Pakenham steers sell to 490c/kg as 'race is on' to secure supplies

About 1300 cattle were yarded for the fortnightly Victorian Livestock Exchange store sale.

Agents reported firm-to-dearer prices across the board for all lines of cattle.

Limited offerings of small, weaner cattle pushed prices for steers and heifers above 450 cents a kilogram.

Two feature lines sold by Alex Scott & Staff attracted plenty of attention among bidders.

P Evans, Bass, sold 77 Angus heifers and 107 steers including a top pen of 15 steers, 302kg, for $1480 or 490c/kg. His line of steers averaged $1457 per head.

His dearest pen of 18 heifers, 329kg, made $1370 or 416c/kg and the lightest pen of 18, 284c/kg, made $1260 or 443c/kg. The line of heifers averaged $1270.

The second feature draft included 101 Angus heifers, eight-to-11 months, sold by MA McCormack, Caldermeade.

The dearest pen of heifers, 358kg, made $1380 or 385c/kg, while a pen of 21, 256kg, made $1150 or 449c/kg. The line of heifers averaged $1240.

Alex Scott & Staff Pakenham livestock manager David Setches said the small offering of light cattle pushed the market "up a notch" on the previous fortnight.

"Prices for the lighter cattle were very strong and while feedlot support was good, agents from South Gippsland bought a lot of the weaners," Mr Setches said.

"People are worried about supply coming into September given a lot of the cattle were sold two or three months ago."

Mr Setches said the "race is on" to secure supplies of light cattle ahead of spring.

Professional buyers Campbell Ross, Denis Henderson and Steve Rennie were active filling orders for feedlots, agents said.

Wangaratta/Wodonga agency Corcoran Park was also active purchasing cattle for backgrounding.

K and M Sanders, Healesville, sold 14 Angus steers, 560kg, which made $2190 or 391c/kg.

C and S Taylor, Mountain View, sold 11 Angus Hereford-cross steers, 520kg,sold for $2090 or 401c/kg.

Nutrien Pakenham auctioneer Andy Grant said he was pleased to note a large portion of the female cattle sold would be retained for breeding.

"Some of the heifer prices looked very strong but maybe there's a hint that they're going to be retained [for breeding], not just to fatten," Mr Grant said.

"At the moment there's such a demand for breeding and if people are looking for cattle to breed instead of fatten, that might be underpinning the high demand.

"For the first time in my life I think beef cows are making more than dairy cows and that's because they are bringing such a high return with much less labour input."

Heavy cattle 400kg and above sold from 400c/kg, while light cattle under 300kg ranged between 470-480c/kg on average.

J Hocking, Ripplebrook, sold 16 Angus steer calves, 10mo, which sold for $1540.

Micah Berry, Wonthaggi, sold 34 Angus heifers, 12-14 months, with the top pen of 17, 302kg, selling for $1350 or 447c/kg.

Edi Park, Dixons Creek, sold 20 steers, 460kg, for $1800 or 391c/kg, while the second pen of 17, 281kg, made $1290 or 459c/kg.