Over the past two months a very large number of store cattle have passed through the Bairnsdale yards. It commenced with two annual spring sales, and has been followed by other large offerings due to the continuing dry season.
Producers in East Gippsland, but mostly closer to Bairnsdale, had up to 20mm of rain late last week. Many of the producers attending this Bairnsdale market said this was the first measurable rain for many months.
Because of the number already sold, and as the season remains very dry, a yarding of 1050 head was penned at Bairnsdale on Friday.
While cattle from young, dry calves, to two teeth bullocks were penned, the quality was poor, and few decent lines of cattle were on offer.
Most of the competition came from South and West Gippsland with a very small amount of competition for feeder steers and heifers.
Considering the condition and smaller pen lots, and individual sales, prices were good.
Opening the sale was two pens of yearling Hereford steers offered by P&A Smith, Omeo. These steers, 502-519 kilograms liveweight, sold for $1360&$1460, or 271-281c/kg.
While they long and healthy steers, they were being sold because they could not be finished at home.
These steers would have been likely to make 20c/kg less in the fat sale, the previous day at Bairnsdale.
This competition led to a solidly competitive sale, and while prices were down, it remained a good result for producers. Many commented how they been feeding lots of hay, and they were glad to see them sold.
It was noted during the sale, that one producer from Dargo was selling very young calves due to having t run out of water.
P&P Sutton sold 6 Angus bullocks for $1450, and Bertino Pastoral, eight Angus bullocks for $1420.
There was solid demand for quality bred younger yearlings. Creighton Grange Angus, Mount Taylor, sold 20 steers (367kgs) for $1290, or 351c/kg lwt.
D&P Luckcock sold 19 Hereford steers to $1260, or 342c/kg lwt. Many of the steers were being sold early, and their condition was plain to very plain. However, when a Dollar spend comes into play, these lighter weight steers came out okay.
F O’Hehir sold 30 Angus steers from $910-$970, and K&K Skews, Ensay, 58 Hereford & Angus-Hereford steers from $760-$935. GD Simpson, Meerlieu, sold 40 Hereford steers for $900, or 324c/kg lwt.
To emphasis the solid sales for very plain, very young steers, JA Traill, Dargo, sold 48 calves from $290-$690.
Older yearling heifers did not sell well. A sale of 10 Shorthorn cross heifers, 498kgs, sold for $900, but demand for future breeding heifers saw 12 Angus heifers of Creighton Creek Angus, sell for $1100, after starting at $850.
Most other heifers sold between $500 & $810 with Parker&Simmonds selling seven Angus heifers for $870. F O’Hehir sold 21 Angus heifers to $780, the seconds making $10 more than the first pen.
MR Gibbs sold 28 Angus heifers from $795-$810, and B Manning, 18 younger Angus heifers from $530-$670. R Hine sold 6 European cross heifers for $730, and one single for $910.
One small lo of 3 Angus cows and calves, offered by DM&TD Howell, sold for $1650, and was a good sale. Most of the cows and calves were in poor condition, some with dry calves at foot. B Manning sold 13 Angus cows, 3rd CAF, for $1300, and P Kramme, 16 Hereford heifers, 1st & 2nd CAF, for $1180.
The sale of 13 Hereford cows, in very poor condition with young, dry calves, sold from $1020-$1060, which by comparison, was a very good sale. Their mates, still to calve, sold for $905.
