro AI-mated to Limousin bull, Unison Nadie N93 and backed up with Unison Limousin bulls.

The Merritt family, Elgin Dairies, Elgin, was the largest vendor in the run with an offering of 80 Angus-Friesian heifers, which sold to an average of $3746.

The Merritt's offering topped at $4100 and they also sold another three pens at $4000.

Topping the draft at $4100 was a pen of seven, when it was knocked down to Ross and Pam Thornton, R & P Thornton, Denmark, who have purchased heifers from Elgin Dairies before.

The Thorntons also picked up a second pen of seven heifers from Elgin Dairies at $3700.

Both pens had been synchro AI-mated to USA homozygous polled black Limousin bull, Syes Backstage 446B and are due to calve from January 18 for 20 days.

Two other pens of heifers from the Merritts, which had also been synchro AI-mated, sold at $4000.

Manjimup producers J & Y Dimitiou & Sons, Manjimup, purchased a line of six, while Thornton Farms, Denmark, secured seven, plus another seven that had also been synchro AI-mated at $3600.

The final pen of heifers in the Elgin Dairies' line-up to make $4000 was a pen of eight, which had been joined to Limousin bulls and are due to calve from February 10 for seven weeks and it was purchased by J & R Bachos, Manjimup.

Other buyers to purchase synchro AI-mated heifers from Elgin Dairies included Glencorrie Farms, Capel, which secured seven at $3800, while one of the sale's biggest buyers Paynes Farms, Karridale and G & TJ Ross, Denmark, purchased pens of seven at $3700 and $3500 respectively.

Payne Farms finished the sale with 46 PTIC first cross heifers at an average of $3272 comprising 27 Angus-Friesian heifers, nine Murray Grey-Friesian heifers, six Speckle Park-Friesian heifers and four Hereford-Friesian heifers.

The Payne family has been regular supporters of the sale for many years.

It currently runs 350 mainly first cross breeders, including 40 Hereford females, but is in the process of building its breeding herd numbers to 400 head.

The Paynes herd is joined predominantly to traditional Topweight Simmental bulls and a couple of Hereford bulls to calve from February 1st.

Buyer Graeme Payne selects his replacements for temperament, structure and udder with a calving date as close as possible to February 1, because they don't want them calving too late.

The Crouch family, LM & EA Crouch, Nannup, was also among the larger vendors in the run, offering and selling 62 heifers to a top of $4200 twice and an average of $3779.

The biggest supporters of the Crouch family's offering was the Carroll family which purchased three pens.

The Carrolls went to $4200 for two pens of seven head and $4000 for another line of seven.

The heifers are PTIC to Bonnydale Black Simmental bulls and due to calve from January 31 to April 4 (nine weeks).

The Carrolls were looking for heifers with good shape and conformation that would breed good vealer calves.

The calves from the heifers they purchased in last year's sale were all sold at the beginning of November, straight off their mothers at 9-10 months old and averaged 270kg dressed.

Another multiple pen buyer of the Crouch family's heifers was the sale's biggest buyer, BJ & FH Tomas, Cundinup, finishing with 49 heifers from a number of vendors.

From the Crouch's offering which had been joined to Bonnydale Black Simmental bulls, the Tomas family purchased three pens of seven at $3900, $3800 and $3600.

Longtime vendors Bernard and Roma Ridley, BW & RD Ridley, Brunswick, also offered large numbers, presenting and selling 63 heifers to a top of $3800 and an average of $3400.

Topping the Ridley's offering at $3800 was a pen of seven which was purchased by G & JM Perrella, Cundinup.

Another strong supporter of the Ridley's offering was the Tomas family, who purchased two pens of seven heifers, both at $3600.

Other buyers to support the Ridley's offering, purchasing multiple pens were BL & SJ Nairn, Albany, which secured two pens (14 head) at $3600, while SD Wolfe Pty Ltd, Youngs Siding, secured two pens (14 head) at $3600 and $3200 and GH, KL & DA Williams, Denmark, went home with two pens (14 head) at $3000 and $2600.

All the Ridley's heifers are PTIC to a Sheron Farm Angus bull and due to calve from February 6 for 10 weeks.

The Milner family, Milners Farm, Busselton, which has supported the sale for a long period, offered and sold 36 Angus-Friesian at an average of $3661 and to top of $4000 twice.

The Tomas family purchased the first pen of seven heifers from the Milners to make $4000, while the second pen to hit $4000 containing six head was knocked down to DV Brockman & Co.

Alba Rosa Trading Pty Ltd, Jardee, went home with heifers from the Milners Farm offering, after it secured pens of eight and seven head at $3800 and $3400 respectively.

All the Milners Farm's heifers are carrying Blackrock Angus sired calves and are due for 10 weeks from January 22.

Kitchen Farms, Boyanup, saw good returns for the 23 Angus-Friesian heifers it offered and sold, when they topped at $3700 twice and averaged $3587.

Buying Kitchen Farms' top-priced pens were A & K Walsh, Kronkup and G & JM Perrella, collecting pens of five and seven head respectively.

Both pens of heifers had been synchro AI-mated to a Limousin bull and have a 20 day calving period starting February 7.

Kitchen Farms also sold another pen of synchro AI-mated heifers containing six head at $3600 to G & TJ Ross.

The Jenkins family, AC & CA Jenkins Family Trust, Denmark, trucked across 21 heifers which are all due to calve for four weeks from February 12 after being synchro AI-mated and backed up to Angus bulls and they all sold to a high of $3700 twice an an average of $3557.

Picking up the Jenkins family's $3700 top-priced pens were G & TJ Ross, which collected six while HNH Grazing Company, Coolup, went home with five.

Another pen of six heifers from the Jenkins family sold at $3600 to SD Wolfe Pty Ltd.

Regular vendors the Barbetti family, RC & CD Barbetti, Waterloo, presented 21 Angus-Friesian heifers in calf to Unison Limousin bulls and due to calve from February 1 for nine weeks.

The offering topped at $3600 for a pen of six purchased by Max Ross Kerr, Ferguson, while Tarpunda Grazing Co, Ferguson, picked up seven at $3400 and G & TJ Ross, secured eight at $3200.

The Norton family, H & A Norton, was also among the vendors of Angus-Friesian heifers.

The Nortons offered and sold 27 heifers to a top of $3300 and an average of $3059.

Payne Farms purchased the Norton's top-priced pen of heifers which contained seven head, while Daros Family Trust, Ferguson, buying through Elders, Boyanup representative Alex Roberts picked up two pens of seven at $3100 and $3000.

The Norton's heifers are carrying Angus calves and are due to drop from February 1 for 11 weeks.

Rounding out the vendors in the Angus-Friesian line-up was A & E Epiro, Epiro Farms, Harvey, which offered and sold 24 heifers in three pens of eight, all at $2500.

The three pens were purchased by DR Horn & LF Rogers, Manjimup; DJ & HM Reid, Nillup and GH, KL & DA Williams.

The heifers sold by the Epiro family, are due to calve from January 20 to March 20 after being joined to Black Simmental bulls.

Murray Grey-Friesian

The Murray Grey-Friesian offering consisted of nine pens offered by two vendors and when the grey heifers came through the ring they received good buying support.

With solid competition on the 45 head offered, all sold to a top price of $4000 and at an average of $398, which was up $50 on last year's average.

Topping the run at $4000 was a pen of six heifers from the Merritt family, Elgin Dairies, Elgin, when it was knocked down to return buyers Ross and Pam Thornton, R & P Thornton, Denmark.

The classy pen of well-grown, quiet heifers were synchro AI-mated to Syes Backstage 446B and are due to calve from January 18 for 20 days.

Mr Thornton said they had purchased heifers from the Merritt family for the past few years and they had always done well, so they were keen to purchase more this season as replacement females.

"This is a lovely pen of large framed, quiet heifers," Mr Thornton said.

"The Merritts heifers are always quiet and we never have any calving problems as they alway have small calves."

The Thorntons run about 100 first-cross breeders, which are all joined back to Naracoopa Simmental bulls after their first calf.

"We have already sold the majority of this year's calves which were dropped in late January/February," Mr Thornton said.

"We sold 80 calves to Coles straight off their mothers at the beginning of November and they averaged 260kg dressed."

Along with selling the top-priced pen in the run the Merritt family also sold another four pens of grey heifers.

The Elliott family, GJ Elliott, North Dandalup, who run about 80 breeders, purchased two of these pens paying $3600 for seven heifers which were synchro AI-mated to Syes Backstage 446B and due to calve from January 18 for 20 days and $3300 for four that were synchro AI-mated to Syes Backstage 446B and backed up with Limousin bulls which have a four week calving starting February 20.

Another buyer of the Merritts heifers was Charlie Brockman, DV Brockman & Co, Cowaramup, who paid $3400 for five heifers which have a four week calving starting February 20 after being synchro AI-mated to Syes Backstage 446B and backed up with Limousin bulls.

In the grey run, the Roberts family sold four pens (19 heifers) and achieved a top price of $3600 twice for heifers which had been synchro AI-mated to Limousin bull, Unison Nadie N93 and are due to calve for 20 days from January 20 to February 9.

The first pen to hit $3600 for the Roberts family contained six heifers and sold to Gerald and Cheryle Brown, GC & CA Brown.

The second pen to hit $3600 in the Roberts' line-up had five heifers in it and it was purchased by Paynes Farms, which also picked up a further four heifers with the same joining details as the top-priced pens at $3100.

Shorthorn-Friesian

The Roberts family was the only vendor of Shorthorn-Friesian heifers, offering 12 head across two pens, which all sold to an average of $3233.

The first pen of seven sold for $3400 to Bradlake Farming, Quindalup, in its only purchase for the day, while Domenic A Piscioneri, Donnybrook, secured the other pen containing five head at $3000.

All 12 black and white heifers had been synchro AI-mated to Limousin bull, Unison Nadie N93, and have a 20-day calving period from January 20 to February 9.

Speckle Park-Friesian

The Speckle Park-Friesian heifers were the second last to go through the ring and in this section of the catalogue two vendors combined to offer and sell 36 heifers to a top of $3300 and an average of $2864.

Like the past two years, it was a pen from TJ & RD Garstone, Cowaramup, which made the top of $3300 in the run.

Securing the pen of six heifers, which were PTIC to a Speckle Park bull and due to calve from February 14 to March 21, was Aherns Holdings, Karridale.

The Garstones, the volume vendors in the run, also sold three pens of heifers which were PTIC to an Angus bull and due to calve from February 13 for eight weeks.

The first pen of eight sold at $2900 to EW & ME Bushby, Nillup, while the other two pens which both contained seven and nine head, sold at $2800 and $2500 respectively to BP & NC McGinty, Greenbushes.

The other vendor in the run was the Roberts family, who offered a pen of six heifers which had been synchro AI-mated to Limousin bull, Unison Nadie N93, and have a 20-day calving period from January 20 to February 9.

This pen sold at $3000 to Paynes Farms.

Hereford-Friesian

There were two pens of Hereford-Friesian heifers offered in the line-up and they were both trucked in by Taylor Ag, Myalup.

The first pen of four was knocked down at $2600 to Paynes Farms, while the second pen of five was secured by DR & NM Arthur, Margaret River.

Both pens of heifers were synchro AI'd to a Limousin bull and due to calve from January 24 to February 28.

What the agent said:

Elders Donnybrook/Bridgetown representative and sale auctioneer, Pearce Watling, said it was a very good sale which met all expectations and then exceeded them especially on the top end of the catalogue.

"The vendors once again presented a quality line-up of heifers from start to finish and as result we saw good buying support across the catalogue which helped us achieve a 100 per cent clearance," Mr Watling said.

"Once again the sale result was underpinned by strong buying support from long-term buyers located on the South Coast as well as buying support from repeat buyers in the South West and Peel regions.

"Better seasonal conditions and an improved cattle market certainly gave buyers additional confidence to buy and this resulted in the sale recording a record average of more than $3500.

"Even though we did achieve such a high average, buyers weren't locked out of the market as there were still good buying opportunities throughout which allowed all buyers to operate at their own budgets.

"Finally congratulations to the vendors on their presentation of their heifers and a big thank you to the buyers and underbidders who helped make the sale such a success."