There was a limited field of buyers at Pakenham’s recent store cattle sale, due to the dry conditions.
Alex Scott & Co livestock manager David Setches said in some places, cattle would have been $100-140 cheaper per head, compared to last fortnight’s sale.
“We haven’t had a follow up of rain after the rain that came a fortnight ago, so a lot of people are sitting on the fence and electing not to go in and restock at this stage,” Mr Setches said.
“With fat cattle not setting the world alight at the moment either, people are just a bit apprehensive about jumping in again.”
In the yarding of 1600 young cattle and 100 cows and calves, he said there were isolated sales of lightweight cattle, under 300 kilograms, that made up to 300 cents per kilogram or better, but there was an “awful lot” of cattle, mainly steers, that made 270-285c/kg.
He said the best of the 400-500kg cattle made 255-270c/kg, whereas last fortnight they were getting closer to 300c/kg.
‘Shoreham Pastures’ had 10 Hereford steers, 393kg, on offer, which sold for $1080 per head, and a further pen of 14, 356kg, which made $990/head.
‘Absolute Angus’ sold 10 Angus steers, 315kg, for $900/head.
‘D Perczyk’ sold 10 Charolais steers for $1160/head, or 317c/kg.
In the heifer section, ‘RHJV&MR Kershaw’, sold 11 Charolais for $970/head, and ‘JS&SJ Taylor’, sold 11 Black Baldies for $730.
Mr Setches said it was a mixed quality yarding, with a lot of lightweight cattle coming forward.
“People are taking those lighter calves off their cows because of the dry conditions, and they showed signs of the dry, which was reflected in the prices,” he said.
He said the small buying gallery consisted of no volume buyers, but agents with orders, and “the odd farmer who may have a bit of feed about”.
He said he is anticipating things to slow down in both the fat and store sale markets.
“It’s not just dry down here in Gippsland, it’s very general, and I think numbers will come to a screaming halt in the next month or so, when people have sold what they had to sell,” he said.
The next store sale to be held at Pakenham will be on Thursday, April 3.
The sale was conducted by Everitt Seeley & Bennetts, Landmark, Nathan Gibbon Livestock, Rodwells, Alex Scott & Co, SEJ Livestock, and Elders.
Joely Mitchell
Joely started her career at Stock & Land as a cadet journalist in 2016. She is now the editor of the paper.
Joely started her career at Stock & Land as a cadet journalist in 2016. She is now the editor of the paper.
