Bairnsdale calves pass 700c/kg despite a dip in quality

Agents yarded about 1200 cattle for the fortnightly market where feedlots, local restockers and South Gippsland bullock fatteners were out in force.

Nutrien East Gippsland Livestock manager Brad Obst said competition for well-bred cattle was consistent with recent sales, but overall quality declined.

"There were some nice lines of Hereford cattle and then the sale quickly slipped off to some dairy-cross types," Mr Obst said.

PJ & DN Sykes, Longford, sold 13 Hereford steers, 444kg, for $2420 and another 17 steers, 382kg, for $2230.

S O'Brien, Tambo Crossing, sold 20 Hereford steers, 328kg, for $2020 and another 20 steers, 303kg, for $1970.

CB, AS, KC and FY Hutton, Bairnsdale, sold 16 Hereford steers, 415kg, for $2360 and 10 steers, 358kg, for $2100.

Riseley Contracting, Fernbank, sold 16 steers, 501kg, for $2700 and 10 Angus steers, 483kg, for $2700.

SR & MC Beasley, Lindenow South, sold 61 Angus heifers including 21 heifers, 397kg, for $2290, 20 heifers, 400kg, for $2290 and 20 heifers, 376kg, for $2130.

Meat & Livestock Australia's National Livestock Reporting Service said prices were slightly cheaper in places throughout the sale with quality playing a role, while the better-bred calves and yearlings held firm.

Bill Wyndham & Co livestock manager Colin Jones said the sale was on par with other cent markets.

"There was the odd pen that might have been a bit dearer but I don't want to keep quoting it as dearer all the time," Mr Jones said.

"It was a handy yarding of cattle and while there wasn't the runs we've seen at previous sales, there was still some very good cattle there.

"The feedlots were buying some of the older cattle and the buyers from South Gippsland and more locally were buying anything from the weaners through to the older cattle."

G Rowe, Lindenow South, sold six rising two-year-old Charolais steers, 519kg, for $2770 or 533c/kg.

LH & SE Pendergast, Benambra, sold 18 Hereford steers, 20 months, 400kg, for $2010 or 502c/kg.

B & L Holland, Swan Reach, sold 11 Angus steers, eight to 10 months, 291kg, for $2065 or 709c/kg.

K Quirk, Lindenow South, sold 13 Angus heifers, 404kg, for $2280 or 564c/kg.

Meanwhile, Janine and Chris Cooper, Wulgulmerang, sold 20 eight-year-old Hereford cows with June and July 2021-drop calves at foot to a top price of $3500 to average $3447 per unit.

Sharp Fullgrabe director Graeme Fullgrabe said 20-month-old cattle set the benchmark, with many of them making more on a cents a kilogram basis compared to their meat value in the prime sales.

"There's a shortage on the feedlot job but with the demand on the bigger run, it rubs off on the smaller cattle and there wasn't a steer under $1400," Mr Fullgrabe said.

KFT Investments, Nungurner, sold 25 Angus steers including a pen of 14 steers, 493kg, for $2800 or 567c/kg.

W & JE Heggie, Tambo Upper, sold 11 Black Baldy steers , 450kg or $2540 or 564c/kg.

Youngs Creek Pastoral, Orbost, sold eight Charolais steers, 461kg, for $2520 or 546c/kg.

L Johnstone, Brodribb, sold 10 Charolais steers, 451kg, $2480 or 549c/kg.