CATTLE sold to strong restocker demand at last Friday's store cattle sale at Bairnsdale.
A total yarding of 1044 included a large offering of mixed grown and young cattle for sale.
Elders livestock agent Aaron McCole said, despite cattle looking rough-coated from the cold winter, stock were presented well for the time of year.
The top price paid at the sale was for two year-old black baldy bullocks, 545 kilograms, sent in by Geoff Adams, Ensay, which sold at $1540 each, or 283 cents a kilogram. Grown Angus steers from the same vendor returned $1150.
Roger and Yvonne Connley, Omeo, sold a pen of Hereford steers, 410kg, to $1350, or 329c/kg.
A pen of 14 Angus and black baldy steers, 398kg, offered by vendor M Clark, sold to $1340, or 337c/kg.
Ian and Pam Kyle, Ashley Park, Bengworden, sold 14 Red Angus steers, 380kg, for $1310, or 345c/kg.
Robert and Sue Reid sent in a line of average 16 month-old Hereford and black baldy steers, including a pen of 20 Hereford steers, 368kg, which sold to $1270, or 345c/kg.
Eric and Ethel Jamieson, Jambro Pastoral, Broadlands, sold two pens of Herefords including 10 steers, 381kg and eight at 338kg, which sold to which sold for 331c/kg and 325c/kg respectively.
A second pen of 14 Herefords, 327kg, returned $1180 (361c/kg) and a pen of 11 black baldies, 368kg, returned $1220 each (332c/kg).
MT&RR Mitchell, Ensay, sent in two pens of Angus steers, 352kg, which peaked at $1150, or 327c/kg.
It was estimated prices for younger stock returned more than 400c/kg, reflected with a pen of light Angus steers, 10mo, offered by G&L Lee, Munro, sold to $900.
A pen of 16 black baldy steers, offered by Chris Lee, also of Munro, sold to $870.
Heifers topped $1090, with a pen of black baldy females offered by regular Bairnsdale vendor, DC Gallagher.
Brendan and Grace Flynn, Ensay, sold a pen of 10 Angus heifers, 11mo, which returned $1000.
Mr Flynn said they made $240 more than the same-age heifers he sold at the mountain cattle sales in March.
Mick Whelan, Waiwera, sold three pens of 11mo Charolais heifers, to a top of $910, average $830.
Golly and Melva Woodgate, Buchan, sold 22 Hereford heifers, 14mo for $890 each.
"We're finally getting paid the value they're worth – we've waited a long time for the prices to rise," Ms Woodgate said.
G&L Lee, Munro, were pleased to receive $672, for 20 Angus heifers, 10 months.
There was a lot of interest shown in the limited numbers of cows and calves on offer.
Two pairs of Red Angus, not rejoined, vendor LRBM Enterprise, Maffra, made $1530 each.
Len Love sent in a line of unjoined Hereford cows that made to $950, average $857; cows and calves made to $1150, average $1135.
Following the yarding of 2150 cattle at the spring opening sale the previous week, many thought the sale would be light on for stock and prices.
However, those assumptions were incorrect as prices surged with ample spirited bidding.
As well as farmers, there were buyers representing Thomas Foods International, Garrison and Collison feedlots, and restockers from Elders Korumburra and South Gippsland Livestock, as well as local buyers.
Elders Korumburra livestock agent, Rohan McRae, bought 90 steers for South Gippsland graziers.
He said, despite the cold winter slowing down pasture growth, his district was in good condition at the moment but farmers were looking for Spring rainfall and warmer weather to kick off grass growth.
