There remains a lot of uncertainty around cattle competition, and prices, of the annual calf sales. Commencing in Wodonga, January 3, the sale of some 40,000 plus steers, heifers, plus joined and calved females.
Normally, the Hamilton sales commence the season, but as Christmas Day falls on Monday, they have gone back a week.
Now, Hamilton and Wodonga are the two major sale centers in January but Yea, Wangaratta, Leongatha and Pakenham, all fall within a four week period.
Look for all advertisements in the Stock & Land each week.
Not all sales have as high a profile as others, but their is plenty of competition to go around.
Especially in the 2018 sales, as most of Victoria and the south east of South Australia, have had a magnificent end of year season.
Much of the conversations pertaining to the 2018 sales, is a reflection on the previous year. January 2017 created a whole new level in fat cattle prices, and this aided some exceptional competition in the weaner sales.
Cast your minds back twelve months, and you will see prime bullocks selling up to 368 cents per kilogram liveweight. The 2017 calf sales were seeing steer prices reach between 360&460c/kg, but we wont see that again in 2018.
Bullock prices have fallen 100c/kg by the end of 2017. However, a benefit for vendors in 2018 sales, is the exceptional season, and therefore, the high weights of the calves.
Taking into account annual calf sales held in December at Euroa as an example equivalent liveweight prices are still 20-50c/kg above fat cattle prices. The high weight, versus strong competition, should still return a good Dollar to producers.
A very good season’s end to 2017, also puts a lot of weight into fat cattle. One can expect that bullocks to be sold in early 2018 will weigh very well, also adding up to high Dollar values. This will give those selling fat cattle a good start to a purchase price for replacements.
What are buyers looking for for in the cattle they will purchase? Good breeding, quality and condition.
Angus cattle have become the proffered option for many producers, feedlots,, and backgrounders.
However, if you are purely fattening cattle for trade, or even export orders, most other breeds are more than acceptable.
In the photo above, you will see some Charolais-Angus, and Charolais-Red Angus steers of the Tarrawarra Abbey. Their 220 mixed sex calves are up for sale at Pakenham, January 11, and this sale will compete, head to head, with Wodonga and the Western District.
Plenty of other well bred cattle will be offered, here and Leongatha, but unless something changes, their should be plenty of competition all over.
Lets look briefly at sheep sales. In know my colleague, Murray Arnel has been travelling the countryside organizing advertising for Deniliquin agents.
Fat lamb, sheep, and therefore store sheep sales, have been not been restricted by lack of demand.
Fat lamb prices reached a very high peak late December with the small, but the Thorpdale lamb sale also set some records for weight of lambs.
Lamb, sheep, and wool prices are all aligned, and this bodes very well for January sales.
