Feedlots continued to dominate the monthly Ballarat store sale, as heavy steer prices again pushed higher according to agents.
They yarded around 2700 head of cattle.
"You could quote your 450-500 kilogram steers being $100-200 dearer, across the board," Nutrien Ag Solutions Ballarat livestock agent John McKinnon said.
"It was a very, very positive market with exceptional results for vendors but, in front of that, a very good line up of cattle after a long, cold wet winter."
He said had given up trying to guess how many more cattle would come forward.
There was very strong competition from all the regular feedlot operators on the lead pens of steers.
"Heavy steer weaners made from 580-650c/kg and lightweight weaners went very quickly from 700-to mid 700c/kg," he said.
Commission buyers Campbell Ross, Peter Tuohey and Duncan Brown were also active, as was Ray White.
"There was a grazier from the other side of Hamilton who predominantly bought heifers," he said.
"There was another fellow from Colac who went pretty hard on heifers, to go back into the paddock."
TB White and Sons livestock agent Xavier Bourke said while weights dropped away quickly, there were good grown cattle on offer, from 400-500 kilograms.
"They were probably 10 or 15 cents a kilogram dearer on the previous sale," Mr Bourke said.
"We got $2480 for our top weaners.
"There were some very good results, cattle between 420-430kg were making in excess of 550-580c/kg."
"It was a fantastic result on what was a great market."
Well-bred cattle, in-store condition, sold accordingly after a wet winter.
"It's probably got back to the traditional winter of 20 years ago, we haven't seen one this wet, for a long time," he said.
Local restockers and backgrounders were able to enter the market on the lighter cattle.
But he said the top heifers eased in price by 10-15c/kg, or $50-70/head while lighter heifers were dearer.
Charles Stewart & Company livestock agent Grant Daniell said lighter steers, 263kg, sold from 645-722c/kg.
"Even 354kg stuff there was making 612c/kg, steers weighing 295kg were making 645c/kg,"Mr Daniell said.
"There was a lot of lighter stuff offered - the first 18 pens were about 500kg then they tapered down into the 400kgs."
Mr Daniell estimated steers were up $50-100/head.
"The heifer job was firm on the last sale, the steer job was a little bit better," he said.
"I think heavy heifers were back a bit."
One pen of Angus-Shorthorn cross joined heifers made close to $3000/head.
"Most knocked on the door from $2500 upwards."
Mr Daniell said producers were still turning off heifers earlier.
"There were only six or seven pens of heavy heifers, the rest of them dropped down to that 300-odd kg mark."
NFC Farming sold four Banquet-blood Angus steers, 695kg, for $3490 or 502c/kg.
David J Ross sold seven Banquet-blood steers for 595 kg, $3080, or 517c/kg.
S & P Attard sold 20 Angus steers, 436kg, for $2800 or 642c/kg.
C&M Cunneen sold six Merridale and Welcome Swallow-blood steers, 357kg, for $2040 or 571c/kg.
Junction Park, sold 17 Langi Kal Kal-blood steers, 485kg, for $2740.
JD & JE Fraser sold 11 Hereford steers, 457kg, for $2450 or 536c/kg.
Mt Ararat sold 37 Angus steers, 464kg, for $2660 or 573c/kg.
Benarca Park sold 12 Murray Grey steers, 384kg, for $2100 or 547c/kg.
Moondarra sold nine Hereford steers, 377kg, for $2090 or 554c/kg.
IL and Mr Barber sold 18 Hereford steers, 409kg, for $1680 or 411c/kg.
RF & NE Campbell, sold five Angus steers, 363kg, for $1940 or 534c/kg.
Sutton Grange - Barker/Wall sold 10 High Spa-blood steers, 390kg, for $2370 or 608c/kg.
Jillpanger sold 14 Banquet-blood steers, 278kg, for $1920 or 691c/kg.
Apteso, sold five Bardwidgee-blood steers, 383kg, for $2290 or 598c/kg.
Cain Brothers sold 34 High Spa-blood steers, 365kg, for $2250 or 616c/kg.
S Guy sold seven Angus steers, 311kg for $1910 or 614c/kg.
EN & J Harrison sold 25 Kyah Park steers, 296 kg for $1940 or 655c/kg.
Sam and Vicky Gulle sold 12 Black Baldy steers, 292kg, for $1900 or 651c/kg.
Gluynton Ag sold 14 Franc-blood steers, 261kg, for $1840 or 704c/kg.
A&K Hamilton sold 18 Angus steers, 292kg, for $1960 or 671c/kg.
Eddy Comelli sold eight Angus steers, 258kg, for $1900 or 736c/kg.
G&D Carey sold 11 Te Mania-blood Black Baldy steers, 265 kg, for $1850 or 698c/kg.
Sam and Vicky Gulle sold eight Hereford steers, 299kg, for $1760 or 588c/kg.
RFB Kelly sold 15 Ardno-blood steers, 235kg, for $1580 or 672c/kg.
A&V McKinlay sold 15 Langi Kal Kal-blood steers, 243kg, for $1810 or 745c/kg.
Callum Winter sold nine Angus steers, 202kg, for $1700 or 841c/kg.
GA Crick and Co sold 25 Angus heifers, 421kg, for $2270 or 539c/kg.
Longview sold 12 Angus heifers, 468kg, for $2340 or 500c/kg.
Maher & Sons Pinegrove sold 10 Boonaroo-blood heifers, 403kg, for $2190 or 543c/kg.
MF, MT, DF, EJ Cummins sold 13 Charolais heifers, 411kg, for $2150 or 523c/kg.
EN & J Harrison, Hillview, sold 20 Angus heifers, 294kg, for $1780 or 605c/kg.
GF & J White sold 12 Tiarna-blood heifers, 250 kg, for $1670 or 660c/kg.
CG & SA McKay, Patawilya, sold 11 Marschay-blood heifers, 330kg, for $1660 or 503c/kg.
Bisinella Deli sold seven Angus heifers, 247 kg, for $1520 or 615c/kg.
Yallum Vale sold 16 Rennlyea & Alpine-blood heifers, 10-11months, 285kg, for $1790.
RFB Kelly sold six Ardno-blood Black Baldy heifers, 175kg, for $1250 or 714c/kg.
Doolan Garth sold 14 Merridale-blood heifers, 201kg, for $1330 or 523c/kg
PJ Sanders sold six Te Mania-blood heifers, 164kg, for $1130 or 690c/kg.
RHK & JL Morrish sold 17 Te Mania, Bowmont and Franc heifers, 197kg, for $1490 or 756c/kg.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
