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Southden heifers to $4050 top at Mt Barker saleyards

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Bob GarnantCountryman
Bornholm cattle producer Graham Ayers, with his son Evan, secured the record $4050 top-priced pens of Angus cross Friesian heifers at the Nutrien Livestock Great Southern Blue Ribbon Female Sale.
Camera IconBornholm cattle producer Graham Ayers, with his son Evan, secured the record $4050 top-priced pens of Angus cross Friesian heifers at the Nutrien Livestock Great Southern Blue Ribbon Female Sale. Credit: Countryman

Redmond dairy farmers set a new record top price for their first cross pregnant heifers at the Mt Barker Saleyards last Tuesday.

The Houden family, who trade as The Southden Trust, offered a total of 52 PTIC Angus cross Friesian heifers, all aged from 20 to 24-months, with two pens of eight heifers sold to a WA record (first cross heifers) top of $4050/head.

It was also the highest price ever seen at the Nutrien Livestock Great Southern Blue Ribbon Female Sale, which also produced an overall sale record top gross of $2.973 million for 1165 head of heifers and cows sold.

Offering Angus cross Fresian heifers was dairy farmers Kylie and Mal Houden, of Redmond, with Pat and Des Houden and their grandchildren Oliver Wardlaw, 10, and James Wardlaw, 14.
Camera IconOffering Angus cross Fresian heifers was dairy farmers Kylie and Mal Houden, of Redmond, with Pat and Des Houden and their grandchildren Oliver Wardlaw, 10, and James Wardlaw, 14. Credit: Countryman

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The Houden family, who milk 500 cows, have been regular vendors at the sale with their lines of owner-bred Fresian heifers sired by Angus bulls from Arizona Farms. Angus bulls that go back to Coonamble stud bloodlines.

This year’s heifers were PTIC to Quanden Springs Angus bulls and are due to calf from March 1 to May 1.

The buyer of the two record- priced pens was commercial cattleman Graham Ayers, of Bornholm.

“I regularly buy these lines as they are soft, well-grown and make beautiful quiet cows,” he said.

“We are having an awesome season and I hope to be back next year to pay even more for replacement heifers.”

Bornholm cattle producer Graham Ayers, with his son Evan, secured the record $4050 top-priced pens of Angus cross Friesian heifers at the Nutrien Livestock Great Southern Blue Ribbon Female Sale.
Camera IconBornholm cattle producer Graham Ayers, with his son Evan, secured the record $4050 top-priced pens of Angus cross Friesian heifers at the Nutrien Livestock Great Southern Blue Ribbon Female Sale. Credit: Countryman

Mr Ayers, who secured a total of 25 heifers, will put Charolais bulls over the female replacements for their second matings and the target market for the calves will be mainly into the local saleyards.

He also paid the $3750 top price in the cow catalogue for a pen of 10 Angus cross Friesian females (second calvers) offered by EJ & CA O’Farrell, of Youngs Siding.

The Farrell family, who run a dairy, bred their first cross females using Lawson Angus bulls.

Repeat buyer Barry Panizza, of BJ Panizza Family Trust, in Albany, also stepped up this year to pay $4000/head and $3900/head for pens of eight heifers offered by the Houden family.

Pure-bred Angus heifers PTIC to Angus bulls sold to an equal top of $3650/head with a pen of eight offered by regular vendor Warren Forbes, of Dundeal Holdings, in Narrikup.

Mr Forbes offered a total of 275 heifers with 229 sold for an average price of $2515/head.

Nutrien Livestock Waroona agent Richard Pollock secured 26 cows with calves-at-foot for Jacob and Eric Walmsley, of Pinjarra.
Camera IconNutrien Livestock Waroona agent Richard Pollock secured 26 cows with calves-at-foot for Jacob and Eric Walmsley, of Pinjarra. Credit: Countryman

Also selling a pen of 10 pure-bred Angus heifers to $3650/head was vendor Baboo Pastoral, in Greenrange.

Volume buyer was Murray River Farms with Nutrien Livestock Harvey agent Ralph Mosca buying on behalf of the Waroona producer.

Mr Mosca secured a total of 114 Angus heifers for the repeat buyer for an average price of $2611/head and he also was successful on a total of 26 Angus cows for an average price of $2754/head for Murray River Farms.

New buyer Eric Walmsley, who trades as Bancell Falls, in Pinjarra, made his first visit to the Mt Barker Saleyards.

Mr Walmsley secured 10 Angus heifers for an average price of $2300/head and he also was successful on 26 Angus cows with calves-at-foot for an average $2820/head.

“We are looking to increase our female herd to 200 breeders,” he said.

Nutrien Great Southern livestock manager Bob Pumphrey said it was an outstanding yarding of females.

“Buyers were selective through the heifer catalogue while the mature cows sold very well,” he said.

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