Wodonga looks to locals for buying support

The Northern Victoria Livestock Exchange will host its usual run of five feature sales in the first two weeks of the year, and agents say the cattle are on track to present as well as ever.

Elders livestock manager Matt Tinkler said numbers would be marginally less than other years for two main reasons.

"Some of the cattle have been sold already, and some producers are anticipating the job getting better so they are prepared to take them on longer; we are seeing both ends of the scale," Mr Tinkler said.

"We have a bigger store sale in December with weaners from spring 2018 presenting because of the good season in the south and the prices being good.

"While some are wondering if they go as hard in selling their autumn-drops, because if we get a good break next year cattle numbers will be down and the job will get dearer."

Mr Tinkler said will the spring had come to an end in the north-east, the season had been good to them and weights were where they usually sat.

"The cattle have done very well in spring, there was not a bulk of grass but the quality was good," he said.

Buying support is anticipated to come from the local and southern regions, Mr Tinkler said, as well as lotfeeders.

"Given what has happened in the north and the past 12 months having seen record numbers on feed, I anticipate feedlots will be pretty active, especially with the forecast for good kill price in 2020, so they will take the opportunity on any lines 340kg and better," he said.

"Because of that gap in the north, anything with weight will be keenly sought after because as soon as we finish the autumn-drop weaners and move back into springs they will get lighter quickly."

At the most recent store sale held at the centre in early December, autumn-drop steer calves sold generally in the 300-315 cents a kilogram range, with prices dipping slightly because of the very hot weather, Mr Tinkler said.

"And there were a few local feedlotters and bigger buyers present, so come January with the feature lines, we are hoping to see those prices at least and possibly dearer," he said.