Quality, prices drop at final Leongatha store market

Agents yarded 2600 steers and heifers, including more than 1000 cattle from drought-affected Bega, Bombala, Delegate and Cooma in NSW, and East Gippsland.

Well-bred South Gippsland cattle fetched reasonable prices, however, the mixed yarding contributed to a dip across most lines of cattle, agents said.

Elders Korumburra and Leongatha branch manager Rohan McRae estimated heifers were $50 a head cheaper on the previous fortnight.

"But there were some good lines so any cattle showing enough breeding, that had been weaned and were well-bred, held up well," he said.

"The sale was softer, there's no doubt about it, so the market took a step down in places but prices were still acceptable."

Feedlot activity was comparable to previous sales while restockers were less prominent than a fortnight ago, partially due to the recent warm weather.

Landmark Leongatha auctioneer Stuart Jenkin said buyer numbers were also lower compared to previous sales.

"The sale was not as strong as last time but we did have some exceptional sales, however, overall they were a tad cheaper," he said.

Paul and Annie Chisholm, Archies Creek, topped the market with two pens of steers, including 12 Angus steers, 348 kilograms, which made $1330 or 382 cents a kilogram.

Their second pen of 12 steers, 375kg, made $1350 or 360c/kg.

Well-bred lines of heifers sold to reasonable prices as light and secondary heifers were difficult to offload, with some making a little as 205c/kg.

"Our heifer job was very, very tough and good heifers were only making 260c/kg, so it wasn't an ideal situation if you wanted to sell heifers," Alex Scott & Staff livestock auctioneer Dane Perczyk said.

"With 2500 cattle and a lot of those were from NSW, we've had a lot of cattle come from out of the area and that has to be absorbed by the local market."

SEJ Leongatha auctioneer James Kyle was one of several agents with a large consignment of NSW cattle and said conditions in the Bega Valley and Monaro were worsening.

"It was a very mixed yarding and we had some good cattle out of the north, some cattle out of the Monaro and East Gippsland so it was a bit up and down," he said.

"We had some exceptional sales on some of our breeders' calves but once we got onto the Friesians and the crossbreds, they were just making their money."

J and M Spencer, Stratford, sold 21 steers, 443kg, for $1370 or 309c/kg.

DK Hall, Fish Creek, sold 14 steers, 387kg, for $1275 or 329c/kg.

JDK Pastoral, Kardella, sold 14 Hereford steers, 375kg, for $1110 or 296c/kg.

D Hall, Quaam, NSW, sold 15 steers, $970 or 314c/kg.

P Webb, Nyora, sold 12 steers, 433kg, for $1250 or 288c/kg.

TJ Stewart, Bombala, sold nine Charolais steers, 262kg, for $820 or 312c/kg.

Glenavon, Delegate, sold 13 steers, 302kg, for $890 or 294c/kg.

The first pen of five heifers, by Bulmar Farms, 404kg, sold for $1060 or 262c/kg.

Ben Hall, Shady Creek, sold nine heifers, 317kg, for $880 or 277c/kg.

NB Smith, Pound Creek, sold 10 heifers, 375kg, for $970 or 288c/kg.

LA, MC and BE Weston, Bombala, sold 11 Hereford heifers, 316kg, for $830 or 262c/kg.

Ranleigh Downs, Tarwin Lower, sold 18 heifers, 394kg, for $1075 or 272c/kg.