UNLESS your name started with Thomas - as in Thomas Foods International (TFI) - it was hard to buy a pen of Angus steers over 340 kilograms liveweight at Leongatha yesterday.
Agents offered an excellent line up of quality bred steers, although nearly all of the cattle were in good winter condition.
The opportunity to buy well bred Angus, Hereford, and a small number of other breeds was good, but agents and producers could not afford the rate for many of the steers with TFI buying nearly all of the first lane, and numerous other pens throughout the sale.
The feature lines of steers and heifers penned attracted strong competition, with most steers sold between $830 and $1500 a head.
Many of these were purchased for grain feeding.
Blackwood Grazing, Willow Grove, sold 79 Angus steers, 444-502kg, from $1320-$1500, with TFI purchasing all bar one pen.
Ms RM Agostino, Nambrok, sold 94 Angus, Hereford and Charolais steers between $1090-$1250, while T&J Steer, Pound Creek, offered 97 Angus, Hereford and Angus-Hereford steers, which made from $990-$1230.
All of these heavier steers sold for the liveweight equivalent of 290-330 cents a kilgoram with most making more than 300c/kg lwt.
There was also a good selection of younger steers, which equally sold to very strong demand.
The Coulthard family, Calrossie, sold 62 angus steers, 10-12 months, from $605 for very young steers, to $915 for steers weighing 309kg lwt.
These and most other steers of lighter weight made 280-340c/kg, and agents quoted this sale as being equal to the previous sale two weeks ago, but there were very few dairy breeds offered.
Vendors came from near and far with one consignment sold by G&A Burston, Omeo. Their 20 Angus steers sold from $900-$1170, weighing up to 355kg lwt.
Warragul Creek, sold 68 Angus and Angus-Hereford steers from $765-$810.
Most very small, or poorly bred steers of lightweights sold from $450-$685.
Heifers made up only a small percentage of the yarding, but included a number of very good heifers.
Competition between TFI and others buying heifers for feeding programs was very strong too.
Pens of Angus heifers for this enterprise sold from $860-$1160, or 266-292c/kg.
G&J Tuckett, Woodside, sold 30 Angus heifers from $1050-$1160, R Wight & Sons, 29 Angus and Hereford heifers from $950-$1138 and G&G Bland, Yarram, 12 Angus heifers for $1080.
Prices for younger heifers were best represented by 45 Angus heifers offered by the Coulthards that sold between $555-$655.
Cows and calves, and joined females only sold at values equal to, or near equal to their slaughter values with only an odd exception. Gregory Red Angus, Crossover, sold 14 Red Angus heifers and calves from $1480-$1500, which were very good sales.
Carnacoo, Stony Creek, sold 25 Charolais cows and calves from $1280-1480, and seven Angus cows with Charolais CAF for $1330.
W&T Warren, Cowwarr, sold 30 Angus-Friesian and Angus-Hereford cows, in calf to Limousin bulls, from $1150-$1280.