COMPETITION was keen and prices slightly improved for the heavier pens of grown and weaner steers at the Landmark Ballarat annual cattle sale on Friday.
Offering a total yarding of 3294 head to a smaller gathering, prices for the pens of grown steers, feeders and yards of heavier weaners averaged equal to five cents a kilogram liveweight higher, while lighter weaners lacked the intense competition of last week’s steer-only Ballarat market as noted lines averaged near equal rates while most others were priced $50- $80 a head lower.
The market for heifers was also more subdued than the previous Ballarat heifer sale held two weeks ago.
Competition for the unjoined female yarding, although consistent, saw prices 10 to 12c/kg lower as the escalating dry conditions across southern Victoria raised concerns among the regions opportunity traders.
Heifers were sold from $800- $1260 a head, with most realising 260- 280c/kg.
Landmark auctioneer Xavier Shanahan said that the penning offered similar weights in most sections however quality was declined.
“This is the way store buyers prefer to buy their cattle,” Mr Shanahan said.
Opening the 43rd annual market, vendors M& R Daunt sold six Angus steers, 596kg at $1480.
These were taken by Landmark Leongatha while J&F (JBS) Feedlots secured from M&J Mizzeni – 13 Angus, 502kg, at $1460 and LD Stringer – 10 Angus steers ,499kg, at $1380.
Teys Charlton Feedlot was another active feeder buyer claiming Angus steers, 466kg, at $1340 from Coliban Heights while Ravensworth Feedlot, NSW collected yards from Crossroads – Angus, 489kg, at $1400 and Angus, 480kg from B&L Latch at $1390.
A pen of 21 Langi Kal Kal Angus, 433kg made $1300 while a second pen of Mizzeni Angus, 429kg, made $1230, with the former booked by J&F Feedlots while the latter fell to Landmark Leongatha.
In the weaner run the Draffin family’s, Rowallan Lodge Angus steers from Windermere were judged as the market’s best presented.
The lead of these, 433kg, made $1280 while their second and third yards of 28, 391kg, and 21, 331kg made $1190 and $1030.
Other vendor drafts to gain the full attention of buyers included DJ & AM Davey, Burrumbeet – 26 Angus 366kg sold at $1195 and the Molesworth family’s Ballark Operation – 24 Angus, 354kg, sold at $1185.
A pen of 47 Angus, 364kg, bred at Mt Wallace by MT & CP Mullane made $1150 while 23 Angus, 359kg, made $1200 for Ballanee, Bungletap.
Similar to last week live export buyer, Landmark International purchased the lion’s share of the weaner yarding. The company booked 711 head at a buy average of almost $1000/head which was about $100/head below its haul of last week of 754 head.
The live exporter operated on all weights and all breeds from 240 to 380kg and included sales of 36 Angus, 335kg – B & Askew sold at $1040 ,MT & CP Mullane – 46 Angus, 321kg, bought at $1010 and 22 Swinton Limousin-cross, 376kg, bought at $1130.