The Naracoorte mixed weaner sale held on the 7th February was up on the 17th January sale, with buyers from Queensland, NSW and Victoria providing very strong competition for local buyers.

The heavier steers sold from 170 to 185 cents/kg, while lighter weights made over 200 cents/kilo. The top price/head was $675 which was behind the January sale where the heavier Simmental cross lines offered by Woonallee, Ross Plains and Egremont dominated and accordingly provided greater returns.

This sale included a feature heifer offering which is what attracted the interstate buyers; many of whom are regulars at this annual sale. Three vendors with Simmental cross drafts of heifers dominated the results, these being Waterfront, Woonallee and Egremont; again clearly demonstrating the benefits of utilising Simmental genetics in commercial breeding programs.

This was the first time Waterfront have offered heifers at this Naracoorte sale; previously utilising them in their own operation, or direct selling. It was a decision that paid off handsomely as they topped the sale overall when 20 of their draft of 56 Simmental/Red Angus heifers sold for $720/head. Phillip & Debbie Hammond, Woodglen, East Gippsland were the buyers, also paying $650 for the Hodge and Parker families’ second pen of 14 heifers.

The Hammonds came to the Naracoorte sale specifically to buy well bred Simmental cross heifers to be breeding females in their Angus/Simmental cross-breeding vealer enterprise. They use the Simmental cross for their growth rate, frame and especially milking ability, without compromising muscling or conformation, as would be the case with dairy crosses. The 56 Waterfront heifers averaged a fantastic $663.21/head.

In the past, this sale has been topped almost exclusively by the Baker family’s annual Woonallee heifer draft and while they were overshadowed by the Waterfront heifer offering this year for top price honours, their offering of 89 younger Angus x Simmental/Hereford cross weaner heifers sold to a $645 high and averaged $617/head; well above the other heifer drafts in the sale.

Daryl Cameron, Cameron Bros, Cann River, via Bairnsdale, Vic was back again and successfully purchased the first 2 pens of Woonallee heifers at $645/head and then added more of the draft from a later pen. He has regularly purchased the top Woonallee heifers; now purchasing their top priced pens for 4 of the last 5 years. He missed the previous Woonallee draft as the offering was brought forward for seasonal reasons and Mr Cameron was fighting bush fires at that time.

Egremont also offered its annual draft of Simmental/Hereford/&Angus cross heifers with the McKay’s top pen of 19 Simmental/Hereford heifers selling for $565/head.

Phillip and Debbie Hammond, Woodglen, East Gippsland in front of the top pen of 20 Simmental x Red Angus cross weaner heifers they purchased at Naracoorte in February for the sale top of $720/head.

Woonallee sold another impressive run of 89 Angus x Simmental/Hereford cross weaner heifers at Naracoorte on February. Their tops were bought by repeat buyer, Daryl Cameron, Cann River, Gippsland who is pictured here with Woonallee farm Manager, Geoff Agnew looking over the top pen.

Thanks to Ian Turner from Superior Selections for producing this article - 0409 729 251