ENTERING the car park just prior to the Rodwells' fourth annual spring drop weaner sale at Yea on Friday, one could tell it was going to be a good sale by the number of trucks already there.
The yarding was smaller than advertised with some good rain during the past weeks giving producers options.
The sale contained cattle of excellent breeding, but many were in store condition and of lighter weight, on the back of a dry summer.
The relatively small crowd of buyers were at Yea to purchase, and this created a strong sale.
The oldest calves penned were early spring drop calves, which sold to $740 a head.
A large percentage sold from $600 to the top figure.
Demand was strong for all steers and liveweight prices were estimated to be from 195-237 cents a kilogram.
M Walsh, Strathbogie, sold the top-price pen of 22 Angus steers at $740, while AP Demasi and M Croxford-Demasi sold six steers for $715.
This is the annual sell-off for numerous producers and several large drafts were sold.
The largest was Ballandry Pastoral Co, Strath Creek, who offered 259 Angus steers, which sold to $670 to average $512.
A lot of these steers were young and in store condition, which make this a good sale.
Inverugie Past Co, Yea, sold 85 Angus steers to $695, av $627, and Mundroola Farms sold 86 Angus steers to $655, av $568.
Farley Family Trust, Derrinal, sold 82 Angus steers to $690, av $647.
J&E Renkin, Lindsay Park, Lima, sold 18 Charolais-Angus steers for $675, and 4G Partnership, Willanong, sold 20 Poll Hereford-Limousin and Limousin-Angus steers to $675, av $648.
Producers had to be happy with the sale of heifers, with processors, feedlots and producers competition creating a good sale.
The end result was assisted by good breeding, but the competition set a healthy pace.
J&E Renkin, Lima, sold 17 Charolais-Angus heifers for $615 to top the sale, but with many heifers selling from $420 to the top price, liveweight price equivalents were estimated to be 180-205c/kg.
Farley Family Trust sold 29 Angus heifers to $575, av $552 and P&M Burns, Plover Plains, 16 Angus heifers for $520.
Encompassing the lighter end of the heifers was the 171 Angus heifers offered by Ballandry Past Co. These sold to $430, av $363.