Over the preceding week, prior to the Leongatha store cattle sale, saw a large crowd attend with more buyers among them.
One buyer traveled from the Riverina looking to purchase, but went away empty handed, as the local competition was too strong.
Showing no disrespect to any other agent, Landmark offered around 60 per cent of the total offering of 2450 head.
The steer portion of the sale was by far the largest with only a small percentage being heifers, and very few cows and calves were penned.
Landmark SGL were second sale, but there was only three pens prior to them starting on an outstanding yarding of yearling Angus steers.
Trading as Thimms Hotel, Calignee, the Thimms family sold 112 Angus steers weighing from 500-592 kilograms liveweight.
It was a competition between two buyers, for three feedots, that set a strong pace for these, and influenced the balance of the sale.
Landmark Tamworth, Teys-Cargill, for their Charlton feedlot, and Thomas Foods International for their South Australian feedlot, purchased all of these steers from $1750-$1910 to average $1832.
Between the two later companies, they purchased another 100 or more steers with most others selling from $1630-$1880.
The equivalent liveweight prices were from 345-370c/kg.
This particular sale is an annual event for Landmark, and following on form the yearling steers they offered several annual drafts of 7-12 month Angus steer calves.
Heading the list here was Elm Valley Pty Ltd, Tarwin Lower, selling 223 predominantly Angus steers, which sold from $990-$1340, av $1156. Every pen equaled from 414-452c/kg lwt.
O’Loughlin Pastoral, Tarwin, sold 78 Angus steers from $1100-$1270, and BJ O’Loughlin, Mirboo North, 75 Angus steers from $900-$1300.
Most of these younger steers weighed 200-300kgs, but several drafts of steers closer to 12 months of age sold to $1580. A Conisbee & Co, Glengarry, sold 25 steers from $1370-$1490, R&J davies, Alberton West, 28 steers from $1480-$1580, and K&P Hourigan, Buffalo, 20 Hereford steers from $1320-$1460.
Other agents offered very good quality steers too, but the pickings were slim. “Comeragh”, Wooreen, sold 20 yearling Charolais steers, and 29 similar aged Angus steers from $1760-$1880.
Crossbred and Friesian steers featured strongly in this sale too. B,N&A Garrett, Flynns Creek Upper, sold 53 Angus-Friesian steers from $1300-$1570. J&S Seabrook, Leongatha, sold the highest price Friesians at $1100 with most Friesians making from $600-$900.
Competition for heifers was equally as strong, especially for a feature line of 60 Angus heifers offered by D&K Kuch, Darriman. Breeders set a cracking pace for the top 17 of these paying $1520 for 350kg heifers. The balance sold for $1210&$1280, all good sales equaling 385-434c/kg lwt.
Maxray Nominees, Buffalo, sold 26 Charolais heifers from $1200-$1250. K&L Holmes, Boolarra, sold 18 yearling Hereford heifers, Mawarra blood, for $1140.
We had a good season and were hoping our steers would average 500kgs. Averaging 546kgs, and $1832 was an excellent result for us.
- Henry Thimms, Calignee
