Agents described this month’s Mortlake store sale as being solid, without going over the top.
The 3084 head yarding saw weight in many of the cattle, after a good finish to the season.
“All the usual feedlot buyers were there from southern NSW and we had a lot of interest from South Gippsland,” Bruce Redpath, Elders Kerr & Co, said.
“The grown steers were firmer than previous sales.”
Western Victorian Livestock Exchange reported the best-grown steers sold for $1552 a head, or 306 cents a kilogram, while grown heifers fetched a top of $1352, or 285c/kg.
Weighed weaner steers made a top of $1150 or 311c/kg.
Weaner heifers topped at $1114, or 273c/kg, while F1 heifers made up to $1150.
“Grown heifers were dearer, with some feature lines selling well and going to feedlotters and restockers,” Mr Redpath said.
“We had our first run of weaner calves and very well-bred Angus steers and heifer calves were met with good local inquiry.”
He said the best-weaned calves attracted a 10-15c/kg premium.
Glenn Judd, Southern Grampians Livestock & Real Estate, said compared with the November sale, prices were slightly cheaper for weaners and grown steers.
The best weaners fetched $1160, or 311c/kg, while grass heifers sold for up to $1200, or 285c/kg.
“In all, we had a very good line up of quality cattle, right through the whole sale,” Mr Judd said.
“There was a fair bit of weight in the cattle, as the season has finished off fairly well, with the late rains.”
Geoff and Beverley Quail won the best presented pen of steers for their Angus cattle, which weighed an average of 318kg and sold for 303c/kg.
Gellibrand River Angus won the best presented pen of heifers for its Barwidgee and Coolana-blood females, which sold for a top of $1350.
Guy and Sharon Ferguson, Timboon, sold 36 cattle, making 294c/kg for a pen of Murray Grey steers.
A line of 9-10 month-old Banquet-blood Jingella steers sold to a high of 311c/kg; they weighed an average of 264kg.
Josh McDonald, D&E Rodwells, agreed it was a solid sale.
Moyne Falls Partnership topped the open auction, with the best of their lines of 400 steers fetching $1000 and 300 heifers making $620.
“Most of the steers stayed local and were bought by restockers and bullock growers,” Mr McDonald said.
“The heifers went to Elders, Korumburra, they have the season going for them.”
Rodwells also offered 70 Poll Hereford mixed-age cows, from the herd dispersal of AJL and JJ Lees, which topped at $1630.
The sale raised about $5000 for HeartKids, which supports children with congenital heart disease.
The sale was opened by HeartKids Victorian manager Norm Hutton, who gave a brief rundown on the statistics of CHD in children and explained the valuable work the organisation does to support families.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
