TEMPERATURES SOARED to over 40 degrees during the annual Kyneton agents calf sale, Wednesday.
Knowing this would be the case some producers decided to not send their cattle, and agents yarded 1223 steers and heifers.
The quality was very good, and the calves ranged from young steers and heifers, weighing from under 200 kilograms liveweight, to steers of 430kgs.
After a few days of very hot temperatures, and weakening fat cattle prices, competition was good, and most cattle sold at good rates.
A few pens of heavy steers, 10 to 12 months, 360 to 430kgs, sold from $1060 to $1260, equaling 274 to 297c/kg lwt.
Competition for these steers varied with some destined for feedlots, and a good number heading to South Gippsland to become future bullocks.
South Gippsland, and local steer and bullock fatteners, purchased most of the balance of the steers.
Strong competition created varied prices with steers weighing over 300kgs selling from $850 to $1190. Some top quality Charolais-Angus steers of D&L Sutton, sold for $1145.
Among this range were Angus, Charolais, some other European Crossbreeds, and Poll Hereford steers.
Prices were generally very good, but strong demand for the Poll Hereford steers saw these sell from $1060 to $1110, or 345 to 371c/kg lwt.
Steers weighing under 300kgs sold to $1060, and the 180 Angus steer calves, 4-6 months, of EA Prowse, Violet Town, sold to $750, which was a very good result for the vendor.
Among the penning of heifers was several pens of very good quality Angus, Charolais, and Poll Hereford heifers. While the competition was solid, and included feedlots, processors and producers, prices were a little subdued.
Prices of the better weighted heifers were from $800 to $960 with the Charolais-Angus heifers of D&L Sutton going to a feedlot at the top price.
Liveweight prices equaled mostly 254 to 269c/kg for these heavier heifers, and the lighter weight heifers sold between $600 and $750 with heifer calves from $355 to $550 per head.