Friday’s public holiday forced Bairnsdale agents to hold their store market today, Tuesday. Also held at the same time, was a small number of trade and export cattle sold in a physical market.
A small gallery of buyers competed for a similarly small, but very mixed quality offering of 683 cattle. An odd sale of heavy steers sold to the sale’s top of $1430 with most selling between $1030 and $1330.
These prices were up to $100 cheaper than two weeks ago when the yarding and crowd were much bigger.
A small selection of well bred Angus steers sold to strong demand and these prices were unchanged. Henderson Farms, Orbost, sold 24 Angus steers from $900 to $1050, which equaled 302-310 cents per kilogram liveweight.
However, their 14 Hereford steers, which were well bred, but in plain store condition, only made $510.
This difference was seen between many of the cattle penned. Romano Produce sold 15 Angus steers, 341kgs, for $880, which was at least $100 cheaper.
They were not alone in this cheaper scenario. B and J Traill sold 29 yearling Angus steers from $950 to $1100, equaling 251 to 257c/kg lwt.
A number of pens of young, lightweight steers were penned, which sold from $420 to $600. Glenshiel Pastoral Co sold 28 Charolais and Angus steers in this price range.
Heifers generally sold to cheaper trends with good and plain quality equaling around 200 to 245c/kg lwt.
Riseley Contracting sold nine Hereford heifers, 330kgs, for $610, and Romano Produce, 15 Angus heifers that made $550 weighed 270kgs.
Plenty of young heifer calves sold between $170 to $260 with some sales between $450 and $540 per head.
One buyer purchased several pens of cows and calves, but most were good value. A pen of good quality Angus cows with handy calves, sold for $1190, but most sales were between $610 and $1025.
For the fat cattle buffs, good quality young cattle sold from 215 to 262c/kg lwt, and most were prime condition heifers.
Over 70 cull cows were penned, and most of these sold between 150 and 187c/kg with restockers purchasing several pens of younger cows.