Hereford steers snapped up for grass fed programs to $1965

By Kim Woods

A quality run of autumn drop Hereford weaners brought out those supplying grassfed programs with bids to 655c/kg for the steers at the final day of the weeklong January weaner sales at Wodonga.

Selling agents Rodwells Peter Ruaro, Brian Unthank Rural, Corcoran Parker and Schubert Boers yarded 3677 for the Premier Hereford, Hereford Cross and Euro Grown and Weaner Sale on January 6.

Grossing $5.672 million, the sale resulted in an overall average of 463c/ kg or $1639 for steers and 430c/kg or $1391 for heifers.

Hunter Valley grass fed steer finisher Ken Sylvester, Scone, judged the Herefords Australia champion pen, awarding the sash to David Trethowan, Cookardinia, for his pen of 20 Wentworth blood steers weighing 397kg.

The March/April drop calves were snapped up by Barry Peel for $1965 or 494c/kg, the top steer weaner price in the Hereford run and ultimately across the summer sales series for purebreds.

Mr Sylvester described the steers as an even line with plenty of stretch, frame and bone, and ability to grow into good bullocks.

He had bought 82 Hereford steers the previous day weighing 360-420kg for 430-470c/kg to grass finish for Greenhams Never Ever, JBS and NH Foods.

“Herefords are one breed where you can always sell yourself out of trouble – they hold up in the bad times and do well on grass,” he said.

David Trethowan offered 130 March/April drop steers at the sale.

Topping the Hereford run on a cents per kilogram basis was Albury-Wodonga builder Garry Zauner, Bungil, with steers weighing 215kg and making 655c/kg or $1410 to Brian Unthank Rural. This was the highest c/kg price across the summer sales series for autumn drop Hereford steers.

Trevor Ralston, “Hollywood”, Euroa, presented a quality lineup of Rosstulla and Kanimbla steers, with the tops weighing 371kg and making $1800 or 485c/kg. Trevor offered 57 steers and 20 heifers – with memories of last year’s top steer price of $2220, he was hoping for $1850 this year.

David McCormack, Bullioh, had sold spring drop steers in November for $2100 and his 10-month-old Mawarra blood calves weighed 340kg and made 529c/kg or $1800.

Adrian Rowe, Glenrowe Pastoral, Yarck, was selling his Glendan Park and Yavenvale blood Hereford steers for the first time at Wodonga. The tops of the steers were Never Ever Accredited and were grass fed only, weighed 340kg and aged eight to 10 months.

Adrian offered 25 black baldy and 20 Hereford steers. He likes the docility and doing ability of the Herefords and also runs a black baldy program to take advantage of hybrid vigour.

“The black baldies come out like peas and grow like spuds,” he said.

“We aim for 400-day weights and calving ease and eye pigmentation is important.”

Nankervis Nominees topped the weaned heifers with a pen of 28 weighing 298kg selling for $1420 or 476c/kg.

David Hocking, Mulwood, Mullengandra, topped the black baldy heifer weaners with a pen aged 9-11 months, weighing 343kg and making $1520 or 443c/kg.

Sydney Royal - Junior, grand Champion Bull and Supreme Hereford and Top 5 in Interbreed Taroom Show (242 head exhibited) – Junior Bull Challenge, Champion Bos Taurus Bull and Super Bull Challenge – first bull to ever win all 3 major awards

20 brothers in the sale to the Sydney Champion