NORTH east, Gippsland and King Island grass-finishers increased the pressure on the store steer market at Yea last Friday pushing aside a strong body of feeder and processor buyers who, by the end of the day, dominated sales of unjoined heifers.
Prices paid for grown steers varied of $1350-$1600 a head while weaner steers made $850-$1340.
Most pens of steers were offered in genuine store condition after a tight, dry and cold winter. And, with no weights displayed best-guess estimates suggested the cents-per-kilogram rating for steers varied from 300-360c/kg lwt for the heavier drafts and 340-420c/kg lwt for the lighter weaners.
The market's highest steer price was a bid of $1600 a head made for 14 Charolais steers, aged 15-16 months.
These were offered by Manooka Estate, Whiteheads Creek, while PRJ Roberts, Trawool, sold a pen of 20 Angus steers, 18 months, at $1560 a head.
Paul Webster Pastoral, Yea, also sold two yards of Charolais steers, rising two years-old, to $1470, with the tops secured by export processor, Australian Meat Group, Dandenong.
While specialist and feeders were active of the pens of heavier cattle the demand offered by grass-finishers was particularly keen up to a threshold of about $1300 a head, which was a step-up since the opening of spring.
Jim Hutchison, Elders, said it was the first time this winter graziers have been able to purchase.
He said prices weren't reduced.
The fact was that grazier came with more money, and it is something that most people need to get their minds around (when buying) or they will get left behind".
Landmark's Chris Pollock agreed the sale was as good as it has been at Yea.
'There was not the weight in the cattle," he said.
"Conditions have been tight over the winter and already in some parts of the area people have concluded they won't finish their cattle this spring - hence the larger than expected yarding."
Rodwells' Adam Mountjoy said it was the stronger influence of the grass-finishers that underpinned the demand.
"There hasn't been a lot of interest in the grass department over winter but it has increased and the extra competition has narrowed the gap in steer and heifer prices," he said.
The line-up of weaner cattle was headed by an impressive display of European breeds, particularly of Charolais genetics.
P & H Bonsema, Acheron sold, at the head of the weaner run, at pen of 17 spring 2014-drop Charolais Hereford-cross. These made to $1270 a head while John Hickingbotham, Clarendon Park, Yea sold a yard of 22 Charolais-Angus, Sept//Oct-drop, at $1300 a head.
Lyntol Partners, Officer provided buyers with a glimpse assessment of an actual c/kg-rating.
They declared a home-curfewed weighted less five percent on its yard of 20 pure Palgrove-blood Charolais steers, aged 10-11 months.
Carded at 379kg, the Lyntol steers made $1340 a head while a second yard, carded at 322kg made $1120 a head.
Two pens of Blonde Aquitaine-Angus steers offered AN & T Grant "Darlga Downs" Deniliquin also generated plenty of interest. These made to $1250 while the best priced Angus weaners made to $1120.
These were offered by Barragunda Pastoral of Barwite while Berdue Pastoral sold a one-draft pen of 50 Angus steers at $1100.
Molesworth Pastoral, Molesworth sold a complete drop of EU-accredited Poll Hereford steers, Oct//Nov-drop.
These made to $1200 and a second pen, $1160 with both pens shipped to King Island and retained to the EU-system.
The gap between steer and heifer prices narrowed with grain-feeders paying $950-$1100 a head for suitable pens while longer-term speculators outlaid $740- $900 for lighter heifers in a full penning that tallied 2600 head over all.
A line of 50 Angus heifers yarded by Yenken Pastoral "Kooyang" Mansfield was keenly sought and were taken in a one bid offer made at $1100 while a second draft of 18 made $990.
Woodlands Romsey sold Angus heifers at $1060 while Webb Pastoral sold Simmental-Angus heifers at $990, and again at $890 a head.
Charolais lines of heifers made to $1100 for PLJ Contractors, $1010 for Clarendon Park and $1000 for S Creighton.
P&H Bonsema's Charolais heifers made to $970 while the Grant family's Blonde Aquitaine heifers made to $950.
Heifers were estimated to sell at 300- 315c/kg lwt with Garrison Feeders, Murray Downs, NSW, emerging as the principal buyers of coloured heifers.
A mixed quality yarding of cows and calves reflected the dry and cold winter but demand was forthright as five or more lots emerged with prices beyond $1600 a head to a best of $1850.
The top priced was a yard of third-calf Hereford cows, re-depastured with three to four month-old Angus calves at foot. These were offered by T Thompson while C&M Oliver sold, at $1680, mixed aged Angus cows, with 4-6 week-olds Angus calves at foot that were not station mated.