Southern Riverina cattle starting to flow to Yea

Elders agent Jamie Quinlan said well-bred lines of feedlot steers achieved good prices, with 350-kilogram and better cattle going for 335 to 360 cents a kilogram.

"It then settled in a good spot, at 335-340c/kg," Mr Quinlan said.

"Those autumn-drop calves have made $350-500, and will take a bit of time to grow into something, but it's not a whole lot of outlay for an Angus steer or heifer.

"There is a bit of value there."

Mr Quinlan said local restockers were active on the lighter heifers.

"It was a good, big spread," he said.

"You could buy a run of handy enough black heifers for $520-$530 and probably get 240-350kg."

He said the market was firm to a fraction cheaper on last month's sale.

He said the presence of southern Riverina vendors was noticeable.

"They've brought all types of cattle, there have been some cattle with weight, and some lighter cattle," he said.

Kerry Bishop, Lojosa Springs, Deniliquin, NSW, brought down 160 Te Mania-blood steers and heifers.

"We thought we would bring them because there is a good market here," Mrs Bishop said.

"We are still very much in drought.

"We have had some opportunistic rain and the pasture is quite good at the moment, but it could turn at any time."

Carlo Taranto, Elders, said he anticipated more cattle to come from the southern Riverina to Yea and even Pakenham.

Yea was preferred because Gippsland was too wet.

"Most of the cattle have gone back, between here and the north," he said.

Mr Taranto said the Bishop family had been farming the Glenburn area for 32 years, until recently when they sold their farm.

They had also owned another farm, Werai, at Wakool, near Deniliquin.

"They now run a herd of 600 Angus cows, which are pure Te Mania bred and they are members of the Team Te Mania program," Mr Taranto said.

The Bishops consigned 95 steers and 59 heifers to Yea.

Brian McCormack, Landmark, said he thought the cattle were of exceptional quality for the breed and time of year.

"They weren't bit, rangy leggy cattle, they weren't poor condition cattle," Mr McCormack said.

"They were just in the right order for stores."

Feedlots, grass fatteners and backgrounders were all active.

"Some of the lighter steers probably got a little bit sticky," he said.

"But, once again, if the quality and breeding was right, they sold quite okay, in the 330 to 360c/kg range."

Darcey Heffernan, Beveridge, sold 14 steers, 307kg, for $1140, or 371c/kg.

Ursula Downs, Seymour, sold 22 Angus steers, 438lg, for $1590, or 363c/kg.

A second pen of 22 of the Witherswood and Anvil Angus-blood steers, 411kg, went for $1420, or 345c/kg.

G&L Manson, Larra, Longwood, sold 11 Angus steers, 434kg, for $1400, or 322c/kg.

Kinglake Produce, Kinglake, sold 11 steers, 406kg, for $1390, or 342c/kg.

W&D Seaton, Alexandra, sold 15, 416kg steers for $1420, or 341c/kg.

Lojosa Springs' first pen of 18 Te Mania-blood steers, 384kg, sold for $1360, or 354c/kg.

Subsequent pens of 18, 379kg, steers sold for $1300, or 343c/kg, while a third pen of 20, 364kg, went for $1220, or 335c/kg.

G&H Halpin sold a pen of 14, 381kg steers for $1360, or 356c/kg.

The top pen of 20, 321kg, Molesworth Pastoral, Wirrunna and Claredale-blood Poll Herefords sold for $1100, or 342c/kg.

Among the heifers, feedlot and commission buyers were active on the heavier end of cattle.

Howes Creek Hills, Mansfield, sold six Poll Hereford heifers, 410kg, for $990, or 241c/kg.

G&J Manson sold 17, 408kg Angus heifers for $1160, or 284c/kg.

Wayville Meadows, Buxton, received $990 for 16, 358kg heifers, averaging 276c/kg.

Lojosa, Deniliquin, sold 22 pure Te Mania blood heifers, 354kg, for $1140, or 322c/kg.

PG and P Ryan, Pyalong, sold a pen of 14 heifers, 338kg, for $1010, or 298c/kg.

Athlone Park sold 11. 368kg heifers for $1000, or 271c/kg.