Local cattle producers were out in force at Yea on Friday buying autumn-drop replacements for backgrounding and heavy feedlot cattle.
Agents from Alexandra, Euroa, Yea and South Gippsland were the backbone of the monthly store sale which featured a 2341-head yarding, including 1569 steers and 684 heifers, with the remainder cow and calf units.
Prices reached $2870 a head for 21 Hereford steers from A & B Parsons, that had a displayed weight average of 595.5 kilograms, or 482 cents a kilogram liveweight.
The pen was one of seven over 500kg, with the majority of the steer offering weighing from 400-500kg and sold consistently in a range of $2350-$2550.
Agents' assessment was prices were patchy but mostly on par to recent markets at 480-600c/kg for heavy cattle more than 500kg, with prices spiking from 620-700c/kg for genuine vendor-bred weaners from 300-400kg.
Busacca Family Trust sold 61 Angus/Charolais-cross and Speckle Park steers, which hit a weight high of 574.3kg, and sold to $2740, and averaged $2462 or 500c/kg.
"Cattle 430kg and heavier, up to 600kg, were cheaper by 10-30c/kg, and this was solely due to a large number of cattle being sold on the day through Victoria and South Australia which diluted the buying bench," Elders Yea livestock manager Jamie Quinlan said.
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"It didn't make our job easier with a great number of weaners on the doorstep in the new year, a lot of buyers have put their cues in the rack waiting for January sales.
"Feeder and yearling feeders were cheaper by 40-50c/kg, while genuine weaner heifers were firm at $1900-$2150."
Notable sales included The Gorge Partnership, Clarkefield, who sold 34 Angus steers for an average if $2577 or 590c/kg, and Cav Ag, Alexandra, who sold 63 Angus steers to average $2500 or 602c/kg.
Stonnington Investments, Yea, sold 71 Angus and Hereford steers to a top price of $2500, to average $2405, and a draft of 135 Hereford and Angus heifers, which peaked at $2100 for a pen of 23 Angus heifers, 306kg.
Annabelle Cleeland
Annabelle Cleeland is a Stock & Land journalist. She has worked at Australian Community Media for more than a decade serving in a number of roles including editor, senior journalist and national sheep & wool writer. She runs a fine Merino wool property with her young family in North-East Victoria.
Annabelle Cleeland is a Stock & Land journalist. She has worked at Australian Community Media for more than a decade serving in a number of roles including editor, senior journalist and national sheep & wool writer. She runs a fine Merino wool property with her young family in North-East Victoria.
