Pakenham steers pass 570c/kg in feedlot-driven market

Agents yarded about 2800 cattle a day after some parts of eastern Victoria received more than 200 millimetres of rain in just 24 hours.

Alex Scott & Staff Pakenham livestock manager David Setches said the market was "very solid" due to feedlots being a "driving force" on feeder-weight cattle at the Victorian Livestock Exchange.

"With the COVID restrictions, the crowd wasn't as big as what we've seen in previous sales but the prices were very good and comparable to sales before this most recent lockdown," Mr Setches said.

"Agents took up the slack on the lighter cattle and I thought those lighter cattle were every bit as dear, if not dearer than previous sales."

Light calves were also a feature of the market with several producers taking advantage of the buoyant market conditions, offloading cattle they would normally sell in August and September, a few months earlier.

"The sale featured some very nice lines of cattle, especially in the grown section from 450 to 600 kilograms," Mr Setches said.

Tarraglen Farm, Longwarry North, sold nine steers, 649kg, for $2760 a head or 425 cents a kilogram and 15 steers, 586kg, for $2550 or 435c/kg.

P Link, Garfield North, sold 22 steers, 542kg, for $2400 or 442c/kg and another 22, 520kg, for $2520 or 484c/kg.

J Comrie, Thorpdale, sold seven steers, 520kg, for $2290 or 440c/kg.

J & K Tanner, Tyers, sold 14 steers, 565kg, for $2390 or 423c/kg.

In the lighter section, Heysen Pastoral, Shady Creek, sold 18 steers, 375kg, for $1920 or 512c/kg, 21 steers, 349kg, for $1870 or 535c/kg, another 21 steers, 319kg, for $1780 or 557c/kg and 11 steers, 279kg, for $1600 or 573c/kg.

Elders Pakenham livestock agent Carlo Taranto said competition among several active feedlots was impressive.

"We had a number of feedlotters and commission buyers present and they were very strong," Mr Taranto said.

"The heavier end of the steers sold for 460-470c/kg for cattle weighing from 550-600kg.

"Steers weighing between 450-500kg made up to 500c/kg and that was due to the strong support from processors and feedlots, as well as South Gippslanders and local buyers who were chasing those smaller cattle."