Cattle numbers surged at Friday’s Wangaratta spring sale with nearly 2600 yarded, up from an advertised 2000..
Landmark livestock manager, Daniel Fischer, Wangaratta, said the extra cattle came from local producers as well as Bathurst and the southern Riverina of NSW.
There was strong demand fort the best run of black steers with the first lane selling between 290-325c/kg or $880 to $1080 a head, Mr Fischer said. The lighter end of the black steers sold from 270 to 300c/kg.
Mr Fischer said prices for Euros and Hereford cattle “fell away quite sharply”, selling between 240 and 268c/kg.
Demand for steers came from local producers and wide areas of Gippsland and the Western District.
Mr Fischer said the heavy end of steers were purchased by bullock fatteners and the lighter steers by backgrounding for sale to feedlots in autumn next year.
Heifers sold in a narrow range of 225 to 255c/kg with demand dominated by two feedlots in Geelong and locally.
Mr Fischer said the feedlots took the lion’s share, irrespective of breed.
Top of the steer weaners was a line from regular vendors, G, P and D Norman, Londrigan, with the tops of 29 Angus steers, 10-11 months, 331kg, Banquet blood, selling to $1080 or 326c/kg. Graeme Norman said the cattle were about 50kg lighter than the 2017 drop.
The seconds of the Norman calves comprising 22 sold for $945, or 317c/kg.
Another regular vendor, AJ Smith, Byawatha, forwarded 23 Angus steers, 10-12 months, Alpine and Jade Park blood, 313kg, that sold for $1030, or 329c/kg. A pen of 40 lighter steers from the family sold for $870, or 317c/kg.
The heifer portion of the Smith’s consignment comprised 18 Angus heifers, 264kg, selling for $625 or 236c/kg.
RT & G Hooper, Greta, sold a line of 26 Angus steers, 326kg, for $1030, or 316c/kg. A second pen of 17, weighing 295kg sold for $905, or 305c/kg and a third line of 19 made $890, or 301c/kg.
Also making $1030 a head was a draft of 12 steers, 339kg, sold account AD Taylor, Brimin.
Best of the older steers was a pen of 18 Poll Hereford steers, 15mths, Wirruna blood, 413kg, sold account JR&CC McKenzie, Springhurst.
The tops sold for $1170, or 283c/kg. The seconds of 24 sold for $980, or 269c/kg on weights of 364kg.
A draft of 26 Angus steers, 10mths, Alpine Angus blood, sold account N&A Vincent, Taminick, made $810, or 305c/kg.
The six heavier steers from the same vendor, 353kg, made $990, or 280c/kg.
GD&KM Collins, Stanley, forwarded steers and heifers with 17 steers, 262kg, 10-12mths, selling for $795, or 303c/kg. The seconds, 20 weighing 274kg, sold for $870 or 293c/kg.
The heifer portion of 21, weighing 238kg, sold for $750, or 315c/kg.
Bowmans Forest, sold 90 steers in one line for $690 with the seconds making $560 for 40. Their heifer portion of 19 sold for $485.
Other steers making above 300c/kg included S&E Cleal, Killawarra, with 21 Angus, 294kg, making $890 or 302c/kg.
Of the Bathurst cattle Mquarrie Livestock, sold 38 Angus steers, 247kg, for $740 or 299c/kg. The same vendor sold 41 Shorthorn cross steers, lighter weights for $470.
Also from Bathurst were 34 Angus steers account Camilleri, sold for $770; and 53 Angus steers, sold account Freeman, 283kg, making $840, or 296c/kg.
The lighter portion of the Freeman steers, 235kg, sold for $690 or 293c/kg.
Lyons Partnership, Molong, NSW, forwarded 12 Charolais cross steers, 221kg, that made $590, or 266c/kg, and 38 Hereford steers, 231kg, selling at $600 or 259c/kg.
Major Ridge, Inglebar, Mulwalla, NSW, sold 34 Shorthorn steers, 322kg, for $905, or 281c/kg and 24 at $700 or 265c/kg.
Fidge Farm, Docker, sold Angus steers 8-9mths, 187kg, for $540, or 288c/kg, and 55 heifers, 185kg, at $520, or 281c/kg.
Kelvin Grove, Arcadia, forwarded 14 Charolais steers, 294kg, that sold for $785 and 11 Herefords, 291kg, at $850.
