Despite 20mm of rain this week, Sale and districts are still desperately dry, and needing as much rain as South and West Gippsland. Glenmaggie Weir has started to fill, and irrigators have been told of a 100 per cent allocation, no grass and empty dams still prevail.
This has forced some producers to sell early, one of these being G&E Bates, Munro. Trading as “Maidavale”, Geoff & Elizabeth Bates sold half of their steers and heifers at Sale, Friday.
Competition was strong for these cattle, in very good condition, seeing their 109 Angus steers sell from $1250-$1380. This equaled liveweight prices of 308-327c/kg, a good result for yearling steers, especially when there was no feedlot competition.
A few small lots of heavier yearling steers sold to poor demand, partly due to a lack of reasonable numbers. B&A Howard sold heavy steers to $1330, or 273c/kg lwt.
PK&TL Dowsett sold 17 Angus steers from $1090-$1250, and “Annsfield”, 39 Angus steers from $1145-$1200, or 345-352c/kg lwt.
Most of the younger steers sold between $660&$950 and the lowest price steers were only babies. Sandy Camp, Seaspray, sold 14 Angus steers for $940, and RA&A Elliott, 10 steers for $820.
The 75 Angus heifers of “Maidavale”, sold to solid competition, making from $1000-$1100, to average over 300c/kg lwt. J&J Elliott sold 18 Angus heifers to $1110, the balance of the heifers from $550-$810. The lower price heifers were quote young.
IG&HJ Baker sold 5 Angus heifers & calves, Kunuma blood, for $2000 after spirited bidding. Other cows and calves of P&J Harrison sold for $1620, and P&C Monkhouse, $1280. All reasonable sales.
At the end of the steer section of the market, their was 10 pens of young dairy steer and bull calves sold. Dry conditions forced the sale, and dry conditions restricted competition. Prices were mostly from $150-$450.
Every year, the Lynch family, Kunuma Angus Stud, hold their Southern Bull Sale at the Sale selling complex. Kunuma Angus have had a long standing association with Ian Baker, Greenwood Livestock, and they brought 30 bulls from their Monaro property to Sale.
Having already held their Monaro sale, Dean Lynch, Kunuma Angus, indicated that prices here at Sale, reflected the downturn in physical prices.
Local competition was prominent and with a base price of $3000, most sold up to the top price of $6000.
Robyn Kuch, Perry Bridge, has purchased numerous Kunuma Angus bulls, and again purchased the top price bull, Lot 24, Kunuma L127 (APR). Robyn said she has been very the results of using Kunuma Angus bulls, and was a keen bidder, Friday.
Not all bulls were sold at auction, but were, and some were sold post sale.
