Spike in heifer demand

Prices were quoted between $50 and $100 a head dearer in the small heifer offering, with processors competing strongly against producers, looking to finish heifers for later trading.

All up, agents offered a mixed quality yarding of steers, heifers, and cows and calves at the sale, with the condition of the cattle slightly plainer than expected.

Competition was steady with only Gippsland buyers present, although some processor competition did exist.

Few lines of steers were penned with most sellers offering single pens or no more than two pens.

One of the larger drafts of steers came from JT Sibly, Archies Creek, offering 52 Angus steers. These ranged from young steers, 300 kilograms liveweight up to 439kg - and sold from $696-$855. Liveweight prices equalled 196-230c/kg.

Most of the better bred steers sold within this price range, with only very light steers selling from $500 and above.

DT&TM Foat, Hunterston, sold 18 Angus steers to $744, to average $680.

J&C Traintafyllou, Yarram, sold a pen of 10 Hereford steers (445kg) for $890, which was the top price for steers, and at 200c/kg lwt, it was a good sale. J Brennan, Walkerville, sold 25 Angus steers to $795, av $758, and Pilkington & Toohey, Sandy Point, 17 weaned Angus steers for $735.

Crossbred steers sold very well with producers seeing a lot of quick potential to fatten them, given the excellent season in Gippsland. R&L Rhodes, Alberton, sold 26 Hereford-Friesian steers (420-422kg lwt) to $790, av $773, which was close to 200c/kg lwt.

S&J Bland, Alberton, sold 24 crossbred steers to $700, av $658.

Quality, lightweight steers were in short supply, and with producers being mindful of their dollar spend, they paid $600-plus for young calves.

Melkyrst Farms, Woodside, sold 18 Murray Grey steers to $680, av $667, which was estimated to be 245-260c/kg lwt.

While the offering of heifers was small, their quality was generally quite good.

Strong competition prevailed over most of the heavier heifers, and some of the lighter weights showing promise. Top of the sale were 6 Angus yearling heifers which sold for $725, but younger heifers reaped most of the rewards.

Pilkington & Toohey, Sandy Point, sold a pen of 22 Angus heifers, of their own breeding, which made $645, or 190c/kg.

P&S Campbell, Mardan, sold 20 Angus heifers to $545, av $521.

Hereford heifers sold quite well too, Argyle Enterprises, Traralgon, sold 22 heifers to $585, av $562. Most heifers sold from $490-$615, which was in line with the agents comments of a large price increase.

Most cows and calves sold from $1010 to $1280.