LEONGATHA
Yarding 1801
1130 Steers to $1950
583 Heifers to $1750
41 Cows and Calves to $2175
A COOL CHANGE rolled over South Gippsland from early Thursday morning, which left behind over 10mm of rain.
This steady, and times heavy rain, saw numerous producers abandon field work for the day, and attend the fortnightly store cattle sale at Leongatha.
The yarding of over 1700 head was very mixed, and included many pens of Friesians from calves straight off the bucket, to 2 year old steers.
With plenty of grass, and high prices for traditional breeds, these dairy cattle sold to very strong competition, and created some very strong trends.
Overall, competition was strong, which saw many sales, equal to dearer than two weeks ago. However, some of the older steers, especially those of heavier weights, were cheaper, following recent fat sale trends.
Supply came mostly from South Gippsland properties, as the trend of cattle coming from Central and East Gippsland waned. Processors and buyers of feeder steer and heifers were much quieter as producers outbid them for most of the day.
A few small pens of older steers and bullocks were offered throughout the sale, which could have well been sold in the previous day’s fat sale. However, they did make more in the store sale, if only a few cents per kilogram liveweight more. These steers sold to a top of $1950. Narjo P/L, Fish Creek, offered 11 Limousin-Angus yearling steers, which were in fat condition. These sold for $1770, or 315c/kg.
The difference in this sale was the small variation in price between quality steers, 10-12 months, and yearling steers 14-20 months of age. Russell Best, Welshpool, sold 11 yearling Angus steers, 430kg, for $1470, and JE Bowron, Sandy Point, quality Shorthorn steers, 285kg, for $1330. This comparison could be found right through the sale.
P&J Sibly, Archies Creek, sold 60 Angus steers weighing between 335 & 421kg, and sold in a small price range of $1400-$1500. F&C Cameron, Phillip Island, sold 24 Angus steer from $1410-$1515, or 398-415c/kg lwt.
Many pens of medium weight spring drop 2015 steers, weighing from 340-400kgs, sold between $1300 & $1515. However, strong competition for quality lighter weight steers, 250-340kgs, created some very good results.
NR&M Arnup, Fish Creek, sold 11 Angus steers for $1360, or 466c/kg lwt. G&S Hasthorpe, Tanjil South, sold 25 Charolais steers from $1040-$1330, well into 430c/kg lwt. A&J Ristrom, Lang Lang, sold 12 Limousin-Angus steer calves for $1140, to equal 407c/kg lwt.
Despite the large supply of dairy and dairy cross steers penned, competition was very strong. Future Plains, Kilmany, sold 26 Friesian steers from $1100-$1310. However, GW&JA Shilliday, Fish Creek, sold 25 British Holstien Friesian steers from $1120-$1290, equaling 333-353c/kg lwt.
Bucket reared calves sold anywhere from $490-$600 with some of these estimated at over 550c/kg lwt.
Heifers sold to solid competition, with isolated small sales of heavy yearling heifers to $1750. A good supply of light to medium weight yearling heifers sold from $900-$1340. One good example was 113 heifers sold by The Firs, White Creek, which made between $1090 & $1340, to average $1198.
JE Bowron, Sandy Point, sold 24 Shorthorn heifers for $1120, and G&S Hasthorpe, 20 Charolais heifers for $1030.
The offering of 84 cows and calves was of very mixed breeding and quality. Most outfits sold from $1600-$2175 with G&S Hasthorpe selling cows with young calves for the top price.
