Yarding: 1690 head (incl calves)
Cows and calves to $2400
Heifers to $1460
Steers to $1700
PRICES at Ballarat store cattle sale on Friday met expectations, according to Leo White, TB White & Sons.
He said as parts of Victoria were becoming dry and the cattle market generally has come back, he thought “we came out of it well”.
Mr White said grown steers made what agents had expected, although they were a bit softer: “Heavier steers made prices equivalent of $3 to $3.40 a kilogram.”
The 846 steers topped at $1700 for J&SC Robinson’s 17 Angus steers, Lawsons blood, around 18 months old and an average live weight of 540kg. They were knocked down to Teys Charlton. The Robinsons’ next pen of 20 at 489kg made $1590.
Most lighter weight steers made $110-$1200 a head, including PD&JL Wrigley’s six Angus steers, Banquet blood, 443kg, that sold for $1220 to Darren Mullan, Kaarimba. Mr Mullan also bought the Wrigleys’ next pen of six lighter steers for $1140. He bought a few trucks’ worth of steers and heifers for a cattle feedlot they run alongside Xtreme Quarter Horses.
South west and local restockers also bid on the steers.
The 719 heifers topped at $1460 for J&SC Robinson’s pen of 23 Angus heifers, 499kg, and were purchased by a TB White & Sons’ account. The next 23 at 484kg were knocked down for $1440 to Teys. Teys was strong on the heavier steers and heifers.
Mr White said better bred heifers sold well: “That’s what happens, better bred and better quality cattle will always sell better in trying conditions.”
In fact, Andrea Strawhorn’s 15 Angus heifers, Banquet blood, 321kg, sold for $1140 to a Bendigo region restocker, and this price was $20 more than their steer counterparts. Her pen of 14 steers, 331kg, made $1120.
Buying agent Peter Tuohey was active on the heifers.
Joined females made to $1750. This price was achieved by Kerrie Park Livestock’s nine third and fourth-calver cows that were PTIC to calve in August and September.
Mr White said joined females were “buyable”.
“Angus cows and calves, with their fourth calf, made their money too,” he added.
Account Level Crossing’s pen of four cows, three to four years-old, with market calves at-foot (CAF) by Millah Murrah bulls were sold to HF Richardson & CO Ballarat for the category top of $2400. Generally, cow and calf prices were softer than last month’s exceptional rates.
He said while the EYCI had come back below 600c, he did not expect it would go as low as some people had predicted.
Mr White said limited supply would help to keep prices strong, for example this time last year, about double the number of cattle were yarded at this sale and at Ballarat’s recent prime markets only 150-250 head are offered.
He said it was terrific to have support from Gippsland buyer Russell Motton, who competed on bigger types; and a buyer from South Australia who was active on lighter heifers.