Vendors left the saleyards happy with prices received at the steer sale portion of the Central Victorian Livestock Exchange Ballarat's June sale.
For the first time in two months, vendors were permitted to stay to watch their cattle sold, but not from the buyer's laneway.
Overall the quality and finish of the steers forwarded was "very good" and presented plenty of buying options.
In keeping with sales under the COVID-19 restrictions, most buying was done by commission buyers as well as strong competition from feedlotters and processors. Once again buying orders were held for cattle to go onto grass in northern NSW. Local support was present as was South Australia.
TB White and Sons livestock manager Xavier Bourke said the heavy steers found a ready level at around 390 to 420c/kg for weights of 450 to 550kg.
He said the quality was "very good" with a lot more spring-drop calves coming forward.
There were good numbers of cattle in the 340 to 380kg that sold from 429 and upwards, he said.
He said the 250 to 300kg steers sold from 450c/kg and higher - the lighter they were the dearer they got.
Charles Stewart and Co auctioneer, Jamie McConachy said the buying group had a "fair spread" of orders with commission buyers making a real impact.
He said the combination of feeders and restockers for grass that "has taken off" in NSW was behind the strong market for lighter steers in particular.
Of the heavy steers the top was $2250 for a pen of nine, 18 months, sold account L Toohey, Springbank, that weighed 628kg. Another pen from the same weighed 531kg and sold for $2050.
Gervasoni's Pty Ltd sold 16 at 543kg for $2120 or 390c/kg while R Hayes had 25 weighing 518kg that made $2050 or 395c/kg.
Karmichael Angus sold a pen of 13 that weighed 474kg for $2010 or 424c/kg. Another pen of 34, at 315kg, sold for $1365 or 433c/kg.
A consignment from RM Thege included a pen of 14 that weighed 440kg and made $1880 or 427c/kg while slightly lighter at 401 was a pen of 18 that made $1750 or 436c/kg. A third line of 13 weighing 410kg sold for $1730 or 421c/kg.
A draft from The Valley included a pen of 19, 480kg, that made $1980 or 412c/kg, while their lighter pen at 450kg sold for $1880 or 417c/kg.
A pen of seven sold account Bushy Park, 21 months, sold for 420c/kg or $1850.
W Fawcett forwarded High Spa blood steers, 16 months, with the top pen of 18 at 500kg selling for $2000, or 400c/kg, and a pen of 14 at 445kg that made $1850 or 415c/kg.
A consignment of 50 steers from Ballanee, Ballan, comprised a pen of six, weighing 416kg, that made $1740 or 418c/kg, and a second line of 30 that weighed 330kg, that sold for $1440 or 436c/kg. A third line of 13 at 365kg sold for $1550 or 424c/kg.
A draft forwarded by Sunnydale, 12-13 months included a pen of 29, at 290kg, that made $1290 or 441c/kg. The same vendor also sold 11 at 345kg for $1420 or 411c/kg and another pen of 19 at 333kg for $1380 or 414c/kg.
W Meiss sold seven weaners, 10-11 months, Lawson blood, that made $1520 or 440c/kg.
AR&W Jellie sold 13 at 276kg for $1270 or 460c/kg
A Cais sold 7-8 month old Angus, Te Mania blood, that weighed 292kg and sold for $1290 or 441c/kg.
At the light end of the offering a pen of seven account Springdallah Cattle Co, 7-8 months, Murdeduke blood, 205kg, sold for $1000 or 487c/kg.
A pen of seven Angus/Limousin-cross calves, 8-9 months, account BA Moloney, 218kg, sold for $1040 or 477c/kg.
A pen of 32 Charolais-cross steers sold account C & V Goy weighed 274kg and sold for $1240 or 449c/kg.
JW & BH Drife sold 10 Charolais/Angus-cross, 354kg, for $1520 or 429c/kg.
IR&BM Mapson sold 10 Herefords, 405kg, for $1670 or 412c/kg.
Brenair Park sold a draft of Simmental steers with a pen of 10 at 431kg making $1720 or 399c/kg and a line of 11 at 331kg that sold for $1350 or 407c/kg.
