The milk and two-tooth blue ribbon weaner sale at Alice Springs’ Roe Creek Saleyards saw 3160 head go under the hammer last Thursday.
I’d say the prices weren’t far away from what you see at southern sales (South Australia) and for that matter even sales like Roma.
- Michael Newman, Elders Alice Springs
Michael Newman, Elders, Alice Springs, said the quality yarding attracted mainly feedlot buyers from South Australia, Queensland and NSW.
The market was strong, with steers topping at 340c/kg – just below the red hot prices of the 2016 show sale.
“In some instances I’d say the prices weren’t far away from what you see at southern sales (South Australia) and for that matter even sales like Roma,” he said.
The highest price per kilogram was 340c/kg or $869/head for 80 black baldies from Lucy Creek, via Alice Springs. The same vendor topped the 2016 sale at 354c/kg.
This year Lucy Creek also sold a further pen of 50 steers, 353kg, for 332c/kg or $1171/head, 28 steers, 404kg, for 326c/kg or $1318 and 51 steers averaging 305kg, for 320c/kg or $978/head.
Making the highest price per head was TLC Pastoral, Alice Springs, with seven Santa Gertrudis steers, 551kg, that made $1477 or 268c/kg and sold to Thomas Foods International. TFI also bought another pen of 12 steers, 498kg, from TLC Pastoral for $2.96/kg or $1473.
Umbearra Station, Kulgera, sold 77 Red Angus steers, 433kg, for 318c/kg or $1378 to TFI and White Gums, Alice Springs, with 26 Santa-Hereford steers, 4881.kg, that made 280c/kg or $1366/head.
A fantastic run of Shorthorn steers and heifers came in from Yambah Station, Alice Springs, who had not yarded cattle in the sale for 12 years. They sold 48 steers, 446kg, for 300c/kg or $1340 to Teys Charlton, along with 56 steers, 383kg, for 304c/kg or $1166. A pen of 38 steers weighing 363kg, made 302c/kg or $1096 and 24 steers, 439kg, sold for 294c/kg or $1291/head. The same vendor also sold 14 heifers, 395kg, for 256c/kg or $1011 and 44 heifers, averaging 274kg, made 306c/kg or $840.