PRICES held up across the yarding of 1498 cattle at Bairnsdale’s store sale last Friday.
There was a smaller yarding than normal of forward-store condition steers with size and weight.
But that did not deter buyers, who were happy to bid up for true store quality cattle, as well as plain offerings.
Buyers were plentiful, especially from regions where rain has fallen.
Buyers from Westside Meats and Collinson Meats were competing against was Ogilvie Group for feedlot and slaughter cattle.
South Gippsland re-stockers, who have benefitted from substantial, timely rainfall, had to go head-to-head against Dan Ivone, Myrtleford’s Paull & Scollard livestock principal, who was looking for steers and cow and calf units for northern Victorian farmers with pasture.
Mr Ivone bought 123 steers, 80 cows and calves and nine joined heifers.
“Our season is really, really good and we need to buy stock to take advantage of the feed that’s growing now,” Mr Ivone said.
It has been two years since he made the journey to Bairnsdale store cattle sale, but Mr Ivone was very pleased with the quality of livestock on offer.
Peter Smith, Omeo, sold two pens of Hereford steers, the first, 632kg, hit $1690, and second, 568kg, hit $1560.
Buchan’s Chris and Mary Wheeler sold a line of 2.5-year-old Hereford and Angus steers – the Herefords sold to $1560 for average weight 503kg, the Angus steers, 459kg, to $1470.
Orbost’s Ian Webb sent in a draft of Angus steers that sold to $1560.
Vin Martin, Forge Creek, received $1520 for 525kg Hereford steers.
Keith Davies, Gelantipy, sold Hereford steers, 540kg, to $1500. Gullaview Pty Ltd, Fernbank, also sold Hereford steers, 502-540kg, to $1500.
Hereford steers, 409kg, vendor Bruce Kennedy, Doctor’s Flat, sold at $1360.
Corrimore Pastoral Co, Bombala, sold a line of Angus steers, 360-387kg, to $1320.
Clifton Creek’s B&M Giljevic sold Angus steers, 413kg, $1305.
Youngs Creek Pastoral, Orbost, sent in Charolais steers, 440kg, to return $1300.
John and Janice Coates, Buchan, sold Angus, Hereford and Black Baldy steers. The tops, 316kg, made $1220.
Friesian steers, 512kg, P Jennings and S Croton, Bruthen, sold at $1180. A second pen, 465kg, sold at $1060.
Prices held up as the age and condition score of steers went down – C Maiden, Orbost, sold six-month-old Angus steers, $940.
Charolais-cross 10mo steers, vendor Mick Sweeney and Christine Bila, Dargo, sold at $870.
This was typical of Friday’s yarding, where there was a floor in the prices paid.
It continued in the heifers, where feedlot and meat buyers, in particular, competed.
Among the better quality and presented heifers, Geoff and Lyn Johnston, Walpa, sent in two pens of 12-14mo Herefords, ave 375-408kg, that sold to $1215.
Robert and Dot De Geus, Genoa, sold 12mo Belgian Blue heifers, for $1170.
Youngs Creek Pastoral, Orbost, sent in Charolais heifers, 347kg, that returned $1110.
Bulmer Farms Pty Ltd, Lindenow, sold Angus heifers 361kg, $1070.
Cows and calves were popular, as buyers who missed out on steers looked at other options and competition was driven by Paull & Scollard buyers.
There were a number of pens with small numbers of cows and calves and these were popular among small landholders.
Gambelon, Clifton Creek, sold Black Baldy cows with Charolais steers, $2020. A further pairing with Angus calves sold at $1640.
Paynesville’s Brad and Karen Obst sold Angus and Black Baldy cows with Charolais calves, at $1860.