'Best' prices in 20 years

Feedlot buyers who were active in Western District weaner sales had to battle local restockers to secure numbers, helping to lift prices by up to $200 on last year's suffering market.

On par with Hamilton and Casterton's weaner sales, prices comfortably sat at 230-240 cents a kilogram.

A regular face in the Western District weaner sales buying gallery, Howard Bush, Penny Royal, managed to secure 145 Angus steers, weighing 340-396kg, to a top of $910, or 230c/kg, for an average of $881.

Teys Feedlots; Hopkins River Beef; Landmark Leongatha, Swan Hill and Wangaratta; Elders, Korumburra; Chris Stanley Livestock; and Gibb & Co, Queanbeyan, NSW, secured pens and trucked stock to Gippsland, the North East and New England, Jindalee and Charlton in NSW.

Teys livestock buyer Nathan Burey secured 270 head to $905, or 235c/kg, with the top paid for 14 Angus steers, March-April drop, weighing 386kg, Merrigrange-blood, from Mooleric Pastoral Company, Birregurra.

In the Angus run, steers weighing 340-396kg sold at $815-$955, while 310-340kg steers maintained their value selling at $720-$850 and lighter, unweighed calves sold at $550-$600.

Popular local vendor Mark Jacobs, South Dreeite, sold 134 Angus steers weighing 300-380kg, March-April drop, Pathfinder- and The Basin-blood, to $910, or 240c/kg, av $822, or 242c/kg.

The Point Pastoral Company sold 109 Angus steers, 270-350kg, Banquet-bld, to $830, or 242c/kg, av $732, or 240c/kg.

Peter and Richard Gannon, Birregurra, sold 79 weaned Angus steers, February-March-drop, Murdeduke-bld to $910, or 246c/kg, av $820, or 247c/kg.

In the Euro offering, LA&MF Millard sold 17 Simmental-cross steers, av 305kg, to $735, or 238c/kg, and $695, or 228c/kg, across the two pens.

Landmark Harcourts, Leongatha, livestock buyer Terry Ginnane purchased 170 steers headed for South Gippsland and said they were the hottest prices he had witnessed at Western District weaner sales.

"It was a very strong sale where to buy really good calves you needed 240c/kg," Mr Ginnane said.

The top price paid for Hereford steers was $815, or 235c/kg, paid for Peter and Alison McDonald, Moonmoot, Birregurra, for a pen of 20 9-10-month-old steers, weighing 348kg.

The McDonalds sold 72 head to av $780, or 244c/kg.

"We're pleased with the prices but it's been a long time coming," Mr McDonald said.

"The Herefords held their own in the sale for price per kilogram."

Charles Stewart Colac auctioneer Jamie McConachy said the prices were fuelled by recent prime cattle markets that had opened 20-30c/kg higher on 2014 prices and given buyers confidence.

"It was a very, very dear sale – one of the dearest I can remember in my 20 years here," Mr McConachy said.

"In terms of numbers here today our numbers were back 50 per cent.

"The reason was that the forecast for 2015 is huge so we've decided to hold some back to value add.

"We have our finger crossed the cattle job remains buoyant throughout 2015 for those farmers who have taken the punt, trying to increase their return."