A quality line-up of well-bred calves attracted strong bidding competition at Elders' annual weaner sale at Myrtlebank on Friday.
About 780 Angus, Angus/Hereford-cross and Hereford calves were yarded at the sale which featured the "best of the best" from the surrounding district, Elders Myrtleford livestock manager Stephen Street said.
"You could only describe the sale as strong and a lot of the competition came from northern NSW and Queensland, we had a lot of cattle consigned there," Mr Street said.
"We also had a very prominent background feedlot operation strong on the heifers which was very good."
The sale featured two lines of cattle broken into 10-12-month-old calves and 6-7-month-old spring-drop calves.
In the first category, W and M Goldsworthy, Eurobin, sold a top pen of Hereford calves for $1550.
Their top pen of Black Baldy steers made $1495.
"The Goldworthys had 22 Hereford steers in a second pen which also made $1495," Mr Street said.
Moore Pastoral Company, Buffalo River, sold a pen of 13 Black Baldy steers for $1445.
Selzer Farming, Ovens, sold 12 Black Baldy steers for $1345.
CJ Hall, Buckland Valley, Porepunkah, sold 11 Black Baldy steers for $1312.
LJ Ryan, Cheshunt, sold 17 Hereford steers for $1324.
On average, heavier steers 360-440kg made between 390-420 cents a kilogram while lighter steers 280-360kg made from 435-445c/kg, Mr Street said.
In the spring-drop section, G and J Chalwell, Bowman's Forest, sold 102 Angus and Angus/Hereford-cross steers which made between $1005 to $1180.
Their dearest pen, however, was for a pen of 25 Angus calves which made $1205.
Mr Street said heifers almost made the same value in price per head as the steers in many cases.
Heifers sold to a top of 418c/kg.
"There's a shortage of cattle and over the last 18 months one things stands out, according to Meat & Livestock Australia, the cow kill has been 58 per cent of the total kill," Mr Street said.
"People are desperate to restock."
B and J Sabljo, Myrtleford, sold seven Angus heifers for $1430.
W and M Goldsworthy, Eurobin, sold 10 Black Baldy heifers for $1418.
AM Wallace, Porepunkah, sold 20 Hereford heifers for $1404.
Bryce Eishold
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
