Following a month of good weather and a couple of solid falls of rain buyers attending Kyneton’s monthly store cattle sale on Wednesday got their first look at the districts autumn-drop weaner calves.
“And, they were hungry for them” auctioneer, Dean Coxon, Elders said.
“We had a larger group of buyers, three commission orders and an interstate operator but the cattle had to be well bred, well grown and weaned to get the best money” he stated.
“If not, they were back with the field and presented good buying opportunities for our local operators wanting grass-eaters”.
Quoting the market as $50 to $100 a head dearer than Kyneton’s month easier sale, Mr Coxon said: “but the class of the cattle was superior, it was our first crack this spring to sell some genuine autumn-drop weaners”.
Among the feature lines vendor, Bassett & Roberts sold 27 Angus steers, 362kg at $1140 while a second yard of 14 from the same vendor, 299kg made $1000 a head.
These represented a selling rate of 314 and 334-cents a kilogram respectively while S&N Kudnig sold 25 Black Simmental steers, 334kg, at $1110 and J Salamons, six Angus steers, 369kg, at $1140.
A pen of Poll Hereford steers, 348kg, offered by the Barro Group made $1060 while F Notman sold 11 Angus steers, 296kg, at $930.
Most of the weaned weaners, Mr Coxon said made 300 to 315c/kg while a yard of Bassett & Roberts spring-drop Angus steers, 478kg, made $1350 or 282c/kg.
Sales of lighter and younger calves were mostly sold in the 270 to 300c/kg price bracket which was also dearer than a month ago but behind the rates paid for the heavier weighted pens.
The demand for heifers was equally as keen as feeder orders pushed hard.
The Grange sold 11 spring-drop Angus, 372kg, at $1070 while a Bassett & Roberts pen of 21 autumn-drop Angus heifers, 318kg, made $930/head.
A yard of six spring-drop Bassett & Roberts Angus heifers, 405kg, made $1120 while Lanox sold 20 Angus and black baldy heifers, 412kg at $1100.
The cow and calf market was thinly supplied with 2 x 2 Black baldies, with Angus calves, made $1420 while a yard of 4x4 Shorthorn-Limousin, with Angus calves made $1350.
Both of these heifer outfits were offered by A&J Gray.
