Nothing could be timed better than to offer a high quality yarding of yearling and younger steers, and heifers, on the back of up to 50mm of rain, after a long dry spell.
Leongatha agents sold 2615 head, which included very well bred yearlings, weaned, and non weaned steers and heifers, and good quality cows and calves, Thursday.
There was a big crowd, and a good group of feedlot buyers, and local fatteners keen to source cattle now that it has rained, albeit, only to turn paddocks green.
Buyers of feeder steers and heifers gave their first indication of a pending supply shortage, lifting prices by as much as 20 cents per kilogram liveweight, compared to this market two weeks ago.
Charlton feedlot was one of several successful purchasers, buying yearling steers. Bullock fatteners were in the mix too, and prices were a lot higher. Netherwood Past Co, San Remo, sold 38 Angus steers to $1490, and many other yearlings made from $1260 to this top price. with weights displayed, heavy steers equaled 294-308c, and many weighing 420-490kgs equaled 298-324c/kg lwt.
McRae Pastoral Co, Inverloch, was a stand out, selling 82 yearling Angus steers from $1330-$1470. Some of these were heading north of the border for grain feeding, and to Charlton, some to the Western District.
Charolais and Hereford yearlings sold well too. M,E&K Triantafyllou sold 38 Charolais steers to $1470, and R&M Hunt, Newry, Angus and Hereford steers to $1420, which were all very good sales.
A high quality line up younger steers also sold very well. A prime example were the 152 Angus & Angus-Hereford steers of Omeo Station. These steers would normally be sold in the mountain sales, but an earlier decision to keep them for this market proved a major tactical move.
Selling from $940 for 260kg steers, to $1280 for 383kgs, strong local support saw them equal 334-382c/kg lwt.
From Glengarry, A Conisbee & Co, sold 68 Angus steers, EU accredited, from $1090-$1240, or 340c/kg. Andco, Mardan, sold Limousin-Angus steers for $1155, and Allmac, Hedley, Charolais steers to $1020.
Two drafts of very young steers emphasized prices here. Dixon&Lee, Mardan, property sold, offered 81 Angus calves, selling from $770-$895. The other was M&h Johns, selling 100 Angus steer calves from $370-$550.
Good quality crossbred steers sold to $1440, and Freisian bullocks to $930.
While not selling to the lofty price increases of the steers, strong competition was strong, and prices dearer for heifers.
Feedlots, processors, breeders and restockers, all contributed to these good results. M&M Stephens, Yallourn, sold 14 yearling Angus heifers for $1150 with numerous other sales close behind. A range of $950 to the top price was achieved for yearlings.
The 180 heifers of Omeo Station sold very well, making from $650-$1150, mostly over 300c/kg lwt.
Bulleondurra, Mirboo North, sold Charolais-Angus heifers for $1020. At the other end were the 98 Angus heifer calves of M&H Johns that sold from $270-$470.
Rounding off every sale are cows and calves, and for many of the recent sales, quality has been poor.
This time there was some quality. GL&JM Wallis, Leongatha South sold cows and calves from $1810-$2000, and PTIC cows to $1580.
