Published since 1986
FEBRUARY, 2021
Rangan Park research project
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Bull sales
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BOOMING: North East beef producers got the perfect start to 2021, with record prices paid for some of the 3000 plus weaners offered for sale at Wangaratta Saleyards last month. The best pens fetched more than $6 a kilo, which saw overall turnover exceed $5 million. PHOTO: Kieren Tilly
Record prices for weaners North East agents say buyers and sellers delighted with results of first sale of 2021
By LEAH ANDERSON-BYRNE and NATHAN DE VRIES A MASSIVE demand for North East beef brought unprecedented prices at Wangaratta saleyards last month, with turnover from the 3060 head yarded at the feature weaner sale exceeding $5 million. Total turnover was $5,260,080 with an average price of $1715 per head, with the presence of interstate buyers pushing prices
above the $6 per kilo mark. Corcoran Parker director Justin Keane said the quality and number of head at the sale was thanks to the “very kind” conditions in the North East region in the past six months. “We had a fantastic autumn running into a mild winter and more spring rain than experienced in the last three to four years so it’s been quite a bit better,” he said. “The wet spring meant plenty of
feed and allowed calves that would normally be at the sales to be 3040kg heavier than normal. “The sale saw mainly Angus with some coloured cattle and just over 3060 head. “It was the usual cattle that are at these sales every year; the regular draft of great clients and lots of the annual breed from Mansfield, at least from a Corcoran Parker point of view, Elders saw more Wangaratta clients.
“The prices were probably the dearest we’ve seen with some 400kg cattle at 470c/kg and some touching 480c/kg so it’s as big as it’s ever been. “There were some cattle in the heifer section at 220kg that made big money; probably at least around the $6/kg mark. “The crowd size was pretty similar to past sales but the true buying field in the laneway once we got the sale going had some northern competition that we
don’t normally get; buyers from central NSW taking cattle back there and some from northern Queensland. “This is the first time we’ve offered cattle like this and it was great to see the Hayward family, selling through Elders, supporting this great local sale.” Elders’ Brett Shea said from the company’s point of view Wangaratta has always been a “strong store selling centre”. ■ Continued page 3
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