A NSW stock agent helped boost prices at the monthly Yea store cattle sale, taking home a draft of 350 head of stock.
Agents yarded 2178 head of stock, with the standout being light heifers, which sold to more than 800 cents a kilogram.
Nutrien Ag Solutions livestock agent Simon Rafferty, Tamworth, NSW, said he came to Yea around this time, each year.
"I was buying for feedlotters and backgrounders, looking for high-end good quality cattle or supermarket eligible cross-bred steers and heifers," Mr Rafferty said.
He took home 350 head of cattle.
"They will be $100 dearer than expected, that might be the new normal, after the rain.
"There's not a lot happening at home, because of the rain.
"I don't think it will take a lot to get $100 dearer than today."
The market for heavy black feeder steers had not changed a great deal, but he said the trade cattle "were very dear."
Elders auctioneer Ryan Sargeant said Mr Rafferty came to Victoria because of the number of cattle on offer.
"He made the point to us that over two sales in Victoria there were more than 4000 cattle - they way the numbers are in NSW, you would have to visit five or six saleyards to get those numbers," Mr Sargeant said.
"He's come down here to try and get the volume he needs
"The young, well-bred autumn cattle are starting to come onto the market now, which provides a few more opportunities."
He said there was strong demand for black cattle.
"The colored cattle eased off a little bit," he said.
Mr Sargeant said feedlots J&F, Jalna and Garrison were active on anything over 400 kilograms.
Gippsland, Ray White Albury, Corcoran Parker Wangaratta, Mulcahy Nelson and Nutrien Paull and Scollard joined local and Bendigo agents in bidding on the weaner steers.
''There wasn't an abundance of feedlot activity - there were only two to three who were active on those cattle, as opposed to five or six we have had in the past," Mr Sargeant said.
"That's a sign that those guys have probably contracted cattle into the spring, they have shored up their supply towards the end of the month and they don't really need to spend big dollars at the saleyards."
He said there was a good run of cows and calves, with the top pen of heifers making $4040.
"Paying $2000-2200 for a little weaner steer, there is probably a bit more value in a cow and calf for $3500."
There was a strong run of well-bred feeder heifers.
"They were a fraction dearer than what we would have anticipated.
"A lot of these people are going to put a bull back with them and sell them pregnancy-tested-in-calf.
"Little heifers, 260-270kg, were making more than $1800, which was massive."
Nutrien Ag Solutions livestock agent Chris Pollard said the Gippslanders were out in strength and were matched by northern and local buyers.
"We went into the 300kgs fairly quickly and then the 200kgs steers were nearly making as much as the 300kg steers," Mr Pollard said.
"I thought it was very similar to last month, but I wouldn't be surprised if the little heifers might have been a bit dearer.
"There were a few autumn-drop calves here, up to 400kg, with the best making $2500 - but the little fellas of 230-240kg were still making better than $2000."
Read more: Yea sale ticks up again
Don Howie, Mansfield, who was one of the vendors with a big draft, said it was the first time he'd consigned steers and heifers to the yards for a while.
He sold 114 steers and 54 heifers.
"I have set them up on AuctionsPlus or selling direct but at the moment they seem to be selling well through the yards," he said.
His tops sold for 646c/kg.
"You've got to be happy with that," he said.
DW Howie, Mansfield, sold 32 Alpine and Kelly Angus-blood steers, 452kg, for $2760 or 611c/kg.
Ginnung Pastoral, Ghin Ghin, sold 38 Weeran-blood steers, 578kg, for $2970 or 513c/kg.
A pen of 10, av 494kg, sold for $2790 or 565c/kg, while 24 steers, 493kg, for $2780 or 564c/kg.
Yirraba Pastoral, Yea, sold 15 Barwidgee and Alpine-blood steers, 359kg, for $2380 or 663c/kg.
They also sold 15 steers, av 359kg, for $2380 or 663c/kg.
Blair Hill Pastoral sold 12 steers, 606kg, for $2780 or 459c/kg.
Robzag Investments sold 16 Anvil-blood steers, 560kg, for $2980 or 532c/kg.
Leon Park, Tallarook, sold 15 steers, 516kg, for $2840 or 550c/kg.
ST & JA Flynn sold 10 steers, 460kg, for $2630 or 571c/kg.
Brooklyn Manor, Wallan, sold 17 steers, 445kg, for $2680 or 602c/kg.
Tainton Partnership sold 16 Charolais/Angus-cross steers,424kg, Kenmere-blood, for $2510 or 592c/kg.
T & L Newton, Mt Alexing, sold 16 Rotherfield-blood steers, 533kg, for
Minto Park sold 12 steers, 412kg, for $2440 or 592c/kg.
GW & ME Oliver sold 23 steers, 358kg, for $2310 or 645c/kg.
S Barbetti sold nine Lawson's-blood steers, 401kg, for $2450 or 611c/kg.
R Fullard sold 12 Anvill-blood steers, 386kg, for $2410 or 624c/kg.
Campsie Glen sold 22 steers, 324kg, for $2290 or 706c/kg.
Whanregarwen Pastoral, Yea, sold 30 Kelly-blood steers, 284kg, for $2260 or 795c/kg.
Their seconds, 254kg, sold for $2060 or 811c/kg.
Lyn Cooper, Yea, sold 10 Charolais steers, 380kg, for $2270 or 597c/kg.
Mt Erica sold 22 Wattletop-blood steers, 304kg, for $2160 or 710c/kg.
Kaloomah Pastoral, Gobur, sold 14 Hereford steers, 375kg, for $2250 or 600c/kg.
Their seconds, 17, av 316kg, sold for $2110 or 667c/kg.
K Collett sold 21 steers, 287kg, for $2200 or 766c/kg.
Gunbar Developments sold two Angus steers, 252kg, for $1720 or 682c/kg.
AG & KB Burchall sold four Hereford heifers, 223kg, for $1660 or 745c/kg.
Hayhill sold 10 Hereford heifers, 201kg, for $1760 or 875c/kg.
Baynes Partnership sold eight Angus heifers, 250kg, for $1800 or 720c/kg.
B Pfieffer sold five Red Angus heifers, 254kg, for $1690 or 665c/kg.
Bev Myers sold 10 Angus heifers, 246kg, for $1800 or 731c/kg.
Elysium Hill sold 14 Angus heifers, 275kg, for $2000 or 727c/kg.
KP Ryan sold 17 Angus heifers, 300kg, for $2080 or 693c/kg.
Gunbar Developments sold nine Angus heifers, 276kg, for $1870 or 677c/kg.
Darebin Creek Pastoral sold 13 Angus heifers, 438kg, for $2310 or 527c/kg.
Broderick Family Trust sold 18 Angus heifers, 494kg, for $2340 or 473c/kg.
Adrian Evans sold eight Murray Grey cows and calves for $3350.
J Hagianis sold 12 Angus cows and calves for $3600.
R Zagame sold 14 Angus cows and calves for $4040.
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.
