Quality lines of vendor-bred cattle commanded firm rates at Leongatha on Thursday with some agents estimating prices jumped by at least $50 a head on some classes compared to a fortnight ago.
Agents yarded 3100 cattle during the fortnightly South Gippsland store sale where restockers regained pace with some easing of restrictions at the Victorian Livestock Exchange.
Limited selections of cattle under 300 kilograms pushed prices for steer and heifer calves well above 500 cents a kilogram.
Meanwhile, steers weighing 350-500kg were hotly sought-after and jumped in price due to a large gallery of buyers chasing these particularly weights.
Nutrien Leongatha auctioneer Stuart Jenkins said heavier cattle were firm on the previous sale, with large runs of steers above 500kg hard to source.
"It was very strong and it's a better run of cattle than the last sale and I would say it was at least $50 dearer than a fortnight ago," Mr Jenkins said.
"It's dearer in those 350 to 420-kilo steers and there was a lot more competition from local people, while feedlotters were only getting a small percentage of what they have been getting."
Mr Jenkins said he sold a run of 12 vendor-bred pens each which were bought by different buyers highlighting the competitiveness of the market.
"I reckon there was an opportunity in the 380 to 420-kilo heifers to buy some good value but once you were under 300 kilos they made $1350 to $1450," he said.
Steers heavier than 540kg generally sold for more than $2000.
The sale started with a draft of 30 grown steers by David Wigg including 20, 593kg, which made $2230 or 377c/kg, and 10, 556kg, which made $2140 or 384c/kg.
D & H Matheson sold 16 steers, 604kg, for $2190 or 362c/kg.
Grame and Vicki Lane, Traralgon, sold two steers, 655kg, for $2420 or 369c/kg, and another 12, 570kg, for $2260 or 396c/kg.
Melalencos Angus, Toora, sold 10 steers, 502kg, for $2140 or 426c/kg, meanwhile Gaeden Distributors, Mardan, sold 13 steers, 552kg, for $2280 or 413c/kg.
J Manicaro, Kardella, sold 10 steers, 548kg, for $2180 or 397c/kg.
Blackwood Hills, Ryanston, sold two steers, 622kg, for $2360 or 379c/kg.
In the lighter steer section, D & K Price, Mount Eccles, sold 20 steers, 295kg, for $1540 or 522c/kg.
Berrys Creek Investments, Berrys Creek, sold 12 steers, 311kg, for $1555 or 500c/kg, and another 17, 304kg, for $1630 or 536c/kg.
The same account also sold eight heifers, 254kg, for $1300 or 511c/kg.
The Savige Family sold 10 steers, 313kg, for $1560 or 498c/kg, and another 11, 259kg, for $1350 or 521c/kg.
AG Landy, Bell Point, Walkerville, sold 25 steers, 361kg, for $1750 or 484c/kg, and another 22, 315kg, for $1610 or 511c/kg.
The same vendor also sold a draft of heifers including two pens of 23, 320kg, for $1470 or 459c/kg, a third pen of 23, 303kg, for $1400 or 462c/kg, and a fourth pen of 23, 260kg, for $1360 or 523c/kg.
A & T Derham, Morwell, sold 20 steers, 316kg, for $1710 or 541c/kg.
Malabar Farm, Tarwin Lower, sold 20 steers, 334kg, for $1800 or 537c/kg.
Mabu Pty Ltd, Mirboo, sold 14 steers, 299kg, for $1610 or 538c/kg.
Elders Korumburra and Leongatha auctioneer Damien Minoque said South and West Gippsland restockers and bullock fatteners underpinned the sale.
"A lot of people quoted the sale dearer and I know it is hard to keep saying that but it was certainly very solid right through and we had something for everyone," Mr Minoque said.
"It was very evident once you got down to those smaller vendor-bred cattle with all the boxes ticked, they sold to enormous rates and they were extremely dear."
Mr Minoque said heifers were bought by predominantly local farmers, with feedlots and a handful of northern orders helping to bolster prices.
"People are trying to build their herd but are finding it hard to compete with these rates," he said.
"Once you get over $2000 you narrow the field but it was a very tight window from $1950 to $2200 for those heavier cattle weighing 500 to 550 kilos."
JD and EA Keogh, Stony Creek, sold 13 springing heifers for $2660 to Eddie Hams, Nutrien SGL.
Steers
O Cambridge, Hedley, sold five steers, 310kg, for $1360 or 438c/kg, and 22, 258kg, for $1360 or 527c/kg.
Mt Ararat Pastoral sold 13 steers, 502kg, for $2040 or 406c/kg.
D McRae sold eight steers, 560kg, for $2010 or 358c/kg.
Pukenuni Pty Ltd, Mirboo North, sold 15 steers, 348kg, for $1700 or 492c/kg.
D & K McMillan, Longford, sold 1 steers, 365kg, for $1720 or 471c/kg.
Wanjo Angus, Jeetho, sold three steers, 290kg, for $1330 or 458c/kg, and 12, 242kg, for $1220 or 504c/kg.
R & S Holt, Mount Eccles, sold two steers, 467kg, for $1900 or 406c/kg, and 10, 360kg, for $1330 or 480c/kg.
P Hare, Glengarry, sold six steers, 458kg, for $1870 or 408c/kg.
Golden Gully Farms, Driffield, sold 15 steers, 464kg, for $1950 or 420c/kg, and 10, 407kg, for $1700 or 417c/kg.
T & JA Christensen, Willowbank, Glengarry, sold 15 steers, 503kg, for $2070 or 411c/kg.
Latrobe Park Angus, Morwell, sold 17 steers, 439kg, for $1980 or 451c/k, and 15, 403kg, for $1890 or 468c/kg
O & C Hutchinson, Leongatha, sold 14 steers, 254kg, for $1160 or 456c/kg.
J Tuffin, Toora, sold 15 steers, 481kg, for $1920 or 399c/kg.
Lorston Nominees, Bengworden, sold 18 steers, 483kg, for $2070 or 428c/kg.
Tallandbar Pastoral, Yanakie, sold a draft of steers including 20, 395kg, for $1770 or 448c/kg, 21, 356kg, for $1680 or 471c/kg, and 22, 315kg, for $1640 or 520c/kg.
B & K Knee, Toora, sold 18 steers, 538kg, for $2030 or 377ckg, and 13, 523kg, for $1970 or 376c/kg.
J & M Carew, Nerrena, sold 15 steers, 265kg, for $1330 or 501c/kg.
Heifers
G & V Lane sold two heifers, 515kg, for $2000 or 388c/kg.
S & F Beckman, Glengarry, sold 20 heifers, 424kg, for $1790 or 422c/kg.
D & W Farmer, Glengarry, sold 19 heifers, 412kg, for $1650 or 400c/kg.
N & K Hansford, Yinnar, sold 12 heifers, 388kg, for $1600 or 412c/kg.
I Kondarovskis sold 15 heifers, 380kg, for $1570 or 413c/kg.
B & P Coles, Toongabbie, sold six heifers, 344kg, for $1430 or 415c/kg.
B Hinson, Hazelwood North, sold 12 heifers, 358kg, for $1520 or 428c/kg.
O Robinson, Korumburra, sold 13 heifers, 384kg, for $1640 or 427c/kg, anmd 12, 326kg, for $1450 or 444c/kg.
D & H Campbell, Mardan, sold 18 heifers, 328kg, for $1540 or 469c/kg.
N & B Shandley, Meeniyan, sold 22 heifers, 263kg, for $1350 or 513c/kg.
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