THE most relieved expressions coming out of today’s Euroa store cattle sale were to be found be found on the faces of the selling agents.
After scratching together not quite 800 cattle for the market even hardened agents were starting to get a bit rattled before sale-o as they watched more than one big buyer walk in, do a quick whip around and walk straight out.
Landmark Euroa’s Russell Mawson said they could see the whole thing going pear-shaped – until the first pen was offered.
Despite all fears the heavier steers would end up going between $3.30kg and $3.60kg – as good as, or better, Russell suggested, than going direct to a feedlot.
Lighter weight steers did even better, with several pens going close to $4.
Landmark auctioneer Hayden Rogers didn’t waste any time once he realised disaster had been averted, whacking through pens as fast as he could and building a genuine sense of demand in the surprisingly good gallery.
Neville Broughton from Strathbogie brought 16 Angus steers at 424kg to the sale and watched them knocked down for $1450 or $3.42 in the first run of pens.
Heifers averaging 436kg peaked at $1470 ($3.37).
“They are going straight out to be joined and will be back here PTIC for the black sale in December,” Russell said.
“Cows and calves made $2200 which I was a bit disappointed with, I thought they might have gone to $2400 on the day,” he said.
“Prices went down as the quality and weight dropped off, and anything off brand or less popular breeds struggled a bit – but the cents per kilo stayed pretty strong throughout.”
And to show anything can sell on an unexpectedly good day, a pen of 10 Droughtmasters, rarely seen in these climes, managed to make $980 against limited interest.
