Quality lines of cattle held their prices at a smaller yarding, at the Colac monthly store sale.
Charles Stewart Dove’s Phil Douglas said the yarding featured the tail-end of cattle that had been offered for sale in recent months.
“Vendors are putting them on the market because it’s dry,” Mr Douglas said.
“It’s normal for this time of year.”
He said the better runs of cattle sold well.
“It was a secondary type yarding and not a big one,” he said.
“The little calves sold quite well while the bigger cattle were not as strong as the last few store sales. But that probably reflects the season – it might have been a bit better with the prime market kicking again.”
Mr Douglas said local buyers were most active with exporters noticeably absent.
“The heifers weren’t too bad but didn’t have the sting of our last store sale, that’s for sure,” he said.
Among the top lines of cattle were five Angus-Simmental cross steers, 14-16 months old, offered by HR and BA Beach, which sold for $1280, or 257 cents per kilogram.
They also sold another pen of seven lighter Angus-Simmental cross steers, averaging 450kg, for $970, or 215c/kg.
Mr Douglas said other good lines were offered by Gerangawood Farm, with seven, September to October 2016-drop Angus steers, Weeran blood, for $1270, or 263c/kg.
Another line of five Gerangawood steers at 423kg, sold for $1200, or 283c/kg.
S Howe sold two “very quiet” 12-month-old Poll Hereford steers, averaging 440kg, for $1140, or 259c/kg.
Karmichael Angus offered nine, 12-month-old Hazeldene blood steers, averaging 327kg, making $1000, or 305c/kg.
M Missen sold 10, 327kg Angus cross steers, eight-to-nine months old, for $1000, 305c/kg.
NG and CD Mawson sold 11 Murdeduke Angus blood steers, nine to 10 months old and averaging 313kg, for $940, or 300c/kg.
Tynimille sold eight Angus steers, September to October 2017-drop, Weeran blood, for $910.
Among the heifers, PD and DA Gardiner sold six, 10-11 month old Poll Herefords, averaging 325kg, for $840.
B Bowen offered eight, 10-month old Limousin cross heifers, selling them for $820.
Among the Friesians, Mystic Park sold 14, 12-18 month old steers, averaging 417kg, for $770
Mystic Park sold a second pen of 16 lighter steers, averaging 390kg, for $700.
East Kirkby sold a pen of five Angus cows with calves at foot, to Basin and Rossander blood, for $1925.
Greg Pope, Winchelsea, said he had bought several pens of lighter cattle, to grow out.
“We’ll hopefully grow them out to 600-700kg and send them off to the abbatoirs,” Mr Pope said.
“With these small fellas it’ll take some time, but we’d like to get them up into that range.”
He paid $550 for a pen of six to eight-month-old Lauricella steers and another $470 for a pen of five.
“We know the guy who owns them and like the breeding,” Mr Pope said.
“They are Murdeduke blood.
“The idea is to take a punt and see how we go.
“We have a couple of paddocks of grass, and some hay from last year, so we should be okay.”
