SOLID competition from three states launched the weaner cattle-selling season on a promising note at Casterton, Victoria, on Wednesday last week.
Good seasonal conditions in central and northern New South Wales and eastern Victoria underpinned the market, which topped at $864 or $2.15 a kilogram.
The top-price pen was from Geoff and Sue Sinclair, Noss, Casterton who sold 40 Pathfinder blood 402-kilogram Angus weaners .
The Stark family, Blink Bonnie, Lake Mundi, Vic, was a volume vendor with Yarram Park, Injemira and Banemore blood Herefords to $692/head.
Of the 1910 weaners offered, lighter cattle in the 280kg to 330kg range sold to strong demand, most making $2.10-$2.25/kg with a top of $2.37/kg.
Buyers included Rob Walker, Sundown Pastoral, Kingstown, northern NSW; Landmark Leongatha Vic's Terry Ginnane; Gibbs & Co Queanbeyan, NSW's Greg Darmody; and Landmark national commercial sales manager Mark Barton, Wagga Wagga, NSW, securing numbers for trade, backgrounder and feeder clients at Scone, Walcha and Wagga Wagga.
Mr Barton bought 260 Angus and Herefords 260-340kg for backgrounding or feedlots by clients in the Northern Tablelands of NSW.
"We were targeting those weights because we need to get the numbers on trucks as we're up for a 20-cent-25c a head freight bill, so we need to make the trip worthwhile," he said.
He said the excellent season "up north" was spurring-on clients wishing to make the most of the good feed. Many clients who had formerly been traders were instead moving into breeding.
"Trading conditions have become quite difficult, with many making returns of around 10 per cent when they really need to sit on around 20-30pc to make it worth their while," he said. "Prices are certainly up on where they were two years ago, but slaughter prices have taken the shine off and many traders are moving towards breeding instead."
Other vendors to shine were Brian Murphy, Dunrobin Homestead, Casterton, who sold 87 Angus including 24 Banquet blood 361kg at $797 or $2.21/kg to Hopkins River Beef at Dunkeld, Vic.
Mr Murphy said the "up-and-down" season was a challenge at times, but he was pleased with the prices for his late November-weaned steers.
Wando Hills sold 22 Angus-cross 306kg at $725 or $2.37kg, and 15 Charolais-cross 358kg at $805 or $2.25/kg to Lion Rural.
The Short family, Curramulka, sold 23 Angus 322kg at $721 or $2.24/kg to Sundown Pastoral.
Baroona sold 25 Pathfinder blood 323kg Angus at $752 or $2.33/kg, also to Sundown.
Summer Lodge sold Hereford-Shorthorn Ironbark blood in the 340-360kg range to $792 a head or $2.20/kg which were put on the truck to Leongatha.
Sundown Pastoral's Rob Walker said the number of heavier cattle at the sale kept his order smaller.
* Full report in Stock Journal, January 12 issue.
