Pakenham grown steers pass $3000 a head in fortnightly sale

Agents yarded about 3200 cattle for the fortnight store sale where feedlotters were out in force selecting suitably-weighted cattle.

Alex Scott & Staff Pakenham livestock manager David Setches said the highlight of the sale was the heavier end of the steers.

"Prices were five to eight cents a kilogram better on the heavier end and I felt the better portion of heifers which were destined for breeding programs were $100-$150 better than a fortnight ago," he said.

"There were a few different faces we saw bidding on those cattle, including buyers from NSW, who locked horns and pushed a lot of our regular and feedlot buyers higher in terms of prices paid for these cattle."

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Mr Setches said fewer pens of cattle below 300 kilograms meant buyers were also keen to purchase cattle weighing 350-360kg.

"It's very dry here in West Gippsland, so it was good to see a few unfamiliar faces, including buyers from Elders Finley, NSW, who were really supporting the market," he said.

Elders Pakenham livestock agent Carlo Taranto said the yarding lacked quality compared to recent sales.

"The yarding was reasonably mixed with 30 to 40 per cent of cattle fitting into that very good quality feeder section, along with some mixed crossbred and out of condition-type cattle," he said.

"The market was very firm to a shade dearer for the better types of cattle, especially the feeder steers.

"The greatest demand came from feedlotters and processors as local demand diminished due to the drier weather."

Highfield, Flinders, sold 13 Black Baldy steers, 632kg, for $3140 or 496c/kg.

DDC Pastoral, Koo Wee Rup, sold six Angus steers, 690kg, for $3180 or 460c/kg.

J & B Young, Yarra Glen, sold eight Angus steers, 543kg, for $2960 or 545c/kg.

Masterson sold 13 Black and Red Baldy steers, 593kg, for $2960 or 499c/kg.

Beepic Potatoes sold six Angus and Black Baldy steers, 605kg, for $2990 or 494c/kg.

R & F Styles, Thorpdale, sold 15 Hereford steers, 588kg, for $2970 or 505c/kg.

RJ Close, Lang Lang, sold 19 Hereford steers, 574kg, for $2920 or 533c/kg and 11 Angus steers, 571kg, for $2930 or 513c/kg.

K & R Wedmore, Tyong, sold six Angus steers, 495kg, for $2610 or 527c/kg and 10 Angus and Black Baldy steers, 420kg, for $2350 or 559c/kg.

Grewal Farms, Chirnside Park, sold 16 Angus steers, 382kg, for $2340 or 612c/kg.

P Miller, Tooradin, sold 15 Angus steers, 340kg, for $2220 or 652c/kg and 17 Angus heifers, 340kg, for $2180 or 641c/kg.

The same vendor also sold 16 Charolais-cross heifers, 359kg, for $2330 or 649c/kg and 18 Charolais-cross steers, 341kg, for $2130 or 624c/kg.

Nutrien Livestock & Property director Anthony Delaney thought prices were softer compared to the first February store sale.

"On your heavier end of the feeder cattle, especially straight Angus, sold fully firm to dearer rates and were sought after by all the feedlots," he said.

"Once you got off them, there wasn't much to speak of and quality was lacklustre."

T & E Hart, Corinella, sold 13 mixed-sex Charolais cattle, 434kg, for $2420 or 557c/kg.

M & G Phillips, Nar Nar Goon North, sold eight Angus heifers, 438kg, for $2370 or 541c/kg.

Scanlon Angus, Yering, sold six Angus steers, 383kg, for $2190 or 571c/kg.

K Galt sold 10 Angus steers, 548kg, for $2960 or 540c/kg.