The prospects of a decent rain falling later in the week inspired a strong inquiry for smaller weaners at Kyneton’s monthly store cattle market on Wednesday.
Offering another large yarding of 1000 head, selling agents were more than satisfied with the market’s result given the dire local season that brought forward numerous drafts of Spring-drop weaners normally later in the year and a number of younger autumn-drop calves separately from the mothers.
McGarth Rodwells’ Kieran McGarth said considering the season, and the quality of the yarding, “it was a spectacular result”.
Cows and calves he said sold excellently while light young cattle drew an inquiry much better than was expected.
“It’s drier than a drought around these parts”, Mr McGarth said. “And the promise of a rain unearthed a level of eagerness not seen since the early parts of the spring”.
Elders Brendan Coxon agreed and said the mounting concerning over the season had initiated another round of selling, this time young autumn-born calves being sold separately from the mothers in an effort to get the cows through the winter.
It is fairly diabolical in these parts, Mr Coxon said. “We desperately need this rain to get some feed happening”.
The opening pen of the sale was a yard of well-grown heavily boned 0-2 tooth Hereford steers weighed at 538kg. Offered by Hallaway these were sold to Conroy Brothers of Docker, near Wangaratta while a yard of nine Limousin Angus steers, 390kg, made $1190 for K Wellm.
A pen of six Charolais Angus steers, 406kg made $1200 a head for S&J White. These went to commission buyer Peter Tuohey’s Riverina feeder order while E Thiele sold a pen of 11 Angus weaners, 300 kg, at $910 a head to Bullengarook opportunity feeder, L&N Taylor.
In fact these feeder orders along with Garrison Cattle Feeders, Swan Hill, purchased the lions share of the suitable feeder steer pens at prices between $900-$1250 a head, with odd singles sold higher.
Pens of smaller cattle went to Daylesford, Myrtleford, Bendigo, Ballarat and locally as longer term grazier speculators drew encouragement from the promise of rain. These pens of younger calves varied in price from $350- $600 a head for those aged two-three months and up to $860 for spring-born calves.