The promise of good weekend rains across Victoria, which arrived mid-sale, whet the appetite of demand at Warrnambool monthly store sale on Friday.
Offering a large yarding of 2700 head due to the extremely dry pasted six months, the penning contained a large number of spring-drop calves normally sold later in the year.
The usual feedlot and processor buyers participated, however, with optimism stirring due to the improved weather outlook prices, especially for the female lines remained to hold firm against recent softer prime and store market trends.
Philip Keane, SKB Rodwells, said prices were solid throughout the sale.
“There were plenty of feeder inquiry for the heavier conditioned cattle,” he said. “And then another wave of buyers stepped up the interest for the smaller and plainer lots.”
Anthony Mahoney, Brian O’Halloran & Co said renewed speculation in heifers for backgrounding also for breeding underpinned the inquiry for unjoined females.
“Graziers keen to increase their breeders numbers have two choices,” he said. “They could either buy calved and joined females which there was not many or they competed against the trade for unjoined heifers.”
At the market open a small block of red-coated grown steers sold accordingly to weight or age.
DG & MA Pevitt sold 10 Saler steers, 520kg, at 276c/kg lw while a yard of Billanbri Simmental steers, 547kg, made 274c. Dalveen Partnership sold 15 Hereford steers, 465kg at 276kg, while a yard of 511kg Mt Napier Angus steers made 290c/kg to open an outstanding run of black cattle.
Riverview sold 17 Angus, 427kg, at 313c/kg lwt with the same buyer, Teys Charlton Feedlot, securing a second pen of 24 Riverview Angus steers, 382kg at 319c.
Bernleigh sold 39 EU-Angus steers, 390kg, to Thomas Foods at 324c/kg lwt, while Rosverland sold 27 Angus steers 350kg at 326c to Hopkins River.
Warrenlea sold at 329c a pen of 24 Angus to Landmark Warrnambool with the same buyer claiming 19 Korringal Angus steers, 308kg at 310c.
A feature line of Roseneath North Charolais steers met broad interest. Its first pen of 28, 462kg made 314c while two yards 392kg and 326kg – sold together - made 321c.
Drafts of smaller unweighed steers made $660-$920 a head with most averaging about 350-360c/kg.
The market for unjoined heifers saw a left-of-field inquiry emerge from Deniliquin, NSW following steady overnight rain.
The Riverina order put 15-cents on many lead-draft sales as the usual feeders competed at rates according to breed and condition, between 280 and 313c/kg.
Lighter unweighed heifers made $600-$755 a head with many gaining equivalent rates to similar steers.
The demand for cows and calves out-stripped supply with several lots exceeding $2000 per outfit before topping at $2200 for five Angus heifers, with young fresh Angus calves at foot.
A pen of 21 Angus cows, with 3rd-4th Angus calves to two months, made $2070 while other beef and crossbred outfits made $1600-$1850
