Yarded: 1960
- Steers: 550-650kg: $1490-$1520, av 259c/kg; 450-550kg; $1130-$1460, av 261c; 360-450kg: $970-$1260, av 281c/kg.
- Heifers: to $1360/head (564kg), 360-450kg: $860-$1140, av 261c/kg; 280-360kg: $760-$920, av 262c/kg.
Prices were roundly praised as being much better than expected at a sale of 1960 store cattle at Ballarat on Friday.
The sale, conducted under a warm, cloudless sky, saw prices cheaper to average five to 15 cents a kilogram live weight lower than the centre’s mid-March sale.
This much better than expected result followed what was a horrid fortnight in eastern states cattle markets where the Eastern Young Cattle Index (EYCI) plunged almost 10 percent due to the heavy of flow of stock being quit on the back of the dry weather engulfing the south eastern corner of the continent.
Major and opportunity feeder buyers formed the basis of the better than expected demand This resulted in an excellent display of grown and heavy weaner steers selling mostly at 260-300c/kg while heifers were cleared for an average of 255 to 265c/kg.
The April yarding, which was 600 head less than the March market, contained a good display of cattle presented in fresh condition along with a selection of plainer lines and smaller clean-up lots.
TB White and Sons principal Leo White agreed prices received were well advanced on those expected.
“We were reasonably confidence in our preparations that our grown steer yarding, with its weight and condition, would draw good feeder inquiry, which it did,” Mr White said.
“The tops of our weaner yarding with its breeding, weight and freshness would also gain good competition, which also occured,” he said.
In regard to the prime marketa Mr White said it was a fairly disappointing week as a lot of cattle were sold due to the dry weather, and it was these mostly lighter and plainer lots that were proving the hardest sell.
In the grown steer section heavy steers weighed between 550 and 650kg made $1490 to $1520 a head and averaged 259c/kg lwt while steers, 450-550kg, made $1130-$1460, av 261c/kg.
The top priced yard with a weight of 604kg was offered by GR & LD Hastings.
The yard of six Angus was sold to Korumburra which also gathered yards offered by Ribblesdale - 13 Angus, 520kg bought at $1410, 18 Beckworth Angus, 570kg bought at $1490 and 10 Cloverdale Angus steers, 520kg, bid to $1420.
Feeder orders from Teys Jindalee, NSW, Creek Livestock, SA, Hopkins Rivers, Macarthur and Garvan at Avoca were all keen participants.
When combined the feedlotters cornered 650 head or 33 percent of the market.
Feeder orders were also keen bidders for the lead drafts in the weaner yarding where steers, 360-450kg made $970-$1260, av 281c/kg and steers, 280-360kg, made $850-$1040, av 296c/kg.
Among these better sales TW & RL Shaw sold 16 Angus, 430kg at $1260 a head while Kelso of Burrumbeet and Nebpak, Springbank each sold pens of Angus at $1240 with weights of 413 and 415kg respectively.
A pen of 30 Warrack Angus steers from Ararat, 422kg, made $1210 while lighter steers that were offered unweighed made $700 to $890 a head.
The yarding of heifers also drew strong and steady inquiry from the feeder sectors, holding prices firm on recent district rates.
Heifers were sold to a top of $1360 a head (564kg or 241c/kg) while most offered weighed from 360 to 450kg made $860 to $1140, av 261c/kg.
Heifers, 280-360kg, made $760 to $920, av 262c/kg, while smaller and plainer lots made $500 to $830.