Pakenham agents offered a small and mixed quality yarding at their regular fortnightly store cattle market.
Most of the cattle were in store to forward store condition, and many were plain.
Very few lines of steers and heifers were penned, which made it difficult for buyers seeking lines of cattle, and especially if they sought quality bred cattle.
Supply came mostly from west and south Gippsland with some consigned from Nicholson, East Gippsland, and the regular districts north and north east of Melbourne.
This market is well supported by feedlot competition, and there was an extra buyer operating in this sale. However it is fair to say some of the buyers from small size properties were active on the small lots of cattle, which aided a good sale, especially considering the plain quality yarding.
G Murdoch, Kernot, sold five Angus steers, 420 kilograms liveweight, for $1400 to achieve the highest steer price, while AF&JD Hodgson, Koo Wee Rup North, sold four Angus steers, also 420kg, for $1380. The Estate of J Eals, Coldstream, sold 28 yearling Hereford steers, 369-380kg, from $1150-$1240.
An advertised consignment of 11 Angus steers, by stud bulls, offered by Quarterford Angus Stud, Mt Duneed, sold from $1105-$1350. The few slightly larger drafts of cattle fared well. R Thompson, French Island, sold 35 Angus steers, Ballangeich-blood, from $900-$1210.
D Land, Arawatta, sold 46 Hereford steers, mostly in poor store condition, and carrying little weight. The top two steers sold for $1310, the balance of 44 head sold from $700-$840. With some producers buying to price, and not wanting to spend too much money, good sales were generated for lightweight steers. The Estate of G Young, Avalon, sold 19 Angus-Hereford and Hereford steers, which were only small and light. These sold to strong competition making from $450-$660.
Clover Cottage, French Island, sold 19 British White steers from $890-$960, and TMH Pastoral Co, Pakenham, seven young Limousin steers for $810. D Slade, Woolami, sold 20 Angus steers, Banquet bld, from $850-$990. Many of the steers sold on the day equalled 312-370c/kg with some of the young and lightweight steers estimated at higher prices.
Heifers sold well, aided in part by the extra feedlot and backgrounding competition. The top price of $1370 was paid for two yearling heifers in fat condition, which were purchased by a processor. Most heifers sold between $600-$905, and while some sold for an estimated 265-295c/kg, numerous sales were noted over 300c/kg lwt.
R&J Chatfield, Catani, sold 12 Angus heifers, 330kg, for $1050, and R Thompson sold six Angus heifers for $905.
A small and mixed selection of cows and calves achieved solid results. East Gippsland Resources sold 12 Charolais and Charolais cross cows and calves to a top of $2340, to average $1933. S Stott, Pakenham, sold six Hereford-Friesian cows, which were in poor condition, but had quality Angus calves at-foot, and re-depastured to Angus, that sold for $1865.
