Bairnsdale was the place, and Bill Wyndham & Co was the agent, for Tuesday’s annual spring cattle sale.
Because of the poor season, several high country producers sold their yearling steers, offering a larger than normal penning.
Despite the poor season, the yarding was the best seen for many months, at Bairnsdale, and elsewhere
In total, there was a large penning of 2545 steers and heifers sold to a very large crowd. Buyers came from as far afield as Mt Gambier, in South Australia, and two from the Western District.
If it was not for their added competition, some results could be a lot different.
Bullock fatteners were very wary of what they paid after much cheaper prices at Monday’s fat cattle sales.
Very well bred Hereford and Angus steers, 14-18 months, of good frame, and well looked after, sold to a top of $1580, and equaled 275-285c/kg lwt.
Going into the spring, these steers were very good buying. A good season will see these steers add weight and be gone before the autumn.
J&JM Reid sold 16 Hereford steers (602kg) for $1580 with most yearlings selling between $1290 and the top price. P&K Geehman sold 15 yearling Hereford steers, 562kgs, for $1460, and Donald Betts, 28 Angus steers from $1360-$1460.
C&D Anderson, Benambra, sold 30 Angus & Angus-Hereford steers, 491-537kgs, from $1450-$1510.
In contrast, competition for the best bred weaned steers was very good. Buyers picking their proffered best breeders, paid between 370&414c/kg lwt for these.
Top of this bracket was the Hurley Family Partnership, selling 170 Angus steers from $800-$1170, and Buchan Station, with 48 Angus steers selling from $1150-$1220.
There was a distinct preference for the Angus breed, which is not always the case. Top of the Hereford steers was CD&JA Cooper, Wulgulmerang, selling 54 Hereford steers from $1160-$1320.
These steers were in very good condition, weighing from 336-386kgs, equaling 341-345c/kg lwt.
A very noticeable difference at this sale was the lack of interest in the younger, lighter weight, and plain condition steers, that will be a longer term project.
CC&MP Wheeler, Buchan South, sold 67 Hereford steers from $970-$1270, and 76 Angus steers from $1020-$1310. A reasonable result on the day.
However some of the very light steers only sold from $700-$860, and were anything up to $100 cheaper.
A similar scenario can be told in the sale of heifers.
Breeders buying heifers to join paid a premium on the day, but prices here were only just firm on some other sales.
Strong competiiton for the top pen of Buchan Station yearling Angus heifers paid $1300 for 16 head.
P,J&L Sykes, Karoonda Park, Gelantipy, sold 16 Hereford heifers for $1090, but most other heifers sold from $500-$950.
P&K Geehman sold 19 yearling Hereford heifers for $750, which was a bargain for the purchaser.
The Hurley Family Partnership sold 106 Angus heifers from $730-$880 with many of these, and many other younger heifers, going to Mt Gambier, equaling liveweight prices of 285-305c/kg.
A big difference in this sale was the prices paid for younger and plain condition heifers. Selling from $500 and up, many sales were noted equaling only 228-265c/kg lwt.
RJ&AJ Crisp sold 50 Angus heifers from $600-$800. LJ Dignan, sold 92 Angus heifers between $500&680. These were very light, and estimated to weigh just 200-245kgs lwt.
One producer said that his heifers were up to $500 cheaper than 2016, when this sale here was at the very peak of prices.
