IT was easy to see why the cattle yarding at Yea supplied more than 2600 head on Friday, and most animals were in store condition.
On arrival at the saleyard, the temperature was only two degrees and foggy.
Much of the yarding was steers and heifers calved only in September and October last year.
Many of these calves would not normally be sold until the spring sales in September, and weighed 200-300 kilograms live weight.
The cattle were of good breeding, and the sale opened with a few pens of yearling steers, but the heaviest steers were only estimated to potentially be 440-460kg.
Several feedlot buyers vied for these steers and it was not until many pens down the first lane before a producer got a look in.
The sale was solid without being over the top, and some buyers commented this was a lot better than the previous sale two week's prior.
The first nine pens sold from $1000-$1255, and all went to a feedlot.
GC Matthews sold 51 Angus and Angus-Hereford steers from $1040-$1225.
Garrison feedlot, Teys Bros and Hopkins River were the main buyers down the first lane of steers.
A pen of 21 Angus steers, carded Dunoon sold at $955, and the owner said they had a curfew weight of 320kg, which meant they equalled 298c/kg.
Most of the steers sold on the day were estimated to made 270-310c/kg.
C&R Jackel, Acheron, sold 23 Angus steers from $1115-$1120 and a pen of 10 Charolais-Angus steers for $950, which was the top price for the breed.
The competition for the steers, which were estimated to weigh 220-290kg, lifted up a notch.
Most of the demand came from sources closer to Yea with some feedlot activity.
However, a buyer from Hamilton purchased several pens of Angus steers from $700-$840, which was the range of most sales.
The best of the September 2014-drop steers hit $890.
The heifer sale was volatile with strong competition between feedlots, backgrounders and fatteners combining to produce a solid to dearer market.
The quality of the heifers was better, with the female cattle holding up better in the cold conditions.
Because the weight of the heifers better suited feedlot orders, competition was strong and the first five pens sold to Hopkins River feedlot from $900-$950.
However, these heifers would weigh well and were good buying for the feedlots.
K&DR Webbware, Yirraba, sold 45 Angus heifers, 15-17 months, Welcome Swallow- and Barwidgee-blood, from $750-$910, av $871.
Top of the heifer sale was for 11 of 25 Angus heifers, Landfall-blood, offered by Pick up Pastoral Co, Ginnung, at $950.
Many pens of heifers, including several pens of Charolais-Angus heifers sold from $700-$825 with most of these purchased for grain feeding.
A&I Grant, Nargla Downs, Deniliquin, sold 35 Blonde d'Aquitaine-Angus heifers from $725-$755.
The lighter and younger heifers sold mostly from $360-$635, and all of these prices were greatly accepted by the vendors.
PJ&KL Tull, Murrinstone, sold the top price cows and calves at $1380.
These Angus-Hereford cows had their third calf at-foot (CAF), three months, by Murrinstone Black Simmental bulls, and had been running with the same bull.
Most cows and calves sold from $1110-$1380.
