Prices were up across all categories at the Colac store cattle sale today, reflecting the transition into spring.
Of the 1150 yarded, just over half were steers, and they sold to a top of $860 and average $622. The top price pen of steers was for nine Poll Herefords consigned by D Melville. The 15 to 16 months, Buranda blood steers weighed an av 448 kilogram, making their price the equivalent of 192 cents a kilogram liveweight.
The first pen offered at the sale went for the second to price of $855 for eight steers from the Maverick Simmental stud. The 12-13-month-olds had an av weight of 457kg, so sold for the equivalent of 187c/kg lwt.
Agents association Terry Dove said the steers started the sale off strongly and that continued to its end.
“Lighter calves were up to $2.40/kg, lighter steers went for $2-$2.25/kg and the heavier end steers went for about $1.90-$2.05/kg, which was about $30-$40 dearer a head (than last sale),” Mr Dove said.
“Some of the older steers didn’t have the weight because they were coming out of winter – they had the breeding but not the condition.”
Heifers sold to $645, av $494.
There was a good range of cows and calves, which sold for $1520 and av $1039.
The top cow and calf price was paid for a pen of 11 Fresian cross cows with February to April drop Scotchman Hill bld Limousin calves at-foot, redepastured to the same Limousin bull (who was also sold for $1750) offered by D N McKenzie, a former dairy farming and vealer producing family who have sold their Dreeite farm. The family sold another eight cow and calf units of the same breeding that were a bit older for $1100, as well as a pen of five heifers to drop their frsit calves in spring for $940.
The sun and mild temperature saw a big crowd stay until the end of the sale, many of whom were bidding. Most cattle sold to local restockers with a handful going to Gippsland.
