General easing of the cattle market could have an influence on next month’s Euroa weaner sales, with prices at the January 10 sale likely to come back on last year, according to one agent
Elders’ Tony Pianto said prices could be down by an average of $150, on last year’s highs.
“The whole market has come back – this time, last year, we might have been getting four dollars for Blacks,” Mr Pianto said.
Last year, agents offered 2380 steers and heifers.
Burnview Angus topped the sale, with 17 yearling steers, weighing 435kilograms, for $1510.
Feedlot competition bid against local fatteners, with prices ranging from $1415 to the top figure.
But Mr Pianto said if the prices settled around what vendors received at December’s annual Black Friday Angus sales, “it will still be pretty good.”
Agents saw the“Black Friday” sales as a good guide to the January weaner offering.
This year’s “Black Friday” sale started with autumn 2017 drop steers, the best of which weighed 449kgs. “Inverness”, sold 19 head for the top price of $1370, and pen after pen of other steers sold from $1150-$1280.
Mr Pianto said he expected buyers from south-eastern South Australia, Gippsland and the north were expected to be active again in January.
“If the north gets Christmas rain, they will be there, no question,” Mr Pianto said.
He said recent rain had affected dry feed, along the flat country, which might check calves between now and the sale.
Rodwells Scott Meehan was among agents who agreed January were likely to reflect the figures reached in early December.
Agents were expecting a full yarding of about 3000 cattle, weighing up to 430kg.
“There’ll be plenty of prices of around 330-380c/kg, as they are going to have a bit of weight about them,” Mr Meehan said.
Cattle would be drawn from the north-east and around Euroa.
‘The hills are holding on, the flat country has gone, but the hills around the north-east to Myrtleford and Wodonga is all pretty good,” Mr Meehan said.
“That’s where the strength is coming from.”
Landmark’s Rod Carnegie said the December Angus sales had seen “exceptional lines of cattle.
“It was a great line up of cattle and our weaner sale will be very similar,” Mr Carnegie said.
He said he didn’t think they would be as heavy, although the December sales saw a line of “genuine weaners”, which weighed 400kg.
”I hope there will be a lot of local competion, because of the season we have had
“Around Strathbogie and Myrtleford there is a lot of grass, everywhere,” Mr Carnegie said.
“Everyone has grass fever.”