Agents reported very strong prices at the Leongatha store sale today, with a feature line selling above expectations and heifers also going up a notch.
Around 2000 head were yarded at the Victorian Livestock Exchange.
Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock auctioneer Brian McCormack said prices were very good even with a mixed-quality yarding.
"It just keeps stepping up every market, it gets stronger and stronger," he said.
"You're seeing big black steers making six bucks."
The sale highlight was a line of 110 steers by J MacLachlan.
Two pens of 32 averaging 474kg sold for $2810 a head or 592c/kg, with another 34 averaging 455kg selling for $2750 or 604c/kg.
A pen of 15, 439kg, sold for $2530 or 576c/kg, a pen of 17 weighing 426kg made $2590 or 607c/kg.
The final pen of 15, 402kg, sold for $2390 or 594c/kg.
M & N Bracecamp, Berrys Creek, sold 18, 476kg, for $2860 or 563c/kg and a pen of eight, 492kg, for $2480 or 504c/kg.
The vendor also sold four, 406kg, for $2440 or 600c/kg.
J Tuffin, Toora, sold 11, 476kg, for $2560 or 537c/kg, while M & T Moscript, Leongatha South, sold five, 425kg, for $2240 or 527c/kg.
EV Green, Venus Bay, sold 18, 384kg, for $2240 or 583c/kg.
M & M Standfield, Fish Creek, sold 15, 380kg, for $2200 or 578c/kg.
D Hall, Fish Creek, sold 20, 302kg, for $2050 or 678c/kg and a pen of 20, 275kg, for $1960 or 712c/kg.
T & C Hulls, Narra Tingha, Leongatha, sold 24, 282kg, for $1810 or 641c/kg, a pen of 24, 278kg, for $1820 or 654c/kg, 21 weighing 235kg for $1580 or 672c/kg and 21, 217kg, for $1490 or 686c/kg.
The sale saw more competition from local bullock fatteners, although feedlot activity remained very strong.
Mr McCormack said South Gippsland was still very wet, but the red soils to the north and east were tracking well.
"It's good, it's going to be good," he said.
"It's probably a little bit wet just at the moment but hey, we're only in early August, that's not a problem for us."
Cowmore Farms, Pound Creek, sold 13, 388kg, for $2050 or 606c/kg.
A & E Orchard sold 12, 317kg, for $2140 or 675c/kg, while T & J Lipman sold nine, 304kg, for $1970 or 648c/kg.
B & K Drew, Mountain View, sold a pen of 11 steers, 298kg, for $1590 or 533c/kg and 12, 298kg, for $1660 or 557c/kg.
AW & CM O'Mara, Glengarry, sold 23, 355kg, for $2250 or 633c/kg, and S & B McConnachie, Kardella, sold 10, 350kg, for $2180 or 622c/kg.
B & A Spiden, Glen Forbes, sold 13, 253kg, for $1720 or 679c/kg.
PK McPhail, Welshpool, sold eight, 300kg, for $1860 or 620c/kg, while Cambridge & Carter, Hedley, sold 20, 252kg, for $1810 or 718c/kg.
SEJ auctioneer James Kyle agreed the prices were very strong.
"Heifers that had a bit of weight that had also butcher demand, plus your local restockers," he said.
"There were very limited pens of well bred heifers, so the ones that are here sold very well.
"Spring is now on our doorstep, every day is one day closer
"People have got a bit of feed and they probably haven't put anything back in the paddock yet."
In the heifer run, Hoghton & Sharman, Boolarra, sold 12, 419kg, for $2250 or 536c/kg, while M & T Moscript, Leongatha South, sold three, 381kg, for $2090 or 548c/kg.
Melalencos Angus, Dalyston, sold eight, 400kg, for $2190 or 547c/kg, and nine, 315kg, for $1650 or 523c/kg.
D Hall, Fish Creek, sold 14, 260kg, for $1580 or 607c/kg.
T & C Hulls, Narra Tingha, sold 30, 236kg, for $1360 or 576c/kg, a pen of 32, 216kg, for $1300 or 601c/kg, and an unweighed pen of 22 that made $1150.
R Pomaroy sold eight pregnancy-tested-in-calf heifers, 364kg, for $2150 or 590c/kg.
A & E Orchard sold eight, 310kg, for $1690 or 545c/kg and a pen of 11, 290kg, for $1680 or 579c/kg.
Elders auctioneer Rohan McRae said some lines of better bred cattle sold above expectations, including the feature line of steers by J MacLachan.
The sale came after Alan MacLachlan passed away on Monday, with the steers going under the hammer on the day of his funeral.
"There was a lease property that expired so instead of taking them home they consigned them here," Mr McRae said.
"It was a fitting tribute to him to get such a good result on the herd that he started many, many years ago.
"He was one of the true gentlemen of the industry."
Rebecca Nadge
Bec is livestock editor for The Land. She has previously worked for Stock & Land in Victoria, the ABC in Kununurra, and newspapers in Kalgoorlie and New Zealand. Contact her at bec.nadge@theland.com.au
Bec is livestock editor for The Land. She has previously worked for Stock & Land in Victoria, the ABC in Kununurra, and newspapers in Kalgoorlie and New Zealand. Contact her at bec.nadge@theland.com.au
