INTERSTATE CATTLE aided a much larger offering of 3152 cattle at Pakenham, Thursday.
This large increase in supply stifled a large crowd, but bidding for good quality cattle, especially yearling steers and heifers, created some dearer trends.
However, many other cattle sold to weaker demand, which saw prices range between firm to mostly cheaper.
Processors purchasing feeder steers and heifers had a very good selection of quality cattle to vie for, which saw some steers sell to the equal of 329 cents per kilogram liveweight.
Similarly a pen of quality Angus heifers sold for $1000, equaling 300c/kg lwt.
Processor competition for feeder steers stole the show at Pakenham, Thursday.
A good to very good quality selection of yearling steers sold to very strong demand, which saw prices increase by up to $50 per head.
Top of the list was a run of Red Angus steers offered by Brookes and Hall, Yea. These 92 steers sold from $1055 to $1310, which was equal to 304 to 344c/kg lwt.
With some very heavy steers penned the top price reached $1750 for bullocks, and there were plenty of steers sold from $1100 to $1590.
Showing a big price increase was a line of yearling Hereford steers offered by D&C Droppert, Sale. Strong feedlot competition saw these 48 steers sell between $1240 and $1320, which was a lot dearer than their previous sales some two months ago.
Pen after pen of younger steers sold to competition that was very diverse, and mostly paying less than two weeks ago. Some sales were equal, but many were up to $50 or more cheaper.
Cattle came from Coleambally in the far north of News South Wales, from the Bega district, and from many areas of Victoria.
Younger steers sold to $1220 for a pen of Angus steers, 381kgs, but some sales were noted around $890 for steers weighing just 30kgs less.
Plenty of steers, both from the north, and from local districts, sold between $200 and $600. While most cattle found a home, some were good buying.
A small selection of heavy yearling heifers sold from $1020 to $1410, but a pen of 20 Angus heifers of M Bollen, Sale, sold to strong competition between a feedlot and a fattener, and, made $1000.
The larger supply of heifers included a lot of plainer and lighter weights. Prices were mostly between $250 and $740 with some sales being $50 lower than two weeks ago.
Diehards stayed until the end of the sale, because a large offering of over 400 cows and calves.
Cos and calves sold to a top price of $1465 for Angus cows and calves at foot to 6 months, from Bass. Large frame Charolais cows with young calves sold to $1160 however, many cows and calves were in plain to very plain condition. Prices for most outfits ranged from $700 to $1070.