DEMAND FOR CATTLE at Euroa was squashed by cheaper fat cattle prices early in the week, and competition was weakened potentially, by a much larger offering at Barnawartha the next day.
Offering 951 cattle, which included some younger cows and calves, and joined females, the yarding was mostly in plain condition.
Interestingly, only a few pens had their known weights displayed, and with potential buyers estimating weights, this was an advantage for the seller at times.
From the outset demand was weaker. The top price pen of yearling steers came form J&D Ryan, who was paid $1110 for six Angus steers weighing 413kgs.
Initially, it looked as if they would be a lot cheaper, but a feedlot buyer walked up after the start lifting the end price, which was still cheaper.
Suitable cattle were purchased for grain feeding, while reasonable support from the Goulburn Valley purchased many of the smaller cattle.
Yearling and older steers sold from $750 to the top price with only three pens making $1000 and above.
Because of the very dry season, many of the steers weighed lighter than how they looked.
WJ Newton sold 40 Angus steers from $890-$1080, and these equaled an estimated 317-330c/kg, but there was no weight displayed.
R&R Gough sold 30 Angus steers, some 14-15 months old, and others 12 months. These steers sold from $840-$1000.
Most of the younger steers sold from $700-$880. B&F Mahncke sold 56 Angus and Charolais-Angus steers from $650-$820.
Mitchell Park Angus sold 25 young Angus steers by Campaspe Rock bulls, and good competition for these well bred steers saw them make $570-$770.
Hereford steers of “Godolphin” sold for $785 and $685 and sales of steer calves were noted from $400-$520.
In the heifer sale, R Willis sold yearling Angus heifers for $1000, and two other vendors were paid $850 and $880 for their yearling heifers.
From their it was tough going with most heifers selling form $400-$610. A pen of Charolais-Angus heifers in fair condition sold for $800, and were purchased for grain feeding.
J Haygarth, “Larapinta”, sold 53 Angus heifers from $465-$610, which was a contrast to their steers which made $740.
The Mitchell Park Angus heifers made just $370-$535. Prices for young heifers were noted upward of $290.
Closing the sale were cows and calves, two pens of PTIC cows,and one pen of cows pregnancy tested as not in calf.
D Ross sold 18 Hereford heifers and calves for $1320, but there were two other sales that topped this price. Margni Park sold two good quality Angus cows and calves for $1700, and Burnt Creek Angus sold six heifers and calves for $1540.
“The Pines” sold 29, 1st-5th calving Hereford cows, PTIC to calve from August on. Showing to be on the point of calving they sold from $650-$740, and were good buying if you had the grass. Their pen of empty cows sold for $590.