PRICES for cows and calves held firm at Bairnsdale store cattle sale today and compared well to the same time last year, with similar prices paid.
A large yarding of pairs was supported by a line of Herefords from Jim Pendergast of Penderscourt, Benambra.
Mr Pendergast offloads a line of Hereford heifers and calves twice a year at Bairnsdale and today was his spring sale.
The top price paid for a pen of seven heifers and calves was $1040 a unit.
However, the top price of $1300 for a pen of cows and calves, also Herefords, was paid by Peter (Sos) Martin of Bairnsdale, for cattle bred by John and Mary Birdsey of River Perry Poll Herefords.
The cows were depastured to a Hereford bull on July 1 and were the last of the dispersal sale held on Tuesday this week.
Mr Martin paid $1100 a unit for a further three cows and calves from the same vendor and, in all, purchased 47 cows and 38 calves today.
A pen of eight Angus cow and calf units, not rejoined, sent in by M Tanner of Tostaree sold to $1040; and a second pen of 12 units from the same vendor returned $1030 each.
A pen of seven Angus cows with red Angus calves at foot, vendor Mrs Rosa Ganci of Wy Yung, also sold for $1040.
The total yarding of 947 head of cattle was somewhat less than the 1100 booked in and, as usual at Bairnsdale, the quality was mixed.
However, both standout lines and some fairly ordinary cattle sold well today.
Prices were down on steers, again similar to the same time last year, although some vendors cleared $2-plus/kg.
Yearling to 18-month-old steers were selling between $650 to $800 and a line of 40 Hereford bullocks, rising two-year-olds, from KFT Investments sold to $875, average $797.50.
A pen of 14 roan steers from B Saxton and A Waller, average weight 380kg, returned $766, or $2.02/kg liveweight.
Calves and heifers were also eagerly purchased and, although prices were back on a few good pens, in the main the price of heifers reflected the quality on offer.
A pen of seven Angus heifers, 14-15-months-old, sent in by DM McKay of Benambra, sold for $540 and a pen of three Angus heifers from H Lutz, similar age, sold for $570.
A pen of four Charolais-cross weaner heifers from E&R Tutty sold for $520.
A Hereford bull was sold for $1300.
- Full story in the Stock & Land October 30 edition
