DRIER weather conditions in all of East Gippsland factored into a very large annual, autumn steer and heifer calf sale at Bairnsdale, Tuesday.
Agents off 3586 head that included a very large percentage of steers.
All cattle were showing the signs of those dry conditions, but the excellent breeding of the cattle shone through.
Many of the older steers and heifers showed good muscle and length, and in the heifer section some good to very good condition.
Only in the heifer section, did processors buy any killable cattle, and these purchases were minor.
Competition came from far and wide with several pens of steers and heifers travelling back to Holbrook, and into South Australia.
Feedlot competition was solid with four companies purchasing, but the balance of the competition came mostly from south and west Gippsland.
There were a number of feature lines penned that can best show the strength of this sale.
Buchan Station sold 130 Angus steers, AI sired by top quality Milwillah Elson, and backed up by Merridale Angus bulls.
No more than 12 months of age, they varied between 270&431 kilograms liveweight, and sold mostly from $1275-$1565.
Buchan Station principal, Bryan Hayden was highly pleased with their sale on the day.
The Hereford breed shone through, led by Paul Marshall, who sold 75 steers from $1290-$1470, which equated to 381-403c/kg lwt.
Most of the steers sold, in liveweight terms, between 370 & 420c/kg.
The Rogers family, trading as Bayrook Pastoral Co, Gelantipy, sold 86 Hereford steers from $1060-$1320.
Kent Park, Mt Taylor, have many faithful follows, and their 141 Hereford steers, Newcomen & Karoonda blood, sold from $1040-$1235.
RW&P Savory sold 25 Charolais-Angus steers for $1450, and RJ Mee, 18 heavily boned Charolais steers for $1350.
Except for a few pens of very young steers, most sold from $1050-$1450.
Tamcal, Swan Reach, sold 100 young Angus steers from $980-$1030, which very similar to a large they sold in the mountains, last week.
Top of the heifer sale was RJ Mee with their 18 Charolais heifers at $1230. K&R Ellis sold 21 Charolais cross heifers for $1140.
Many of the heifers sold between $650 & $990 with several pens of older weaned and non weaned heifers making from $1000-$1110.
Several pens of the older heifers were purchased for grain feeding.
D&D Guy sold 33 Angus heifers from $960-$1110, GA DiMarco, 22 Angus heifers for $1080, and David Hurley, 29 Angus heifers for $1020.
Hereford heifers sold equally as well as other breeds.
MD Reed sold 19 Herefords for $1040, and Bayrook Past Co, 34 heifers from $650-$970.
Competition between two buyers of younger heifers saw most sell between $750 & $950 for these orders.
Tamcal, Swan Reach sold their 82 Angus heifers from $760-$810.
