If buyers went to Monday’s Echuca store sale hoping for a few bargains, they were sorely disappointed.
The catalogue of almost 1800 head saw prices stay solid on recent sales – and stay solid to the last pen.
Even though buyers had come from as far as Gippsland and Tasmania, PTIC cows with calves at-foot topped out at $3100, PTIC cows at $1800 and steers went to $1440 to make 360c/kg while lighter steers went through the 400c/kg barrier.
Anthony Pogue, Elders Echuca, said the buyer turnout was huge compared with most Echuca sales.
“Which was lucky considering the number of cattle we were pushing through,” he said. “But it didn’t matter what was in the pen, competition remained strong all day. We even saw a load of Friesian bull calves make between $680 and $745 – and they will be going onto the boat and down to Tassie.”
Mr Pogue said some local producers were caught off guard by dry feed’s drop in quality, made worse by ongoing rain.
