Pakenham agents offered a large yarding from as far as Cooma

There was a large crowd attending Pakenham and many buyers were among the crowd.

Producers, mostly from West and South Gippsland, feedlot buyers and a small number of processors, all aided strong competition, at least earlier in the sale.

However, many buyers shared only small orders, and at least half of the crowd had left half way through.

Competition was best for the well bred lines of vendor bred steers, both big and small. Prices for these steers were firm to cheaper on the previous strong sale.

However, with breeding, quality and age varying throughout, price trends varied a lot.

Heavy yearling steers peaked at $1500, which was paid for 14 Angus steers weighing 520 kilograms. These were sold on behalf of C&S Corrigan, Krowera.

Feedlot buyers and bullock fatteners competed for the better quality yearling steers paying from $1120 to $1430 for most purchases.

Secondary, and crossbred steers sold mostly from $900 to $1300, and prices were cheaper than two weeks ago.

Vendor bred lines of beef breed steers generally sold at unchanged rates with prices ranging from $890 to $1190.

J Erbacher, Kongwak, sold 50 Angus, Charolais and Hereford steers from $720 to $970, for weights of 323-377kgs.

A good example of prices for younger steers was G Sas, Glengarry, whose 21 Limousin-Angus steers sold from $650 to $825. Many of the above sales equaled 290-315c/kg, which was mostly equal.

However, as the crowd filled their orders, the decrease in demand saw prices ease, especially for crossbred and plainer cattle.

Many of the light weight steers sold from $350 to $750. There were a few pens of Friesian steers that sold mostly between $300 and $550, which was also cheaper.

Typical of Pakenham, when the sale moved to the calf pens, where buyers are standing level to the cattle, these lightweight cattle sell very well.

It was noted that most steers sold up to $100 dearer than those of similar size and weight, sold in the main pens.

Competition for heifers varied depending on suitability for grain feeding. Yearling Hereford heifers, 14-16 months and estimated to weigh 400kgs, sold for $930, or 236c/kg lwt.

Charolais heifers sold well with sales mostly around $800 to $1020, or 250-260c/kg lwt.

It was fair to say that all other heifers were very buyable, both for processors and producers. In liveweight price terms many sold between 200 and 215c/kg.

The large selection of cows and calves did not reach producers price expectations. Most cows and calves were being sold due to the very poor season, although some were in quite good condition.

With the exception of one Hereford cow with a large Charolais cross calf at foot, that made $1580, most sales were between $700 and $1340.

Greystoke Pastoral co, Boisdale, sold 17 Older Angus cows with high quality Charolais calves at foot for $1160. R&J Hyndman, Whittlsea, sold 7 Angus cows with their 2^nd calf, which were 4-6 months, for $1340.

Having a small dispersal of Angus-Friesian cows with Limousin calves, B Garcia, Stony Creek, sold 18 head from $1260 to $1700.