Pakenham cow and calf units to $4750 at fortnightly store sale

Agents yarded about 2300 cattle at the Victorian Livestock Exchange where major buyers, including northern NSW restockers and feedlotters, were less active compared to other recent markets.

Alex Scott & Staff Pakenham auctioneer Jason Fry said prices across most cattle classes eased, and pointed to large volumes of crossbred cattle and fewer runs of weaner calves as a key driver for the correction.

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"Better pens of steers sold quite well and were firm, but I thought the better bred heifers were a fair bit cheaper and could have been down $100 a head," he said.

"It was a bit surprising compared to the prices we were thinking they would average before the sale."

Local restockers were out in force but a combination of warm days and a dry start to the last month of summer has dented the confidence of some graziers looking to carry on cattle.

"The northern buyers chased the quality cattle but because of the plainer yarding, their presence didn't look as active and the feedlot buyers were certainly a lot quieter compared to recent sales," Mr Fry said.

A handful of East Gippslanders were also at the sale for the first time in many months, and bought predominantly crossbreds to take home as a cheaper option.

"The heavier end cattle were a fair bit cheaper and it was hard to get 500c/kg for 500 kilo-plus heavier steers and they were back at 460-480c/kg," Mr Fry said.

"Then in the weaner calves, the better bred Angus calves sold to 650c/kg and prior to Christmas they were making up to 700c/kg, and then the heifer side of things, they were back under 600c/kg."

Elders Pakenham livestock manager Michael Robertson had more optimism about the sale, but did admit the market corrected from the extraordinary prices during the January weaner sales.

"Our good pens of well-bred cattle made the money they should, but where the job fell apart was when we started getting the smaller lots of two or three cattle and they were significantly cheaper compared to the bigger drafts," he said.

"Buyers did want the cattle and were prepared to chase those pens of top-end cattle, but when your quality and numbers fade away, that's when the job became a bit sticky.

"We've expected it to come off the boil a bit, but in saying that, it's still very good money for the cattle being sold."

A feature of the sale was 93 mixed-sex Angus calves, 10-11 months, consigned from Hugh Middleton, Trafalgar, which attracted a lot of attention among buyers.

Sixteen steers, 390 kilograms, made $2350 a head or 602 cents a kilogram, followed by 21 steers, 351kg, which made $2330 or 663c/kg and 18 steers, 322kg, for $2060 or 639c/kg.

Mr Middleton also sold 14 heifers, 338kg, for $2000 or 591c/kg and 14 heifers, 283kg, for $1850 or 653c/kg.

E Toft, Bayles, sold a dozen Angus and Charolais heifers, 320kg, for $2000 or 625c/kg.

Don and Esterina Di Tella, Kilmore, sold a run of 51 grown Angus steers, two years, including 15 steers, 584kg, for $3070 and 21 steers, 529kg, for $2870 or 542c/kg.

N Wongon, Kilmore, sold four steers, 712kg,along with Berwick Free Range, Berwick, which sold 11 steers, 634kg, for $3240 or 455c/kg and 511c/kg, respectively.

The sale started with about 100 cows with calves at foot which sold to $4750 a unit with three pure French Limousin cows with calves at foot knocked down to TMH Pastoral which has a block a few kilometres away from the Pakenham yards.

JT Gunning, Nar Nar Goon, sold 10 heifers with calves at foot for $4025 to Caitlyn and Conor Cunningham, Strzelecki, who bought 18 cow and calf units in total.

Ken and Hilda Nicklen, Erica, sold 37 Angus steers, 10-11 months, including 19 steers, 392kg, for $2320 or 591c/kg and 18 steers, 363kg, for $2220 or 611c/kg.

T & H Maclean, Shoreham, sold 20 steers, 574kg, rising two-year-old, for $2910 or 566c/kg.

J & R Hannagan, Romsey, sold 10 steers, 463kg, 20 months, for $2600 or 561c/kg.

Wiltshire Farming, Phillip Island, sold 19 steers, 377kg, for $2290 or 607c/kg.

Glendale Pastoral, Warragul South, sold 10 heifers, 10-11 months, for $1850 and five steers, 376kg, for $2030 or 539c/kg.

Micanda Pty Ltd, Whittlesea, sold eight steers, 372kg, for $2100 or 564c/kg and eight heifers, 372kg, for $1850 or 497c/kg.

Winter Hill Pastoral, Meeniyan, sold 15 heifers, 488kg, 18-20 months, for $2570 or 535c/kg.

Noel Beattie, Tynong North, sold six steers, 622kg, for $2870 or 461c/kg.

Clover Cottage, French Island, sold 10 steers, 429kg, for $2260 or 526c/kg.