Demand for vendor-bred cattle intensified at Leongatha on Friday during a special Nutrien South Gippsland store sale where light-weight steers sold for more than 850 cents a kilogram.
Agents yarded about 3500 cattle for the store market at the Victorian Livestock Exchange at Leongatha in a market that was underpinned by feedlot orders ahead of the final cattle selling week in Victoria before Christmas.
Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock manager Brian McCormack said the sale featured a large run of cattle with weight, and thanked the vendors for holding cattle over for the mega market.
"Cattle fell into that feedlot weight and that was where the strength of the market was," he said.
"We thought if we could put together a run of good, well-bred, vendor-bred cattle together, then that would bring the buyers out with confidence.
"Most of the cattle yarded were breeders' cattle and the sale featured an outstanding run of black cattle."
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Several major volume buyers credited the agency for its quality line-up, with restockers often out-priced on cattle above 380kg.
"The top end of the calves were yearling-off cattle, so calves that were more spring drop and 13-14 months old, and they were up in the 400kg range," Mr McCormack said.
"They were almost too heavy for restockers but there were farmers there that pushed those cattle out to $2600 a head.
"From $1900 to $2300 is where the heifers sold, with the exception of a few heavier heifers and even when they dropped under 300kg, they still made that money."
Nutrien SGL director Eddy Hams said the yarding was the best presented drafts of cattle he had witnessed in South Gippsland in his five-decade-long career.
Scott Peacock and Matt Webb, Stonewarra, Koonwarra, sold 100 Angus cattle, 20 months, including 24 steers, 505kg, which sold for $2960 or 586c/kg, 22 steers, 500kg, for $2960 or 592c/kg and 20 steers, 495kg, for $2910 or 587c/kg.
Mr Peacock, also trading as Peacock Holdings, Hallston, sold a further 60 Angus cattle, 20 months, including 22 steers, 522kg, for $3050 or 584c/kg, 20 steers, 492kg, for $2910 or 591c/kg and 14 steers, 484kg, for $2830 or 584c/kg.
David Bates, Munro, sold 168 Angus steers and 53 heifers, 14-15 months, including 14 steers, 522kg, for $2940 or 563c/kg, 18 steers, 508kg, for $2920 or 574c/kg and 24 steers, 465kg, for $2800 or 602c/kg.
Mr Bates also sold 19 heifers, 389kg, for $2330 or 598c/kg, 21 heifers, 374kg, for $2300 or 614c/kg and 14 heifers, 356kg, for $2080 or 584c/kg.
Kuch Grazing, Leongatha, sold 18 steers, 576kg, for $3030 or 526c/kg, 21 steers, 558kg, for $3020 or 541c/kg and 16 steers, 540kg, for $2940 or 544c/kg.
Ian Bayley, Blackwood Grazing, Trafalgar, sold 143 Angus steers, August/September 2020-drop, including 20 steers, 493kg, for $2900 or 588c/kg, 21 steers, 479kg, for $2850 and 20 steers, 458kg, for $2790.
Mr Bayley also sold five Charolais steers, 501kg, for $2780 or 554c/kg.
Alan Coulter, Nalajule Nominees, Leongatha, sold his annual draft of 99 Angus steers, 13-15 months, including 23 steers, 498kg, for $2970 or 596c/kg, 26 steers, 470kg, for $2890 or 614c/kg and 25 steers, 442kg, for $2800 or 633c/kg.
Mr Coulter also sold 16 heifers, 395kg, for $2440 or 617c/kg and 15 heifers, 370kg, for $2390 or 645c/kg.
A & L Dunkley, Yarram, sold 15 steers, 308kg, for $2410 or 782c/kg, 25 steers, 286kg, for $2350 or 821c/kg and 20 steers, 249kg, for $2120 or 851c/kg, along with 21 heifers, 279kg, for $2110 or 756c/kg, 28 heifers, 256kg, for $1970 or 769c/kg and 22 heifers, 226kg, for $1770 or 783c/kg.
The sale started with a pen of G & R Scanlon, Warragul steers, 644kg, which made $2920 or 453c/kg.
Michael and Heather Littlejohn, Mirboo, sold 15 steers, 623kg, for $2950 or 473c/kg and 16 heifers, 373kg, for $2200 or 589c/kg.
Game & Berefords, Bega, NSW, sold 17 steers, 589kg, for $2960 or 502c/kg.
D Jelbart, Tarwin, sold 19 steers, 579kg, for $2910 or 502c/kg.
A & T Stackhouse, Yarragon, sold 20 steers, 585kg, for $2850 or 487c/kg.
J & F Holdings, Traralgon, sold 15 steers, 555kg, for $3010 or 542c/kg.
B & P Coles, Toongabbie, sold eight steers, 568kg, for $2990 or 526c/kg.
LC & GL Anthony, Meeniyan, sold 16 Hereford steers, 400lkg, for $2680 or 670c/kg.
Annsfield, Rosedale, sold 26 steers, 349kg, for $2440 or 699c/kg.
Nethercote Trading, Rosedale, sold nine steers, 380kg, for $2420 or 636c/kg as well as 15 heifers, 420kg, for $2340 or 557c/kg and 23 heifers, 393kg, for $2340 or 595c/kg.
In the heifer sale, Bulleondurra, Mirboo North, sold 20 heifers, 486kg, for $2450 or 506c/kg and 17 heifers, 481kg, for $2420 or 503c/kg. Both pens were bought by Garrison Cattle Feeders.
Wallenbeen, Tarwin Lower, sold 13 heifers, 383kg, for $2290 or 597c/kg.
Melaleuca Pastoral Trust sold 15 heifers, 364kg, for $2110 or 579c/kg.
D & P Burns, Stony Creek, sold 16 heifers, 373kg, for $2300 or 616c/kg and 16 heifers, 362kg, for $2300 or 635c/kg.
D & H Campbell, Mardan, sold 13 heifers, 368kg, for $2250 or 611c/kg and 13 heifers, 344kg, for $2160 or 627c/kg.