Victorian producers make the most of northern livestock

Agents say dry conditions in New South Wales and Queensland are allowing Victorian producers to purchase stock at reasonable rates, compared to what's on offer locally.

Immediate past president of the Livestock and Rural Transporters' Association of Victoria Graham Howell, who operates GJ and AL Howell at Avoca, said there had been a noticeable influx of store wiener cattle from the northern states.

"It's unusual for this time of the year for big numbers of those store stock to be coming out of those regions," Mr Howell said.

"It's dry in the north so producers want to off load. From Tamworth, through Armidale and out to Scone and Singleton, they're being reasonably priced compared to down in Victoria.

"We're only a small fish compared to others who are up north all the time [but] over the last six weeks we've had a dozen to 15 loads of mainly cattle, but we have done four of five loads of sheep as well."

Yesterday, a truckload of 56 11-to-12-month old feeder steers weighing 384 kilograms left Cooma in NSW bound for Koo Wee Rup, south-east of Melbourne.

Cooma-based selling agent, Gary Evans of Monaro Livestock and Property, said he had noticed a lot of stock heading south.

"We'd be awfully lost if we didn't have Victoria, freight is still considerable in terms of cost and the quality of stock is still top notch," Mr Evans said.

But Elders livestock manager Matt Tinkler, Albury, said stock movement from north to south was more common in private sales this year, compared to store sales.

"I must admit we haven't seen as many come out of the north in the winter months as we did this time last year," Mr Tinkler said.

"In saying that, we have a store sale this week and we are starting to see some numbers from the northern areas come towards us."

Mr Tinkler said Angus and Hereford were typically coming from north-central NSW and the northern Riverina.

"It's a trend that is dictated by seasons, that's purely what dictates it and it's no different when they have a good season in the north, the stock will migrate that way," Mr Tinkler said.

"At the moment Victoria is probably the best state in the country in terms of seasonal conditions, we're leading the way in grass and available feed."

According to ActionsPlus data, last week Victorians bought 13,600 head from as far north as Gilgandra, Ivanhoe and Nyngan, in NSW.

Meanwhile, 1895 head of cattle were purchased by Victorian buyers, including 112 Angus weaned steers from Hillston, NSW headed to Casterton in Victoria's west.

In the south, Rodwells auctioneer Anthony Delaney said the trend for interstate stock heading south had been consistent through winter, but more among the feedlotters as opposed to grass fatteners.

"Getting the weight out of the cattle in New South Wales has been an issue," Mr Delaney said.

"There's a lot of little cattle around but there's not a hell of a lot of weight in them, and the ones that do have the weight are selling just as well down here."

Elders Pakenham branch manager Peter Rollason, who is also a southern Australia manger for ActionsPlus for Elders, said the trend was mainly based on price and quality.

"It's also availability of stock. At the moment there's a short supply of Victorian store cattle and buyers are looking further afield to buy from where ever if the economics stack up," Mr Rollason said.

"About 50 per cent of all stock sold on ActionsPlus goes to an interstate buyer, whether that be from South Australia to Victoria or Queensland to Victoria, for instance, there's a big interstate demand not only for store stock but also slaughter and feedlot stock."