70 YEARS AND COUNTING

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70 YEARS AND COUNTING

WEANER sale week is always a big one for the Casterton Saleyards, but on top of this year’s expected prices, local livestock agent Elders is celebrating a significant anniversary.


This week, 70 years ago, Elders hosted the first weaner sales at the iconic Casterton yards and included in that sale were Hereford cattle from Glencairn and the late KJ Upton, who passed in 2024.


While significantly younger than 70 years, Elders livestock agent, Sam Tooley (pictured, left) said the significance of the anniversary was not lost on him.


“I think it’s going to be a very positive 70th birthday, prices have come up a bit from what it was looking like pre-Christmas and before and to have this still here now, shows the longevity of the market here,” Sam said.


“We have lost KJ, but his property is still operating, still selling and the Glencairn cattle will be in this sale.”


He said the consistently high quality of locally-bred cattle and the support from local vendors had ensured the longevity of the saleyards and paid dividends for both the yards and the community.


“Buyers know the quality that comes in through these yards, with a lot of local people supporting the sales … you get rewarded if you come to Casterton,” Sam said.


“And if you drive down the street before and after a sale, you can barely get a park in the main street.”


Nutrien Ad Solutions livestock agent, Rick Smith (pictured, right), congratulated the Elders team on its milestone sale.


“It’s such a good effort, 70 years, back to 1950, which is a long time before mine and in any centre, it’s a good effort,” Rick said.


“It’s very iconic, the Casterton Saleyards, anyone that comes back here will agree it’s got its own little niche feel and atmosphere about it and … those long-term sellers and buyers are really what makes it.”


Weaner sale week kicks-off today at with 2800 locally-bred Angus steers, tomorrow will see the Hereford steers take centre stage with 1300 head and on Friday, 2800 Heifers will go under the hammer.


“(Angus steers) are all repeat (vendors) with the majority of the yarding all weaned and they’ll be from 330 to 360 kilos for the lead drafts and then 280 to 320 for the balance,” Rick said.


“The Herefords, again the weight might be a little bit less, they’ll be probably 320 to 350 and then 270 to 310.”


He said the quality of the cattle presented was a credit to the local vendors, given the exceptionally tough year presented by the green drought in 2024 and demand was expected to be led by northern buyers.


“All the cattle have come up really well considering the tough season they experienced through the Winter and late Autumn and they have really caught up in the later Spring and early Summer months,” Rick said.


“For those northern guys they really want them well-weaned … with the good rains up there I think a fair few of the cattle will go north, but in saying that, there is a fair few local feedlots in the south east and the Green Triangle that are looking to background cattle for supply in the later months for their own feedlots.”


The opening of the cattle markets in 2025, also bode well for a successful week.


“Markets have opened up very good, I think we were all envisioning they were going to be 10% either side of $4 but now it’s looking more reflective that $4 will be the floor and they should get $4 to $4.40, hopefully,” Rick said.


“And it’s good reward for a tough season.


“Everyone will deserve it because of the amount of money and hay that was spent; it’ll be just a bit of good reward for (the vendors) and instil a bit of confidence in them moving into 2025.”


Like his Elders counterpart, Rick said the Casterton yards had stood the test of time, thanks to a supportive community.


“The sheep sales like we had in December have become a thing of the past now that (online sale platform) AuctionsPlus has got active,” he said.


“So I think that’s what makes Casterton so good is as a small community, we’re able to hold these saleyards and present locally bred sheep and cattle that have been selling in these yards for 20-plus years and the vendors that are doing it, they know what they have got to do and they take great pride in doing it and they set themselves the challenge each year to get the calves as heavy and quiet and best-presented as they can.”

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