Rain, and a good season, saw a solid store sale at Leongatha

Agents yarded 2730 animals and said prices rising by $50-60 on the previous sale.

SEJ agent James Kyle said while there wasn’t the quality of heifers, seen in the past, good steers made 300-350cents/kilogram.

“It was a very grass driven, south Gippsland market,” Mr Kyle said.

“When our bullock fatteners are beating our number one local feedlotter, things are all right.”

He said the sale drew fewer vendors, or purchasers, from outside the immediate area.

“South Gippsland is the only place that can absorb all those cattle, at the moment.”

Landmark’s Brian McCormack said the market followed the “kick along” seen at Pakenham and Ballarat, last week

“It’s all picked up, your older steers, weaner steers, are probably 25-30cents/kilogram dearer,” Mr McCormack said.

“The Friesian steers were probably up 20 cents, they probably got a kick from the cow market, it was 20-30c/kg dearer, on the middle run of cows, and pushed those steers up a bit.”

He said the area still had time to receive more rain.

“Rain is confidence, and it rains grass, it rains a bit of confidence,” Mr McCormack said.”

“If it keeps raining, we will have a very good season, but if it stops raining, we could have a very ordinary season. But we’ve still got time, we are all right, at the moment.”

He said Teys buyers were at the sale but didn’t purchase any cattle of Landmark, which sold 1025 of the stock on offer.

“feedlotters were mainly bidding on the trade type cattle,” he said.

Rodwell’s Damien Minogue said it had been a solid, strong, sale throughout.

“The country looks really good, and it’s going well, at the moment – it will hold, as long as it keeps raining,” Mr Minogue said.

“Everyone needs money to make the world go round, and with a bit of a lift in the job, people are happy to sell a few cattle.”

 Brenda Stahl, Leongatha South, said she was looking to buy up to 30 steers, at the 300kilogram mark.

She sold bullocks last week and was looking to restock.

“I’ve got plenty of grass,” she said.

“I’ll keep them for 12 months and hopefully sell them in spring, next year.”

Ms Stahl ended up buying two pens of Angus steers, from Michael and Julie Elliott.

She paid $1100 for the two pens, one which averaged 359kg and the other 345kg.

Amanda Wilkins, Mirboo, sold a pen of 13 Murray Grey steers, averaging 323kg, for $950, or 294c/kg.

“I was happy with the price, given the conditions,” she said.

She also sold two pens of Murray Grey and Murray Grey Angus cross heifers.

The pen of eight heifers, averaging 363kg, sold for $905, or 249c/kg, while a pen of seven, averaging 338kg,  went for $820, or 242c/kg. 

Among other lines sold at Leongatha was a pen of 15, two-year-old Pearson Beef, Buffalo, Hereford Shorthorn cross steers, which sold for $1140. The steers averaged 416kg and sold for 274c/kg.

J & M Carew, Nerenna,  sold a pen of 18 Yancowinna Angus blood steers, averaging 312kg, for $750, or 240c/kg.

J&J Embling, Longford, sold 10 two-year-old Poll Hereford steers, weighing 553kg, for $1540, or 278c/kg.

Among the Angus steers, Kennington Park, Meeniyan, sold 21 Te Mania blood steers, averaging 463kg, for $1520, or 328c/kg.

B Hanson, Morwell, sold five Innesdale blood Angus steers, averaging 406kg, for $1200, or 295c/kg.

A lighter pen from the same property and bloodline, averaging 312kg, sold for $940, or 301c/kg.

Among the heifers, MWG Cleeland, Surf Beach, Phillip Island, made $1150 for a pen of 11, 440kg Angus, or 261c/kg.

A line of cows and calves, offered by G & C Hosking, Woodside, fetched up to $1375.