Young Angus females, with small autumn-born calves at foot, made beyond $3000 a head on three occasions during a special sale of store cattle at Myrtleford, in Victoria's northeast on Friday.
In a sale containing almost 250 head of female breeding units a gallery of predominately northeast buying interests were keen to bolster herd numbers with numerous other sales cleared in the $2200 to $2800 per outfit price range.
The market topper were a three-in-one deal – re-depastured for one month to an Angus bull while almost all other sales were sold at “not station mated”. Sold as a double pen of 23 by 23 these were prepared and offered by Adam Fitridge of Whorouly while W & E Roose, Myrtleford sold a yard of 10 by 10 Angus heifers, with calves at foot, for $3030 per outfit.
A third yard of 11 by 11 Angus heifers, with young Angus calves at foot offered by IBP, Havilah were also cleared a $3000 per outfit price tag.
A small number of other in-calf lots, some “pregnancy-tested in calf” were offered and these generally made $1580 to $1720 a head.
Selling agent Dan Ivone, Paull & Scollard said the opportunity to secure breeding stock was extremely scarce.
“As an agency, we recognized this aspect of the market some months ago, and we have made it an objective to prepare as many lines as possible in order to make this yarding possible” he said.
“The exercise was completed at some considerable financial risk but the rewards in the end have made our efforts worthwhile” he told Stock & Land.
Among the leading suppliers on the day were the Ivone family trading as IBP, Havilah. They sold as many as 90 cow and calf outfits -all breeds gathered in small lots from district sales – and calved down for a sale average around the $2500/head mark.
“It was a good example of where the market sits if additional breeder numbers are sought” Mr Ivone said.
Other vendor lots to sell well included a Pine View yard of 9 by 9 Angus heifers and calves, nsm, sold at $2820 a head and a second yard of W & E Rouse, Myrleford Angus, nine heifers, with Angus calves that made $2825 per outfit.
Sales of younger finishing -type weaner cattle comprised mostly spring-drop lines in the sub-300kg weight range.
While these were all offered unweighed prices for steers were mostly formed in the $1100 to $1340 per head price range while heifer sales rarely fell below $1000 a head, topping at around $1330.
On a per kilogram basis steers were estimated in the 365 to 500c price range while heifers ranged from 340 to 400c, with good support provided for future breeding purposes.
Among the larger pen lots, Tomasoni Family Trust, Smoko, sold Angus steers, 10-11 months, at $1340 a head, Oversteer, Whorouly sold pens of Angus steers 12-15 months, at $1320 and $1260 while Yurumpa, Buffalo River sold Angus steers, 10-11 months, at $1310/head.
Other sales included a JK Cooper, Tawonga line of Hereford steers, 7-9 months sold at $1240 while M&P&S Antonello sold 25 Angus steers, 8-10 months, by Eurangie and Jarrobee Angus bulls to $1160 a head.
Better heifers included a pen of Leonard Ryan Cheshunt Hereford heifers, aged 18 months, sold at $1335 while R&N Ivone sold 25 Angus heifers, 12 months, at $1135 a head.
The sale of 1160 saw buying primarily confirmed to the northeast, with a host of local repeat buyers offering support.