All of Gippsland is suffering through a very dry start to winter, and with much of East Gippsland having a dry autumn too, supply increased with agents offering 1613 head.
Included in this generally good quality yarding was a number of cows and calves, and joined females.
Yearling steers were generally in good condition, and a good supply came forward, with producers considering that their steers would only go one way during winter. Price is a big drawcard, and these older steers sold above fat sale prices, mostly $1400-$1840, which was as much as 20 cents per kilogram liveweight better off.
GD&GJ Hopkins sold 22 Hereford & Angus-Hereford steers from $1665-$1670, or 315 cents per kilogram liveweight. MD Reed, Cann River, offered 49 high quality Hereford steers, which sold between $1400&$1480. Jim Pendergast, “Penderscourt”, Benambra, sold 8 Angus-Hereford bullocks for $1840, or 313c/kg, a good 20c/kg above the previous days fat sale.
T&A Whelan sold 19 yearling Hereford steers, 480kgs, for $1590, and at 331c/kg this was a good sale. N Kenny sold 13 Hereford steers for $1440. PR Henderson Farms, Orbost, sold 14 Hereford steers for $1460.
Younger steers sold well, despite being a little cheaper. Again, here at Bairnsdale, top quality steers with breeding and veterinary treatment displayed sold to the best advantage.
P&A Pota, Bega, sold 31 Angus steers, TeMania blood, from $1130-$1180, and as they equaled 426-428c/kg lwt, these were no cheaper than two weeks ago. R Bayley & D Li, sold 13 Angus steers for $1160, or 446c/kg lwt.
Also selling well was 32 Limousin cross steers of Johnston&Searight, which sold from 41110-$1200, or 400-405c/kg.
A late, feature entry of 104 young Angus steers, Leawood & Wattletop blood sold from $700-$910, for Coonmoor Past Co, Bairnsdale. P Kramme sold 20 very lightweight Hereford steer calves for $770, and were estimated to equal 481c/kg lwt.
Friesian and crossbred steers were cheaper. PR Henderson Farms, Orbost, sold 12 Friesian bullocks, 517kgs, for $1120, and LEW&HJ Johnstone, Orbost, 45 Friesian and cross bred steers from $700-$990.
The heifer portion of the sale made up a larger percentage of the market than usual. Top of the yearling heifers was G&R Maher selling 6 Angus heifers for $1460, followed by Glensheil Past Co, Buthcers Ridge, with 31 good quality Charolais cross heifers from $1130-$1350.
Their was strong demand for feeder heifers throughout the sale. Some yearling Hereford heifers of PC&RE Foster, Ensay, sold to a feedlot for $1270.
Most other heifers were younger, and sold between $710&$960. P&A Pota sold the sisters to their Angus steers from $910-$960, equaling 358-360c/kg lwt. Many of the well bred, younger heifers sold for these equated, liveweight prices. Buchan Station, 10 Angus heifers for $910, L Woodgate, 14 heifers for $960, and WV&CF Stevens, 18 Murray Grey steers for $850.
The feature draft of Coonmoor Past Co’s, 74 Angus heifers sold from $700-$840.
Competition for heifers, and cows and calves was limited. “Penderscourt”, Benambra, sold 29 Hereford&Angus-Shorthorn heifers with young Angus calves at foot, from $1600-$1980. A better sale was N&S Hutchison selling 6 Hereford cross cows with their 4th calf at foot. These sold for $1840.
A similar story could be told for the joined females. M Sweeney & C Bila sold 17 Hereford cows PTIC to Mawarra Hereford bulls for spring calving, for $1200, Janice Frankiln, 14 Hereford cows, PTIC to calve July on, from $1100-$1140, and Weerona Farm selling very good quality Hereford&Angus-Shorthorn heifers, PTIC for August calving, for $1420.
