Mortlake heavy steers hit $3200 a head as calves soar past 800c/kg

Agents yarded just shy of 4800 cattle at the Western Victoria Livestock Exchange to mark the final winter market.

The mixed-quality yarding offered something for every buying class, with feedlotters, restockers and commission buyers all keen to secure lines of cattle - and willing to pay the price.

Mortlake Stock Agents' Association president Matt Baxter said the sale was a touch dearer on some of the better-bred heavier steers, while heifers also rose in price with spring on the horizon.

"The weaner heifers were coming out at about $2000 a head for 300 kilograms and they're spring-drop weaner heifers showing good quality," Mr Baxter said.

"Breeders are in high demand and those heifers are making the exact same, if not more than weaner steers."

Cattle with weight were sought after by about half a dozen feedlotters, while restocker competition noticeably increased compared to a month ago.

"We're on the brink of spring and within three weeks we're going to have grass everywhere," Mr Baxter said.

"We saw more restocker competition and those buyers are optimistic given we're out of the depths of winter."

The best presented steer pen of the sale went to Panmure Flats with 42 steers, 502kg, which went under the hammer for 574c/kg or $2881, followed by seven steers, 419kg, for 568c/kg or $2379.

Kilkenny Pastoral won the best presented heifer pen with 29 heifers, 11 and 12 months, 294kg, which sold for 655c/kg or $1925.

Eulo Pastoral sold 29 Angus heifers, 298kg, for 688c/kg or $2050 and another 26 heifers, 281kg, for 688c/kg.

Pardoo Cattle Company sold the dearest pen of weaner heifers with a pen of 47, 293kg, making 710c/kg or $2080 and 29 heifers, 10 and 12 months, 249kg, for 704c/kg or $1752.

On a price per head basis, bullock fattener Rene Logan, Gudamain, Laang, claimed the gong for the dearest pen of the sale with 16 Angus steers, 644kg, selling for 498c/kg or a whopping $3207.

Glendinning Station sold a consignment of 65 Angus steers, September/October 2020-drop, with its top pen of 15 steers, 311kg, making 656c/kg or $2040, followed by 26 steers, 256kg, making 710c/kg.

The lightest pen of the station's steers, 212kg, made 750c/kg or $1600.

Another feature of the sale was 91 Angus steers consigned by Mt Myrtoon, aged eight and nine months.

The lightest pen of the draft and the dearest weaner pen of the sale, 147kg, made 814c/kg or $1196, while the tops of the draft, 31 steers, 200kg, made 762c/kg or $1524.

Account Banuke sold 114 steer calves, 9-11 months, including 20 steers, 289kg, for 702c/kg or $2028 and a second pen to the same buyer, 293kg, for 702c/kg or $2056.

Mr Baxter said feedlot-suited cattle were also firm compared to a month ago, pointing towards signs of tight supply as grass fever ramps up.

"I think feedlotters are starting to get worried about where kill cattle will come from," Mr Baxter said.

A few buyers sourced cattle for south-east South Australia, while several Gippsland agents and bullock fatteners were also operating, as were a few buyers for the north-east.

"We also had a few commission buyers buying for northern Victoria and southern New South Wales and in some cases cattle went into the north of New South Wales," Mr Baxter said.

"It's a credit to the vendors for the quality of the yarding at this time of the year."

In the heifer section, Camp Creek sold the first pen of females with five Angus heifers, March and April 2020-drop, 382kg, going under the hammer for 518c/kg or $1978.

S & S Harrison sold 20 Angus heifers, 337kg, for 575kg, or $1951, while RN & KL Skelton sold seven heifers, 331kg, for 556c/kg or $1840.

Lynlee sold 23 heifers, 15 and 16 months, 380kg, for 600c/kg or $2280, while GJ Collins sold 30 heifers, 376kg, for 600c/kg or $2256.

Laggan Pastoral sold 16 Angus heifers, 374kg, for 592c/kg or $2214.

Cows and calf units sold to $3700 with the first pen of the sale, consigned by Mingawalla Ag, Beeac, fetching the top price with 16 fourth calvers rejoined with January/February-drop calves at foot.

Several other pens sold above $3000 a unit with J & A Cirillo selling 16 cows, second and third calves, with calves at foot for $3200.

Hand Family Trust sold 10 cows, second calvers, with calves at foot for $3150 and four cows preg-tested-in-calf with calves at foot for $3160.

Te Aro sold seven cows with calves at foot, not rejoined, for $3160, while RA & NI Letteiri sold nine Angus cows with calves at foot for $3440.

Camp Creek sold nine Angus steers, 447kg, for 572c/kg or $2556 and nine Angus steers, 327kg, for 620c/kg.

S & S Harrison sold 16 Angus steers, 14 and 15 months, 370kg, for 618c/kg or $2286.

Moongulla sold seven steers, 471kg, for 562c/kg or $2647.

Cherrita sold 22 steers, 16 and 17 months, 492kg, for 555c/kg or $2730.

Bligh Pastoral sold 12 steers, 10 and 12 months, 379kg, for 585c/kg or $2217.

Oakvale sold 25 Hereford steers, 16 and 17 months, 475kg, for 532c/kg or $2527.

Stanley Pastoral sold 11 Angus steers, 269kg, for 664c/kg or $1786.

Gigas & Skopianos sold 21 Angus steers, 344kg, nine and 10 months, for 626c/kg or $2153.

Tesbury Partnership sold 21 steers, 306kg, for 634c/kg or $1940.

L Miller sold 15 Angus steers, 10 and 11 months, 272kg, for 664c/kg or $1800.

Coysh & Nichollas sold seven steers, 269kg, for 666c/kg or $1791.

Nields Contracting sold 18 Hereford steers, 273kg, for 661c/kg or $1804.

DM Kerna sold 20 Angus steers, 281kg, for 684c/kg or $1922.

South Boorook sold 16 steers, 296kg, for 638c/kg or $1888 and 12 steers, 248kg, for 706c/kg.

NM & KA Slattery Pastoral sold seven Angus heifers, 261kg, for 622c/kg.

MA & TL Nevill sold 15 Angus heifers, February and March 2020-drop, 384kg, for 535c/kg or $2054.

Mt Eccles sold 24 heifers, 417kg, for 535c/kg or $2230.

Laggan Pastoral sold 16 Angus heifers, 374kg, for 592c/kg or $2214.