Bairnsdale store sale prices up on last fortnight

Agents yarded about 750 head.

Nutrien East Gippsland livestock manager Brad Obst said some of the cattle were starting to show the effects of winter.

"It was a little bit mixed but there was some very nice drafts of well-bred, lighter-weight cattle throughout it," Mr Obst said.

He said prices were up to $40-$50 a head dearer than a fortnight ago, probably on the back of a rise in the fat market and better seasonal conditions.

There was a combination of local and South Gippsland buyers.

Meat & Livestock Australia's market report found the top of the weaner steers made $2140 or 519 cents a kilogram for eight Angus weighing 412kg.

The top of the yearling steers was a pen of four Black Baldies, 573kg, which sold for $2530 or 441c/kg.

The top of the weaner heifers made $1640 or 482c/kg for five Black Baldies weighing 340kg, while the top of the yearling heifers made $1820 or 385c/kg for two Angus.

Kent Park sold a draft of Hereford/Angus-cross steers, with a pen of six weighing 377kg making $1860 or 493c/kg, 16 at 302kg selling for $1800 or 596c/kg, 18 weighing 278kg selling for $1770 or 636c/kg, and three, 222kg, making $1450 or 653c/kg.

The same vendor also sold a run of heifers, with five, 340kg, making $1640 or 482c/kg, a pen of 16, 292kg, made $1580 or 541c/kg, a pen of 18, 266kg, made $1510 or 567c/kg, and six weighing 223kg made $1280 or 573c/kg.

PR Henderson Farms sold seven Angus steers, 500kg, for $2300 or 460c/kg, and a pen of 15, 281kg, for $1790 or 637c/kg.

C & A Bush sold two pens of Black Baldy steers, with five, 305kg, making $1740 or 570c/kg, and six, 278kg, for $1680 or 604c/kg.

The same vendor also sold three pens of Hereford steers, with five, 321kg, selling for $1670 or 520c/kg, five weighing 250kg selling for $1510 or 604c/kg, and five, 222kg, for $1470 or 662c/kg.

In the heifer section, C & A Bush also sold a pen of 11, 277kg, for $1530 or 552c/kg, 18 at 289kg for $1500 or 519c/kg, and nine, 226kg, for $1280 or 566c/kg.

Sharp Fullgrabe & Co livestock agent Brent Coster agreed the prices were dearer in sections.

"There were a fair run of heavier steers," Mr Coster said.

"It was a bit of a mixed yarding and there were some plainer cattle, but they sold quite well and it was definitely dearer in spots on that better selection of calves."

He said 715kg Hereford bullocks sold to 385c/kg.

He said there was a smaller pool of buyers but they were very consistent.

He said vendors would now be eyeing the bigger feature sales.

"All the bigger runs of cattle have sort of come and gone," he said.

"There are people holding off - there are a few feature sales starting in August."