BAIRNSDALE store cattle sale last Friday saw prices soar through the roof for both grown and young stock.
The prices were a testament to the well bred cattle of East Gippsland and even though the cold winter meant stock were not looking best, the optimism among buyers and sellers was strong.
There was a lot of 'grass fever' in the air with farmers bidding strongly against buyers' agents – the warm weather following widespread August rainfall impelling many to buy in anticipation of a good season.
If they were hoping to avoid a price spike, they created one on Friday. In particular, heifers were very popular.
"Heifers were dear today, very, very dear," said buyers agent, Eddie Hams, South Gippsland Livestock.
In a yarding of 984 head, there were a lot of weaner cattle; and prices paid broke through 400 cents-a-kilogram liveweight for the standout pen, 16 black baldy steers, eight-months-old, 243kg, that sold for $980 or 403c/kg. Vendor was the estate of Martin Stewart, Johnsonville.
Leading the sale, Hereford bullocks, 2-2.5-years-old, 569kg, vendor Owen Waller, Dargo, peaked at $1590.
Laurie and John Reed, Delegate, sent in a line of steers and heifers. Their grown Charolais steers, 413kg, returned $1330 and Hereford steer calves sold at $840.
Max and Margaret Treasure, Glenaladale, sold 13mo Hereford steers, 345kg, for $1235 each.
"Cattle are selling well but that was a lot more than I expected," said a happy Mr Treasure.
Dot and Robert De Geus, Genoa, sold Belgian Blue steers, 12-13mo, 320kg, to $1130. They were very happy with the price, which they said was $450 more than for the same bred stock, same age, they sold this time last year.
"If this is the new norm, beef breeding will be good again," Mr De Geus said.
He compared Friday's price with 2001, when they received $800 for similar cattle and farming costs per head were similar.
Graeme Simpson, Meerlieu sold 11-12mo black baldy steers, 306kg, for $1130.
Ken & Joan Connley, Benambra, sold a line of steers and heifers. Their Angus steers, 2yo, returned $1460, 13mo Hereford-cross steers $940 and black baldy weaner steers, 8-9mo, sold for $1100.
Mr Connley's Hereford, Angus and black baldy heifers sold to a top of $800.
A grown Angus heifer from Burley and Boulton, Orbost, sold at $1310; its pen sisters returned $930.
IP&HR Chippendall, Lindenow South, sent in a line of black baldy and Angus heifers, 318-355kg, that sold to $1060.
Jean Geehman, Ensay, sold 12mo black baldy heifers, $1010.
Black baldy heifers 295kg, sold for $970, vendor was Laurie and John Reed, Delegate. Their Charolais heifers, 278kg, sold for $900.
Cows and calves sold to strong bidding, with Tambo Upper's Joe Walters' Angus cows with Limousin calves-at-foot, rejoined to a Limousin bull, returning $1720.
Two pairs of Angus cows with Limousin calves, PTIC to a Limousin bull, sold for $1680; vendor M Sketchly, Lindenow South.
There were a couple of Angus Bulls which sold to $2550, vendor IO&HR Chippendall, Lindenow South.
