Yea steers sell to 630c/kg, heifers pass 500c/kg at weaner sale

Nutrien Yea and Alexandra yarded about 2500 mixed-sex weaner calves for the special weaner sale where steers sold to $1900, while heifers topped at $1750.

The sale formed part of the Victorian weaner sale series where more than 40,000 calves are expected to be sold across the state in the coming days.

On a cents a kilogram basis, light steers under 250 kilograms sold to 630 cents a kilogram as heifers passed 530c/kg.

Agents estimated the overall yarding was 60 to 80 kilograms heavier than the 2020 sale with the first 48 pens weighing between 300 and 469kg.

Nutrien Yea and Alexandra branch manager Tyson Bush said the result was "absolutely outstanding".

"I was nervous coming into today and thought it could have been a touch cheaper," Mr Bush said.

"We had a calf sale in November and that was the peak of last year.

"People retained their calves for this sale and to their credit, it paid off."

Several feature lines of calves sold to strong demand including the first pen of 23 steers, offered by GW & ME Oliver, 410kg, which topped the sale at $1900 or 463c/kg.

J & S Horkings, Nulla Vale, sold 14 steers, 398kg, which made $1870 or 469c/kg.

Glenlyon Pastoral sold a large draft of calves including 20 steers, 391kg, for $1830 or 468c/kg.

JT Clement, Springfield, sold 17 steers, 415kg, for $1860 or 448c/kg.

Inverugie Pastoral, Yea, sold 57 Angus calves including 20 steers, 352kg, for $1670 or 474c/kg, and another 20, 331kg, for $1690 or 510c/kg plus 17 steers, 299kg, for $1660 or 555c/kg.

Strathrural, Strathcreek, sold 2 steers, 375kg, for $1800 or 480c/kg and another pen of 31, 332kg, for $1740 or 524c/kg.

J & TM McCormack sold 19 steers, 355kg, for $1740 or 490c/kg as well as 20 steers, 398kg, for $1890 or 474c/kg and 18, 361kg, for $1700 or 470c/kg.

Ten per cent of the yarding was purchased by four online buyers from three different states online via AuctionsPlus, equating to 253 head or 64 steers and 189 heifers.

AuctionsPlus data revealed there was 263 online bids and 226 registered bidders.

Mr Bush said restockers underpinned the sale despite strong competition from feedlots and commission buyers.

"People know what these cattle can do even when we're in a not-so-good year, so really, people are chasing these trusted genetics," Mr Bush said.-

"There was a lot of local support, a lot of feedlotters from north, south, east and west and Gippsland was very strong as was the Goulburn Valley and north across the border."

On a cents a kilogram basis, a pen of steers 22 European Union-accredited steers, 238kg, from Moroco West Station, Deniliquin, NSW topped the sale selling for $1500 or 630c/kg.

The same vendor sold 200 Angus steers, eight to 10 months.

RJH Maranoa sold 22 steers, 336kg, for $1780 or 529c/kg, and 24, 296kg, for $1700 or 574c/kg.

The draft averaged 266kg and sold to $1650 for a pen of 40 steers, 301kg, which made 548c/kg.

In the heifer portion, Charwell Farms, Romsey, topped the sale on a cents a kilogram basis with a pen of 15 heifers, 284kg, making $1530 or 538c/kg.

The same vendor sold 104 mixed-sex weaners including another six heifers, 281kg, which made $1450 or 516c/kg and 17 heifers, 276kg, for $1450 or 525c/kg.

"Restockers had in their mind not so much a price per kilo but a dollars per head and that was shown when we got onto the lighter heifers because they rarely came under $1400," Mr Bush said.

"The cattle are weighed 60 to 80 kilograms heavier this year and cattle had leg and good breeding under them which was less obvious last year."

R Perry, Prospect Hill, sold 24 steers, 384kg, for $1820 or 473c/kg.

D Uys sold 21 steers, 378kg, for $1800 or 476c/kg.

PD & P Ryan, Pyalong, sold 20 steers, 385kg, for $1800 or 467c/kg.

HJ Cameron sold 22 steers, 364kg, for $1760 or 483c/kg.

G & B Young, Donnybrook, sold 15 steers, 366kg, for $1740 or 475c/kg.

Berdue sold 16 steers, 403kg, for $1830 or 454c/kg.

Sawpit Rural sold nine steers, 377kg, for $1780 or 472c/kg.

BM & MM Griffith sold 23 steers, 370kg, for $1770 or 478c/kg.

J & JB OHallaron sold 19 steers, 334kg, for $1750 or 523c/kg.

Combi Farm sold five steers, 404kg, for $1830 or 452c/kg.

S Tanner sold 10 steers, 395kg, for $1750 or 443c/kg.

Webb Pastoral sold 17 steers, 331kg, for $1580 or 477c/kg.

R Perry sold 14 steers, 334kg, for $1670 or 500c/kg.

JJ & SE Madin sold 19 steers, 358kg, for $1700 or 474c/kg.

Strathrural sold 12 steers, 304kg, for $1680 or 552c/kg.

L & M Bennett, Woodend, sold 14 heifers, 368kg, for $1620 or 440c/kg.

RM, ME & CR Cumming sold 22 heifers, 374kg, for $1710 or 457c/kg.

GW & ME Oliver sold 17 heifers, 386kg, for $1750 or 453c/kg.

Maindetta sold 19 heifers, 384kg, for $1660 or 432c/kg.

Sawpit Rural sold 12 heifers, 344kg, for $1620 or 470c/kg.

Yentrac sold 14 heifers, 370kg, for $1660 or 448c/kg.

Strathrural sold 26 heifers, 316kg, for $1600 or 506c/kg.

S Tanner sold 26 heifers, 328kg, for $1650 or 503c/kg.

AW Hubert sold 26 heifers, 301kg, for $1510 or 501c/kg.

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