Yarding: 3000
Steers sold to $1452, av $1149
Steers: 260 and 291c/kg
Euro steers: 267-276c/kg
Angus bull calves: $460-$615
While it is very dry across all of Victoria, competition was strong for all classes of cattle at Mortlake.
This was despite a much larger than anticipated offering.
Included in this yarding were several drafts of cattle that had been on agistment around the district.
Some of these were in plain store condition.
There was a large crowd with many just observing.
That saw feedlot buyers dominate the buying throughout the sale.
All weights were sought with processors buying heavy and medium weight steers.
Top price for the yearling steers was $1452 from a base of around $1200.
W,J&S Kinnealy sold 27 Angus & Angus-Hereford steers from $1296-$1417.
Liveweight prices ranged between 260 and 291c/kg. All steers averaged $1149.
Younger steers sold very well with feedlot buyers competing head on with local producers.
The sale was also well supported by buyers from Wangaratta and down to South Australia.
Thrown into the mix too was live export competition. All sections made purchases.
Harlock Pastoral Co, Bool Lagoon, was awarded the Best Presented Pen, for their Hereford steers.
Selling a total of 60 EU accredited steers from $1204-$1345, these made 285-288c/kg.
Very heavy Charolais cross yearling steers sold for $1433.
Lighter weight European breeds and their crosses sold to strong feedlot competition making from 267-276c/kg lwt.
Well bred feature lines of steers sold to the best competition.
R&C Gray, Tinpot, Heywood, sold 78 Angus steers from 272-328c/kg, equaling $1053-$1171.
At the very light end of the calves were 134 Angus bull calves, which had been drafted off a large line of Angus cows.
These were sold last in the day.
These bulls sold from $460-$615.
Given they were very light, this was an excellent outcome.
In between these and the older weaned steers were several pens, mostly Angus steers, that sold between $770 and $880.