Feedlots and processors dominated the Pakenham store cattle sale as restockers found it hard going, agents said.
Agents yarded 2443 head of steers and heifers and 95 x 88 cows and calves.
JBS, Charlton, Coles and Comdain all had representatives, or commission buyers, at the rail
Alex Scott and Staff Pakenham Livestock manager David Setches said it might be the last yarding of 2500 cattle, or more, the yards would see before winter.
Cattle between 500-600 kilograms made up to 425 cents a head.
"I did see a pen of those 400-450kg steers make 450c/kg," Mr Setches said.
"There were very few lines - a lot of the cattle have been sold and the prices are flushing out the last of the drafts.
"People are taking the opportunity to take the money now."
Garas Angus, Foster North, sold a pen of 20 Angus steers, 217kg, for $1490 or 686 cents a kilogram.
Weights for most of the yarding ranged between 300 to just over 500 kilograms.
"Feedlots were very active, especially on those 500-600kg plus cattle," Mr Setches said.
"It was very, very good to have all these blokes vying for the cattle, as we are getting to the end of these drafts.
"They are making as much as the lead did three-or-four months ago.
"We are starting to get to mixed types of yardings, with a lot of the cattle already being sold."
Nutrien Ag Solutions Andy Grant said the heavier cattle were making $2200 to $2400/head.
"It's all quality driven, we had a great yarding and I think they sold well," Mr Grant said.
"Restockers were coming in on the younger, cheaper cattle, those around $1400-1600/head."
The big drafts had been sold but the quality was still there.
Ticar, Flinders, sold 12 steers, 605kg, for $2360 or 390c/kg.
Ticar's second pen of 13, 552kg, sold for $2300 or 420c/kg.
JR Gray, Kyneton, sold 16 Barwdigee and LKK-blood steers, 593kg, for $2390 or 403c/kg.
Gray's seconds, 565kg, sold for $2395 or 423c/kg.
April Heenan, Lillico, sold 20 steers, 530kg, for $2300 or 433c/kg.
Roanda Farms, Thorpdale, sold 23 Charolais/South Devon-cross steers, 466kg, for $2190 or 469c/kg.
A Bender, Kyneton, sold 10 steers, 538kg, for $2290 or 425c/kg.
Bender's 18 seconds, 492kg, sold for $2400 or 487c/kg.
A & J Allan, Poowong East, sold 15 steers, 470kg, for $2190 or 465c/kg.
Westbury Downs, Westbury, sold 14 steers, 435kg, for $2110 or 507c/kg.
Tarwin Pastoral sold 13 steers, 455kg, for $2080 or 457c/kg.
H Parth, Taggerty, sold 14 Ravensdale-blood steers, 540kg, for $2280 or 422c/kg.
Parth's 17 seconds, 471kg, sold for $2200 or 467c/kg.
Cascade Park, Neerim East, sold 16 steers, 390kg, for $1810 or 464c/kg.
Kareen, French Island, sold eight steers, 385kg, for $1820 or 472c/kg.
Its second pen of five, 370kg, sold for $1710 or 462c/kg.
Manfred Station, Balranald, NSW, sold 16 steers, 342kg, for $1650 or 482c/kg.
Manfred's 14 seconds, 332kg, sold for $1650 or 496c/kg.
A Forbes, Glengarry, sold 14 steers, 498kg, for $2290 or 459c/kg.
Cheltenham Park Angus, Currajong, sold nine steers, 413kg, for $2000 or 484c/kg.
L Talbot, Bunyip, sold three steers, 461kg, for $2000 or 433c/kg.
MJ and J Brady, Tyers, sold 10 steers, 394kg, for $1800 or 477c/kg.
A and KJ McFarlane, Modella, sold 10 steers, 382kg, for $1820 or 476c/kg.
Wilson and Thomas, Lyndhurst, sold 16 Wattletop-blood steers, 373kg, for $1900 or 509c/kg.
Troups Pty Ltd, Mt Cottrell, sold 12 steers, 410kg, for $1940 or 473c/kg.
Wheeler Logging, Hill End, sold 15 steers, 394kg, for $1860 or 472c/kg.
Mrs E Jones, Moe, sold 21 steers, 347kg, for $1790 or 515c/kg.
Nathan Gibbon Livestock manager Nathan Gibbon said most of heavier cattle sold for more than $2000, with the tops up to $2310.
"It was definitely very strong, I think most of the good pens of heavier cattle would have made 430-470c/kg," Mr Gibbon said.
"There haven't been a lot of cattle bought by restockers, maybe some of the lighter cattle."
He said the sale was possibly a little bit stronger than the last one.
Korinfski sold 12 Emperor-blood heifers, 490kg, for $1890 or 385c/kg.
Tarwin Pastoral's 19 heifers, 434kg, sold for $1930 or 444c/kg.
Steadfast Cartage sold 21 Yanathan-blood heifers, 295kg, for $1170 or 396c/kg.
CFS Research, Tuerong, sold six Hicks-blood heifers, 287kg, for $1300 or 452c/kg.
JB and SE Heenan sold 14 heifers, 336kg, for $1390 or 413c/kg.
GP Fleming, Broadford, sold 23 Te Mania-blood heifers, 330kg, for $1550 or 469c/kg.
Mrs E Jones sold 23 heifers, 297kg, for $1350 or 454c/kg.
C Booth, Toninbuk, sold 10 heifers, 401kg, for $1810 or 451c/kg.
Groves Estate sold seven heifers for $1200.
Blyth Brothers sold 15 heifers, 386kg, for $1810 or 468c/kg.
In the calf pens, J Coghill sold six Hereford steers for $1300.
A second pen of six sold for $1480.
Kingston Park, Merricks, sold 12 Angus steers for $1540 and nine heifers for $1200.
Flying Duck, Nar Nar Goon, sold a pen of 12 Angus steers for $1250.
Baskett sold four Limousin cows and calves for $3300.
O Sprague sold 15 Angus cows and calves for $2800.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
