Pakenham
Yarding 2500
Steers to $1645
Heifers to $1200
Cows and calves to $2380
Cattle prices soared at Pakenham store market yesterday (last Thursday), in a yarding of 2500 where quality livestock rocked the laneways to an average 330c/kg return liveweight.
Buyers competed strongly; sending steers to $1645, heifers to $1200 – in some pens females outsold their brothers – and cow and calf units to $2380.
A large draft of 9-11-month-old weaner cattle from Canoola, Beveridge, leading the sale, attracted the good yarding, according to Landmark’s Peter Brewer.
“It was an excellent yarding of cattle and values for quality cattle were better than the past couple of months,” he said.
“Prices and competition held up throughout, with great support from South Gippsland, East Gippsland and New South Wales buyers.”
Jack Dowell and Greg MacKay, representing Canoola, said water was a major factor in the decision to sell. Dams and creeks were dry and the property had only a couple of bores available for stock use.
Hay yields were down one-third, mirroring conditions across most of Victoria.
“We’d normally get rid of the steers at 13-14mo and we’d keep all the heifers, but we have to offload them, to look after the existing herd,” Mr MacKay said.
“Even with the season, these are some of the heaviest cattle we’ve ever turned off at this time of the year.”
They recently sold last year’s cast-for-age heifers.
Canoola prices were very favourable for the sale. Angus steers, liveweight 344kg, topped $1170, average $1065; and heifers, 301kg, topped $1020, average $849. Return on weight ranged from 311-344 cents-per-kilogram (c/kg) on steers and 286-320c/kg for heifers.
Mr MacKay said the previous draft of steers sold in June, lwt 313kg, returned a top of $925, average $802 or 310c/kg.
Among the heavier cattle, P Williams, Lysterfield and R Thompson, French Island, each offloaded six Angus steers, 565kg, at $1645.
A lot of steers sold above $1300 each.
In another feature sale, Charolais weaner heifers from Frank Sofra, Whispering Pines, Kyneton, lwt 321kg, returned $1200.
Mr Sofra sold a line of Charolais steers and heifers to $1210 and $1200 respectively; and a line of Angus steers and heifers to $1150 and $965.
In a quality yarding of cows and calves, Peter Italia, Fiveways Pastoral Co, Tooradin, sold seven empty Belgian Blue first and second calvers, with calves-at-foot (CAF), at $2380. The herd went to Colac.
GD&WA Walker, Merricks North, sold Angus cows and calves, running with an Angus bull, to $1770.
Pat Esse, Esse Rural, Sunbury, sold 13 third calvers, depastured to a Lawson bull, with Angus CAF, at $1740.
