Industry heavyweights push heifer prices to stellar heights

By Kim Woods

A bidding duel between two industry heavyweights set the Hereford lanes alight at Hamilton as buyers jockeying for quality future breeders sent prices skyrocketing to $2098.

The Hereford offering averaged 573c/kg or $1694 - $132 or 72c/kg above the Angus run of heifers.

Selling agents Elders, Nutrien Ag Solutions and J & J Kelly yarded 1406 Hereford, Angus and Euro heifer weaners for the All Breeds Weaner Heifer Sale on January 12. Overall, the sale grossed $2.12 million and averaged 495c/kg or $1514.

A drawn-out bidding duel between Injemira Beef Genetics and Yarram Park Herefords created plenty of excitement in the Hereford offering and resulted in the yarding’s top price of $2098 or 662c/kg on both a dollars per head and cents per kilogram basis.

Marc Greening, Injemira, Book Book, NSW, secured the pen for his joined female program, Injemira Advantage.

Offered by Gordon, Jane and Owen McClure, Beerik Partnership, Coleraine, the pen of 46 Injemira, Yarram Park and Melville Park blood heifers weighed 317kg, were EU accredited, weaned, and March/April drop.

Mr Greening sources 200 to 300 Injemira blood heifers from the Western District sales each year.

They are naturally joined over eight weeks, this year using low birthweight paternal brothers of Australian record-breaking sire Injemira Robert Redford Q287. The PTIC heifers are marketed at Injemira’s annual bull sale in February.

“The heifers bought today are a single line from a client and will go into the joined program to be offered in 2024 as single lines of pregnancy tested and EU accredited females,” Mr Greening said.

“It’s taking a punt but it’s also supporting the clients –they get increased competition on their calves and I get the opportunity to see how the females grow out in a large contemporary group, and it also gives clients an opportunity to restock with females ready to go.”

The Hereford run opened on the Herefords Australia champion pen judged by LMB livestock agent Darren Dawson, a former manager of South Boorook Herefords from 1984 to 1997.

The pen of 18 EU and Greenhams Never Ever accredited heifers weighed 331kg, were March/April drop and were offered by John and Liz Craig, “Inverell”, Casterton, and bought by Antony Baillieu for Yarram Park’s commercial operation, Western District Pastoral for $1959 or 592c/kg.

Yarram Park Herefords has been sourcing future breeding females from bull clients for the past decade to build herd numbers in the South Australian commercial operation trading as Western District Pastoral.

Country had been returned to pasture from blue gum production, allowing expansion of the 2500 cow herd.

Repeat buyers seeking known quality and performance paid to $1706 for autumn drop Hereford heifers at Hamilton to wrap up the 2023 Western Districts weaner sales circuit.

The sale on January 13 grossed $3.67 million and averaged 483c/kg or $1477. The Hereford offering averaged 468c/kg or $1374 and black baldies 461c/kg or $1388.

Topping the Hereford run was Leon Wheeler, Wallacedale, on $1706 or 474c/kg for his opening pen of EU accredited Yarram Park and Mawarra blood heifers weighing 360kg and selling to Charles Stewart & Co.

Mr Wheeler’s seconds weighing 318kg made the top price in the purebreds on a cents per kilogram basis of 492c/kg or $1564, selling to repeat buyer Yarram Park Herefords.

Matt Spry, Ray White Rural Albury, judged the Herefords Australia champion pen and awarded it to Cam and Carol Emerson, Alva Downs, Tahara, for their pen of 21 Injemira blood heifers, EU, and weighing 329kg. The pen sold for $1566 or 476c/kg to Elders Holbrook.

Sam and Robin Rundell, RS Rundell & Sons, Breakaway Creek, offered 47 Glendan Park and Oak Downs blood heifers to average $1401. Their top pen weighed 298kg and returned $1460 or 490c/kg to Yarram Park Herefords.

The family dovetail 400 autumn and spring calving cows with 2000 crossbred sheep, and retained 60 heifers while also selling the bottom end on the export market to China for the past two years.

The family like the breed’s docility and select on frame and muscle.

We are here to support your farming business with the knowledge + insight to help you reach your goals. With over 70 years experience, our team of specialists proudly continue to support our farming clients on their financial journey.