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Special female sale hits $2600 top, grosses $1.12 million

Headshot of Bob Garnant
Bob GarnantCountryman
Vendors of the $2600 top-priced Angus cows Geoff and Rebecca Blyth, right, of Manypeaks, with their children Callum and Bianca.
Camera IconVendors of the $2600 top-priced Angus cows Geoff and Rebecca Blyth, right, of Manypeaks, with their children Callum and Bianca. Credit: Bob Garnant

The annual Landmark Blue Ribbon Special Female Sale has generated more than $1 million in sales, with buyers upbeat about the top-class offering.

Held at the Mt Barker Regional Saleyards last Tuesday, first-cross mated heifers and a pen of cows with calves-at-foot sold to the $2600 top price.

The sale, which grossed $1.127 million, offered 688 females with 667 sold for an average price of $1690.

The result marked a $240 per head spike on last year’s auction, after Landmark sold 813 for an average price of $1450.

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The premium sale began with vendor account the Houden family, of The Southden Trust at Redmond, selling to the equal top-price of $2600 for a pen of nine 30-month-old Angus cross Friesian heifers.

Repeat buyer Graham Ayres, of Bornholm, secured the sale-topping heifers and purchased 41 of The Southden Trust’s offering at an average price of $2474.

The Houden family offered and sold a total of 71 heifers, PTIC to Arizona Farms Angus bulls, across nine pens for an average price of $2336.

The other buyer on these heifers was Albany account BJ Panizza Family Trust, which secured four pens, 30 head, for an average price of $2140.

Barry Panizza said a newly purchased property increased his take off the top line at the sale.

Mal Houden, who runs a dairy, said he was pleased with the demand on his heifers and that he had increased numbers offered this year.

Barry Panizza, of Albany, vendor Mal Houden, of Redmond, and his son Owen, 15, flanked by Oliver Wardlaw, 9, of Nedlands and his brother James, 13, buyers Evan and Graham Ayers, of Bornholm, and Landmark Albany agent Michael Lynch with the $2600 top-priced pen of PTIC Angus cross Friesian heifers.
Camera IconBarry Panizza, of Albany, vendor Mal Houden, of Redmond, and his son Owen, 15, flanked by Oliver Wardlaw, 9, of Nedlands and his brother James, 13, buyers Evan and Graham Ayers, of Bornholm, and Landmark Albany agent Michael Lynch with the $2600 top-priced pen of PTIC Angus cross Friesian heifers. Credit: Bob Garnant

Regular sale vendor account Dundeal Holdings, of Narrikup, offered and sold 181 PTIC Angus heifers, across 21 pens, for an average price of $1996, with volume buyer, BJ Panizza, securing a total of 61 head for an average price of $2137.

Dundeal Holdings principal Warren Forbes said he was pleased with the sale outcome which was “indicative of the season”.

The Blyth family, who trade as MJ Blyth & Co, of Manypeaks, offered and sold a pen of 12 Angus cows (second calvers) with calves-at-foot, which sold as a unit to the equal $2600 top-price of the sale.

Rebecca Blyth said their Bundarlee commercial 650-head cow herd had been mated to Coonamble and Koojan Hills bloodlines and any excess breeders were earmarked for the Blue Ribbon sale.

“We are optimistic cattle prices in WA will remain strong as a result of the drought in the east,” she said.

During the unmated heifer section of the catalogue, vendor Teresa Ayres, of Bornholm, sold a pen of 10 Angus heifers for $900 each to buyer PM & PH Green, of Young Siding.

Landmark auctioneer Harry Carroll said the sale’s offering of quality heifers and mated cows was outstanding.

“The Angus and first cross Angus heifers were as good as anywhere in WA,” he said. “We had terrific support for black cattle, although demand for the light-skinned types was back somewhat.

“The sale outcome was sensational despite the State’s unseasonal conditions.”

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