Numbers were again down, but prices were again up, at the Camperdown F1 Heifer sale.
About 1000 joined and unjoined heifers were offered by local producers, with agents saying most of the stock went back into the local area, to Gippsland and north to Yarrawonga.
Stewart, Nash, McVilly agent Phil McVilly said joined Angus Friesian cross heifers, depastured to Limousin bulls, went for $2800, while the top unjoined cattle sold to $1720.
The sale topping cattle were a/c G Sutherland, Warrion, who also made $2760 for a second pen of heifers.
Mr McVilly said Mr Sutherland sold 66 heifers, for an average of $2683.
The top unjoined heifer price was $1720, shared by a/c G and J McKenzie, Ecklin, and a/c G and D Cahill, Camperdown, who had lines of Angus Friesian cattle.
Mr McVilly said the numbers were down by about 150 head on last year.
“But the market saw twice the value of last year, for younger cattle,” Mr McVilly said.
“I had the same couple of vendors who sold young cattle last year for $360; they sold the calves for $710 this year.”
He said low cattle numbers continued to force prices up.
“They are selling them for big numbers at the other end, so you can afford to pay a bit more.”
O’Halloran’s Tim Healey agreed the market was consistently strong.
”We sold unjoined Charolais to $1720 and Angus heifers to $1710, with other Angus heifers to $1600,” Mr Healey said.
Stewart Dove agent, Terry Dove said he was particular pleased with a pen of six to eight month old Speckle Park Friesian cross heifers, which went for $1230, a/c Stonhenge.
Mr Dove said numbers were down because of the “dairy export job”.
Dairy farmers had been using Jersey and Friesian bulls, resulting in fewer F1 cattle on the market, chosing to turn off cattle for live exports.
Mr Dove said vealers, which hadn’t been in demand for the past five years, were again coming back into their own.
“We all knew it was going to happen, the cattle are not out there – once these weaner sales go through, in January, look out, because the cattle will not be around,” Mr Dove said.
“The good part of it is that the beef job is staying good, at the same time.”
He said the best of the unjoined heifers were 16-17 month old cattle, which made up to $1615.
Other good prices were achieved for Angus Friesian heifers, a/c K Geppert, to $1510, a/c Begley and Stevens, $1500 and G and K Cain, also $1500.
The best of the unjoined Hereford Friesian cross heifers were sold by B and K Boyd, for $1615, a/c J and K Tyers, $1570 and a/c Begley and Stevens, $1550.
Smaller calves, four to five months old, made $650-$720 while seven and eight months animals fetched $1040.
Elders sold Angus Friesian joined heifers, a/c Don Alexander, Camperdown, for $2680.
Charles Stewart, Camperdown’s Corey Baulch said heifers and the little calves sold extremely well.
We all knew it was going to happen, the cattle are not out there – once these weaner sales go through, in January, look out, because the cattle will not be around.
- Terry Dove
