Bucking the trend of the Mountain Calf Sales, stock agents are preparing to offer more than 1600 calves at the opening sale held at Hinnomunjie.
Up by nearly 300-head, the sale will offer 1000 steers and 640 heifers, according to Sharp Fullgrabe director Graeme Fullgrabe.
While the dry seasonal conditions have taken a toll on the overall weights, Mr Fullgrabe said the lighter conditions would provide backgrounders with good buying opportunities and see stock travel greater distances.
“At the moment, the market isn’t taking into consideration a lot of the weights in livestock,” he said.
“You’re seeing weaners steers make $600-$700 but fail to hit $1000 a head.
“With heifers at the moment, the buying is very, very good at about $500/hd.”
He said while the smaller weights would fail to attract the competition from feedlots, the buying opportunity would attracts new competition from South Australia and across Victoria.
While it is believed the quarantine deadline has expired for the major export order by Landmark International, to be shipped to Russia, which helped put a floor in the January weaner sales, Mr Fullgrabe other international buyers had shown buying interest.
“There will be live export orders, particularly for Herefords, and the sales are early enough for people to buy on the punt that it’ll rain,’ he said.
“If we were in April and May we could look red faced.”
Backgrounders from South Australia and the Riverina are expected to attend, while feedlot buyers for Gathercoles, Euroa, Garrison, Swan Hill, Conroy, Wangaratta, had flagged interest in the heavier lines of cattle.
Major Hinnomunjie vendors who will offer heavier feedlot-ready calves, include Louis and Sharon Pendergast, Delvin Downs, Benambra, with 300 Angus, Black Baldy and Hereford calves, Brian Dyer, Narben, Benambra, with 120 calves, and Peter Bowman, Seldom Seen, Wulgulmerang, who will offer 100 Charolais cross mixed-sex weaners.