It was a good effort by producers and selling agent, Bill Wyndham & Co, to offer 1981 cattle in their 2018 annual spring sale, Tuesday.
With many of the regular sellers having already sold their cattle because of the poor season, offering this many was not expected by many.
While there was a good crowd, competition was limited, although Landmark International did buy, as did someone for Tasmanian producers. However, some of the sting of the previous week had been lost.
A small selection of heavier yearling steers were penned and prices ranged from $900-$1440. P,J&L Sykes sold Hereford steers for $1440, as did C&J Cooper. Prices for most of these were unchanged on recent sales.
J Stewart sold 41 Angus steers from $1170-$1240 and P&G Wermke, 18 Angus-Hereford and European breed steers from $1100-$1205.
Competition varied over many of the 2017 drop calves with some buyers seeking grass fed assurance. This made a difference of $100 at times, which left some producers asking questions.
Very well presented was the 60 TeMania and Dunoon blod Angus steers of Froehllich and Pota. Weighing from 310-363kgs and selling from $1020-$1210 was a very good result.
Only slightly lighter, the 82 Hereford steers of W&P Connley, weighed 277-338kgs, and sold from $790-$980. producers looking for grass fed status could not buy these, as the producer had supplementary fed them to keep them for this sale.
The Hurley Family Trust sold 154 Angus steers, which varied a lot in weight. Those that had been weighed came in at 255-299kgs, and sold from $790-1000, all over 300c/kg lwt. However, the lightest sold from $570-$790 with the lightest being good buying.
Good buying could be attributed to most of the lighter weight steers. Many sold between $450&$650.
Included in the sale were Friesians from young calves just off the bucket to older steers. Prices ranged between $80 and $605.
Strong bidding for a few yearling heifers took them to good heights. P&K Geehman, Ensay, sold 18 Hereford heifers, 16 months, for $990, and R Bird, 8 heifers for $910.
Strong competition between breeders saw 16 Hereford heifers of P,J and L Sykes, Karoonda Park, sell for $710.
Good quality, younger heifers sold well due to their weight and condition. Froehlich & Pota sold 53 Angus heifers from $670-$900 with some purchased for grain feeding.
Most heifers sold between $350 and $670 with some heading to Tasmania, but many staying within greater Gippsland. South and West Gippsland buyers were very competitive, but mostly because of the lower prices.
The Hurley Family Trust sold 97 Angus heifers from $480-$670, most equaling 229-254c/kg lwt.
H&E Smith offered 20 Angus heifers depastured to Leawood Angus bulls from May 1, which sold from $925-$1025.
Renking Pastoral, Swifts Creek, sold 11 Hereford heifers and calves for $1160, and K&C Newman, 20 mixed breed cows with Charolais calves from $700-$1040.