Cows and calves, heifers shine at Colac

Agents yarded about 1700 head of steers, heifers cows and calves

Charles Stewart Dove Colac auctioneer Shelby Howard said the company yarded a large number of cows and calves.

"I think it was people wanting to try and take advantage of some of the prices," Mr Howard said.

"I know one guy was downsizing and changing his operations, so there were a few different circumstances regarding those sales.

"Heavy cattle were not in as big demand, with local backgrounders buying anything they could get their hands on, pretty much."

Read more: Garrison returns to Colac as heifers shine

Mr Howard said weaner, and lighter, cattle continued their upward price trend.

Heavy cattle sold for anything from 500-540 cents a kilogram, while lighter steers sold to more than 700c/kg.

"Charles Stewart had a run of nine Yarrowie Simmental heifers, which made up to $2660, they were 456kg and we had competition all the way from Gilgandra, NSW."

Creek Livestock, Hopkins River and Conroy Brothers were among the feedlots who operated at Colac.

"The feedlots were active on those better bred, 300-400kg weaner cattle," he said.

Nutrien Wangaratta and Cohuna joined local and Warrnambool agents in bidding on the lighter cattle.

Charles Stewart Livestock auctioneer Matt Nelson said it was a mixed yarding but the cows and calf numbers followed on from October.

'The prices are good and it's probably drawn a few more out - we had a pretty good sale, last month, with our cows and calves."

Steer weights had dropped away.

"There are a lot of weaner cattle coming onto the market and the quality was very good.

"It's a reflection of the season and the breeding.

'There are a lot of cattle going back into the paddock, locally

"With the way the season has been restockers were very active."

Nutrien Ag Solutions auctioneer Phil Douglas said there was no one reason behind the influx of cows and calves.

"They were not lines of big breeders, it was just people taking a bit of money and out of the lines we had some producers were going into sheep.

"They were buying ewes, so that's why they were putting their cows on the market."

"What we had was very good quality; in four or five vendors, we had 80 cows and calves and they averaged $3950."

He said he felt the stand-out, price-wise, was heifers.

"The weaner heifer job was very, very strong, there were a couple of Hamilton blokes there, trying to buy heifers," he said.

"All of these heifers will eventually see a bull.

"They are not going to be fattened, a lot of them will be going for future breeders, which is great."

But he said a comparison with last year's sales was most instructive.

"Purumbete had steers in last year, which had a bit more weight

"Their steers and heifers were between $700 and $800 a head more than this time last year and their calves are lighter.

"Young cattle, making $1500 were now making $2200, and, as far as we were concerned, it was fantastic money last year.

"If people are replacing stock they are still going to make a quid and I don't begrudge anyone that."

He said the latest run had only been going for a few years.

Purrumbete South Pastoral sold 10 steers, 481kg, for $2620, or 544c/kg.

They also sold seven steers, 426kg, for $2520 or 591c/kg and 11, av 398kg, for $2400 or 603c/kg.

D&S Kent sold 12 Angus steers, 316kg, for $2350 or 743c/kg.

Otway Angus sold four Wilgunyah-blood steers, 442kg, for $2210 or 500c/kg.

R McNaughton sold nine Bellaspur and Murdeduke-blood steers, 376kg, for $2230 or 593c/kg.

N Bosut sold nine Quarterford-blood steers, 335kg, for $2200 or 656c/kg.

David Hocking sold six Ennerdale-blood steers, 455kg, for $2230 or 490c/kg.

Windy Peaks sold 10 steers, 453kg, for $2340 or 516c/kg.

They also sold six steers, 295kg, for $1840 or 623c/kg.

Adam Black sold 12 Weeran-blood steers, 287kg, for $2060 or 717c/kg

Baringa Park sold three Baringa Park-blood steers, 475kg, for $2220 or 467c/kg.

They also sold a pen of 15 steers, 335kg, for $2290 or 683c/kg.

PK & JL Lenehan sold a pen of 11 Banquet-blood steers, 321kg, for $2230 or 695c/kg.

Blackstones Pastoral sold 16 Weeran-blood steers for $2000.

N & J Thorton sold 11 Otway Angus-blood steers, 341kg, for $2100 or 615c/kg.

FI Grant sold 15 Murdeduke-blood steers, eight-nine months, for $1950.

Cessnock Pastoral Co sold eight Angus/Limousin-cross steers, 378kg, for $2200 or 582c/kg.

R McNaughton sold 12 Bellaspur and Murdeduke-blood heifers, 340kg for $2000 or 588c/kg.

K&J Ferarri sold 13 heifers, 329kg, for $1900 or 577c/kg.

They also sold 11 heifers, 246kg, for $1650 or 670c/kg.

Lenahan sold eight heifers, 305kg, for $1880 or 616c/kg.

GE and DJ Smith sold nine heifers 456kg, for $2660 or 583c/kg.

Agrifood Consulting sold 14 heifers, 368kg, for $2360 or 646c/kg.

Blackstones sold 26 heifers, 234kg, for $1880 or 803c/kg.

A Black sold 11 Angus heifers, 266kg, for $2080 or 781c/kg.

TW Gibson sold 11 heifers, 266kg, for $2080 or 781c/kg.

S&B Gardiner sold 11 heifers, 236kg, for $1750 or 741c/kg.

PJ Douglas sold 16 by 16 cows and calves for $4025.

Blackridge Native Nursery sold 15 by 15 cows and calves for $4040.

DR & SM Welsh sold 10 by 10 cows and calves for $3900.