Heavy steers and heifers sell quickly at Ballarat

Heavy steers and heifers sold well, while agents reported mixed results on the lighter end of stock.

Charles Stewart & Co Ballarat auctioneer Jamie McConachy said results from the sale were "outstanding" considering the drier conditions in the north.

"With the drought in NSW, where the situation is very ordinary and cattle prices have started to plummet in the fat cattle world as well as with store cattle, I thought today was outstanding and those issues almost went unnoticed," Mr McConachy said.

"The steers sold very well and we saw in excess of 320 cents on a number of occasions, exceeding $3 for the vast majority of the steer section and that was the same with the heavier heifers, particularly the ones heavy enough to feed on or kill."

HF Richardson & Co owner Will Richardson said buyers from Gippsland "pushed very hard" to purchase heavy cattle.

"The big steers were cheaper compared to the last sale but they've been cheaper everywhere and some of the smaller steers were dearer, some of them were cheaper so it's a bit hard to tell," Mr Richardson said.

"The heavy steers were selling anywhere between $3 and $3.20 and then the 400-kilo steers were anything from 320 to 340 [cents a kilogram] and then anything near 300 kilos was selling 305 to 315c/kg."

Elders Ballarat livestock manager Graeme Nicholson said the sale exceeded his expectations.

"We thought the job might have been a bit cheaper but we were very pleased with the sale because it got off to a really good start with the heavy steers selling really well and then it continued right through," Mr Nicholson said.

"The good, well-bred, heavy black Angus steers - particularly for feedlot weight and bullock fatteners from Gippsland - they sold really well and we had one pen of 407kg steers which made over 350 cents a kilogram.

"It compared pretty well to the previous sale and they were within a few cents of what they made a month ago but of course the cattle are a lot heavier because there's been an extra four weeks of good feed so instead of being 370kg, they were 400kg."

Landmark Ballarat livestock auctioneer Paul Constable said well-sized steers with a good frame were snapped up quickly.

"The heifers were good and the same scenario, the heavier heifers sold well but as we went through and got to the lighter stuff they became a bit cheaper," Mr Constable said.

Knight and Sons sold a pen of six Angus steers, 510kg, for $1750 a head or 343c/kg.

Clover Park sold 15 steers, 332kg, for $990 or 298c/kg.

Cain Brothers sold 19 Angus steers, 403kg for $1440 or 357c/kg.

Perewurr Farm sold 14 steers, 302kg for $940 or 311c/kg.

G and J White sold 20 steers, 298kg for $1030 or 345c/kg.

Windsor Family Trust sold nine steers, 330kg for $910 or 275c/kg.

In the heifers, K McKenzie sold eight heifers, 425kg for $1290 or 303c/kg.

JC Stevens sold 12 heifers, 432kg for $1290 or 298c/kg.

RFF Pty sold 29 heifers, 383kg for $1000 or 287c/kg.

DJ and DM Ryan sold 11 heifers, 300kg for $800 or 266c/kg.

IJ and DV Hurley sold 33 Angus heifers, 429kg for $1310 or 305c/kg.