COMPETITION remained hot on the second day of Wodonga's weaner sales, with welcome rain spurring buyers to maintain the high prices.
European Union-accredited (EU) cattle set the benchmark on Friday, achieving a premium of at least 10 cents a kilogram live weight, with most making up to 245c/kg.
The independent agents of Wodonga offered 3301 head which were mostly steers.
A few pens of yearling steers sold from $850-$1075, which was the sales top price, and equated to a top of 232 cents per kilogram liveweight.
The top pen of steers sold at $1020 a head, and were offered by return Narrandera vendors the Seidel family.
Sandigo producer Mark Quilter, “Belalie”, also offered an impressive line-up of EU steers, and both were paid well for it.
The bulk of non-EU cattle made between 240c/kg and 250c/kg, finding a top price of $940.
Few cattle have sold under $800, and steers ranged from $820 and above, with a good portion giving $900 a shake.
Yearling steers sold similar to yesterday with prices hovering around 230c/kg.
The top pen of weaner heifers was Merrawarra Pty Ltd, Merriang, with 47 Angus heifers, EU-accredited, making $820 or 229c/kg.
Chris Stanley, Chris Stanley Livestock, purchased 438 EU-accredited steers to go north for backgrounding for a northern feedlot.
E.C. Seidel and Co, Narrandera, sold 180 EU-accredited steers to $1020, to average $944.35.
Other EU steers sold from $700 for lighter weight steers to $990.
Most of the cattle are weighed and weights displayed, although they are only for display purposes, as curfews vary.
Chris Stanley said his EU accredited steers averaged 253c/kg after an adjustment for curfew.
Non EU accredited steers sold to $950 with many from $780 and over with liveweight prices equaling 225-270c/kg for most steers, light young steers all sold from $550 and above, and equated to just over 300c/kg.
Chris Stanley was one of the volume buyers for non-EU steers purchasing 258 head, but two buyers from Queensland and northern NSW purchased four B-doubles each.
Northern buyers maintained their strong presence at the sale.
A red hot market kicked of the steer portion of the first day of the Wodonga weaner sales on Thursday, with yearling steers setting the pace, making $1195 (232c a kilogram). The bulk of the weaner steers sold from $720 to $975 with their live weight equivalents ranging mostly from 235c/kg to 260c/kg.
