Sale
Yarding: 626
Steers to $1820
Heifers to $1220
Cows & calves to $1640
THE market was softer for female store cattle at Sale on Friday, but held for well-bred steers with weight.
It was obvious from the buyers attending, that many were filling trucks partly stocked from the previous day’s store sale at Pakenham. Consequently, there was hot competition for steers from local and South Gippsland farmers and feedlot buyers.
Gary Knight, Stratford, sent in a draft of rising two-year-old back baldy and Hereford steers. The blacks, 564kg, returned $1820; the two pens of Herefords, average liveweight 500kg and 515kg, both sold at $1720.
Perkins & Stothers, Longford, sold 2yo Hereford steers, 536kg, $1735. In the same pen, 18mo Hereford steers, 481kg, returned $1660; vendor P Lauria, Longford. C&H Missen, Toongabbie, sold 18mo Hereford and black baldy steers, 431kg, $1485. A second pen, younger and lighter, returned $1300.
There was a floor of $1000 for younger, well bred steers.
Don and Kerry McMillan, Airlie, sold 8mo Charolais steers, 317kg, $1270. Thelma Coster, Newry, sold 10-11mo Angus and black baldy steers to $1210.
The Gerrard family, Malanda Pastoral, Stradbroke, received $1190 for yearling Hereford steers.
Bidding and price dropped off in line with quality.
Plainer cattle struggled to sell at times; maybe buyers are getting choosy about the quality of livestock they are looking to turn-around on grass before January or, at the latest, mid-Autumn.
There were few heifers in the market but most were well-bred.
GG&EJ Bates, Maida Vale, sold yearling-off Angus heifers, 355kg, $1220. A second pen, yearlings, 332kg, sold at $1210. RA Elliott, Briagolong, sold Angus heifersfor $1190.
Hamilton and Michelle Gerrand, Malanda Pastoral, Stradbroke, sold 12-13mo Hereford heifers, 307kg, $1180. A second pen, of black baldy heifers, 305kg, sold at $1115.
The top-priced cows and calves were Angus units from D&M Birss, Dawson. The few other lots were mostly of plain condition.
