A huge yarding of 4630 cattle met with strong demand at the Warrnambool November store cattle sale.
Several vendors who sell annually in November, Warrnambool’s last monthly store sale for the year, and an offering of 1100 Friesian cattle from dairy farmers looking for extra income produced the big yarding.
Good prices at store sales compared to the weekly prime sales also helped draw what was the highest number yarded for many years at Warrnambool.
Warrnambool Stock Agents Association president Glenn Judd said weaners and light steers made between $3-$3.54c/kilogram and heavier cattle between $2.85-$3.20c/kg. Mr Judd said prices were firm to 10c/kg dearer on last month’s Warrnambool store cattle sale.
Plentiful grass and feedlots topping up numbers had underpinned demand, he said.
Buyers had come from “everywhere” including NSW, South Australia, Wangaratta, Ballarat and throughout the south-west, Mr Judd said. Among the happy vendors were Peter and Gerard Ryan of Hawkesdale who gained 354c/g twice, once for 25 steers averaging 290kgs and for another pen of 24 steers averaging 315kgs.
They also fetched 330c/kg for another pen of 25 steers averaging 381kgs and 342c/kg for a pen of 25 averaging 337kgs. Peter Ryan said prices were starting to pick up again and they were selling before the January weaner sales increased supply.
Moyne Falls at Hawkesdale sold 360 Angus steers at open auction (under 300kgs) for $900-$1200 and about 190 open auction Angus heifers for $700-$800.
Barry Farley, Toolong, near Port Fairy, said the 312c/kg he received for Angus steers averaging 386kgs were not the boom prices of last year but he would be happy if he averaged about $1000 a head for the 79 head he offered. Simon Cuzens, Woolsthorpe, always sells store cattle in November and was also happy with the 312c/kg he got for 11 13-month old steers averaging 418kgs.
Indicative prices included:
Angus steer weaners – Woodbine, 21, 354kg, $3.27c/kg, $1136; Purleigh, 16, 345kg, $3.40c/kg, $1173.
Angus steers - Murraba, 14, 582kgs, $2.75c/kg, $1600; 15, 550kgs, $2.87c/kg, $1578; Rosverland Farms, 15, 421Kg, $3.23c/kg, $1359; Beacam Holdings, 18, 473kgs, $3.20/kg, $1513; Draffin Properties, 11, 497kgs, $2.81c/kg, $1396; 25, 356kgs, $3.42/kg, $1217; 21, 439kgs, $3.28c/kg, $1439.
Angus Heifers – Ryan Pastoral, 25, 343kg, $3.08/kg, $1056; 26, 307kg, $3.24c/kg, $994; Fairview, 25, 341kg, $3.08c/kg, $1050; B&M Farley, 31, 319kg, $3.10c/kg, $988; St Kitts, 21, 414kg, $3/kg, $1242; 19, 373kg, $3.12/kg, $1163; J. Hay&D. Werchon, 25, 339kg, $3.06, $1032.
Cows and calves sold up to the $2600 fetched for seven units from Merri Farms.