Bairnsdale grown steers pass $2700 as restockers step up

Agents yarded about 1100 cattle at the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange in a market which was underpinned largely by South Gippsland restockers and bullock fatteners, local agents said.

A good offering of small, light-weight weaner calves as young as eight months sold to strong demand, with the dearest pens passing 700 cents a kilogram.

A handful of South Gippsland-based agencies were active and operating, chasing well-bred cattle to put back onto feed.

The three southern agencies combined, including buyer Eddie Hams, Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock, bought in excess of 250 cattle to head south.

Mr Hams was chasing grown steers as heavy as 700kg.

Bill Wyndham & Co livestock manager Colin Jones said it was a slightly dearer sale compared to the first June store market, and that was despite the mixed quality of cattle.

"It was double the yarding we had a fortnight ago and the quality improved and the sale featured some older cattle which did extremely well," Mr Jones said.

"Feedlot competition was not as strong, we only had one operator here today and local demand is still here but we've found a lot of restockers are still missing out."

The absence of regular feedlotters gave graziers an opportunity to buy in at a lower rate compared to other recent Victorian sales where feedlotters have largely dominated markets due to a shortage of supply.

The sale started with a draft of Hereford cattle offered by Gus and Sandra Crisp, Omeo, including two grown steers, 732kg, which made $2730 or 372c/kg and nine steers, 504kg, for $2220 or 440c/kg.

Their third pen of 10 steers, 454kg, made $2130 or 469c/kg.

Laurie Reed, Delegate River, sold a draft of 76 Angus, Hereford and Black Baldy cattle including a top pen of 18 steers, 307kg, for $1780 or 579c/kg and 16 steers, 275kg, for $1780 or 647c/kg.

Mr Reed also sold six steers, 227kg, for $1590 or 700c/kg.

Romano Produce sold two pens cattle including a top pen 16 steers, 368kg, for $1890 or 513c/kg and another pen of 16, 338kg, for $1870 or 553c/kg.

Elders Bairnsdale livestock manager Morgan Davies said demand among local graziers helped the market remain buoyant.

"All the lighter steers were probably as dear as we've seen them and that might be due to the end of the financial year approaching and people keen to spend some money," Mr Davies said.

"The cattle job is in such a good position across the eastern seaboard and we estimate that some of the light steers were more than $100 a head dearer in places."

Sharp Fullgrabe director Graeme Fullgrabe said the store market had "lifted to a new level".

On a cents a kilogram basis, J Chown sold one of the dearest pens with 13 steers, 208kg, fetching $1510 or 725c/kg.

The same vendor also sold 20 steers, 270kg, for $1470 or 544c/kg.

Mr Fullgrabe was the only feedlot buyer active during the sale, representing a buyer from the southern Riverina in NSW.

"Buyers who were giving $2000 for a grown store steer are now paying $2500 and people buying steers for $1500 earlier in the year are now paying $2000," Mr Fullgrabe said.

"We expected South Gippy to be quiet because of the rain but they were the strength of the sale and local people who were buying cattle essentially wanted to get rid of a few bob before June 30."

In the heifer section, Glenshiel Pastoral Pty Ltd sold three pens including 10 heifers, 455kg, for $1950 or 428c/kg, 11 heifers, 390kg, for $1720 or 441c/kg and eight, 366kg, for $1630 or 445c/kg.

Sandy Family Investments sold 12 heifers, 312kg, for $1510 or 483c/kg and another 12, 257kg, for $1290 or 501c/kg.

Regular Hereford vendor Jim Pendergast, Penderscourt, Benambra, sold eight cows with calves at foot and another three units for $3520 - bought by a breeder from Myrtleford.

Nutrien Bairnsdale livestock manger Brad Obst said he was pleased with the strength of the market.

"I thought the representation from the South Gippslanders was very strong and it was again another restocker-driven market," Mr Obst said.

"It is wet in places across East Gippsland but we can still take cattle so I think we'll continue to see locals chipping away at our sales."

AJ & BJ Ah Sam, Omeo, sold 14 steers, 607kg, for $2510 or 413c/kg.

O Herman sold seven steers, 447kg, for $1810 or 404c/kg.

S Adler sold five steers, 504kg, for $2120 or 420c/kg.

BS Dyer sold 17 steers, 263kg, for $1680 or 638c/kg.

P Strickland & N Ridder sold 10 steers, 221kg, for $1460 or 660c/kg.

Bushbank sold five steers, 546kg, for $2290 or 419c/kg.

IH & LM Neville sold five steers, 474kg, for $2150 or 453c/kg.

GD Simpson sold nine steers, 313kg, for $1750 or 559c/kg.

P & M Whelan sold 10 steers, 301kg, for $1770 or 588c/kg.

Sandy Family Investments sold 16 steers, 302kg, for $1760 or 582c/kg.

Kent Park sold 24 steers, 258kg, for $1610 or 624c/kg.

GD Simpson sold 10 heifers, 309kg, for $1520 or 491c/kg.

CJ & V McDonald sold eight heifers, 278kg, for $1200 or 431c/kg.

Riverlea Blue, Swifts Creek, sold six heifers, 523kg, for $1890 or 361c/kg.

D & M Ljujic sold 18 heifers, 310kg, for $1520 or 490c/kg.

T & M Trewin sold 13 heifers, 348kg, for $1500 or 431c/kg.

LK Grant sold nine heifers, 302kg, for $1420 or 470c/kg.

BS Dyer sold 14 heifers, 239kg, for $1250 or 523c/kg.