DAY one of the annual female cattle sales at Wodonga today was a lot quieter than 2014. But the question remains why?
Is it because producers have been withholding female cattle to allow for restocking? Or have people become tired of breeding heifers and cows and calves due to the poor prices of the past few years?
Although some people just came to look on Thursday, there were a good crowd on buyers at the sale.
Most were from local districts, and some faces were noted from NSW through to Forbes.
The sale opened with two pens of heavy Shorthorn cows, ranging from being 'prime' to 'over-conditioned', with calves ranging from six weeks to six months. The first pen of calves was by Shorthorn bulls, the second by Angus-Santa Getrudis bulls, and they were re-joined to later bulls.
LG,SN&BA Hodge, Boort, offered these 41 cows and 42 calves, and both were purchased by Landmark Hamilton, which was the furthest distance for cattle to travel west. These outfits sold from $1600-$1720.
Myuna, Table Top, sold a run of Hereford-Angus heifers and cows with calves at foot by Rennylea Angus bulls. These cows and calves were also in good condition, and they sold from $1140-$1410, and they stayed mostly locally.
The small offering of cows and calves were quite mixed for age, breeding and condition. Therefore the prices from $1000-$1720 were quite good, but reflected the easing in prime rates for cows.
An equally small penning of joined females sold to a reasonable gallery of buyers.
NK Nichol & Co, Connamurra, Bethanga, sold two pens of Angus heifers of excellent quality. These heifers were 2.5-years-old, were carded to calve from February 10 onward for six weeks, and they had weights displayed of 608-656 kilograms liveweight.
Equally important was their EU accreditation status, as they were purchased to keep in the EU system, and sold from $1525-$1570.
Le Matres Limousins, Table Top, sold 18 Limousin heifers, 2-5yo, for $1500-$1510.
These heifers were in excellent condition and were PTIC to calve in March. JJ&JA Paterson, Tallangatta South, sold 33 Angus heifers 2.5yo PTIC to Angus bulls from $1025-$1125.
IA&J Coghlan, Eurimbla, Gerogory, sold 39 Red Poll-Shorthorn and Red Poll heifers, two years, PTIC to Red Poll bulls for February calving, from $1060-$1260, and eight May calving heifers for $860.
GJ&P Matheson, Whoroully South, offered a line of 37 Hereford heifers, PTIC to Rostella Poll Hereford bulls, which realised $990-$1180.
The offering of unjoined heifers was also quite small.
Competition came from a feedlot, and mostly local fatteners and breeders.
Lindfield Pastoral Co, Maiton, Table Top, offered a pen of 12 Charolais heifers that sold for $980. Weighing an average of 445kg lwt , these heifers made the equivalent of 220c/kg.
A number of pens of heifers were yearlings from 14-16 months, and sold between $715-$870 with many purchased by Bundy feedlot, Balranald. Liveweight prices equated mostly to 200-222c/kg.
Bellvale, Yass, trucked a consignment of 92 Angus heifers, 14-16 months which sold from $625-$855.
The lesser prices were for younger heifers.
Myuna, Table Top, sold 36 Angus heifers, Rennylea-bld, from $800-$845, and DH&LC Cameron, Bowna, 21 Hereford heifers, 14-16mo, for $725.