Leongatha steers hit 835c/kg, feedlotters buy 70 per cent of cattle

Agents yarded close to 4000 steers and 900 heifers plus cows and calves in a market dominated by several feedlot orders.

The sale featured several vendor-bred runs of weaner and older cattle as light-weight steers soared past 800 cents a kilogram on several occasions.

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Feedlot-destined cattle which weighed around 500 kilograms sold consistently for more than $3000 a head, as very few pens of steers dipped below 510c/kg.

Elders Leongatha and Korumburra livestock manager Rohan McRae described the sale as one of the best yardings of cattle he had witnessed at the Victorian Livestock Exchange.

"It's feedlot driven and their supply must be tight," he said.

"When you compare it to our fat sale on Wednesday, it's a lot stronger.

"If you're deciding where to market those top-end black cattle no matter how much weight, you have to think twice about consigning them to a prime sale at the moment."

An indication of the quality of steers yarded during the sale was how quickly agents sold the first 170 pens at the VLE in under 2.5 hours, something which does not happen frequently.

Mr McRae said the heavy end of steers sold on average for 10c/kg more compared to last fortnight's market.

"There was only a limited amount of cattle here with weight that graziers are prepared to buy," he said.

"Feedlots like Mort & Co were dominant, O'Connors were active, as were RC Mackenzie, TFI and Brooklyn Park."

Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock manager Brian McCormack said the buoyant feeder prices made it difficult for restockers to purchase lighter pens of cattle.

"I would say the market was 10-15c/kg dearer across the board and perhaps a bit dearer in places," he said.

"As you got down to the well-bred, smaller calves, they were a step up again and pushed upwards of 700c/kg."

SEJ Leongatha livestock manager James Kyle estimated more than 70 per cent of the yarding was bought by feedlotters.

"It was one of the best yardings we've seen here in quite some time," he said.

"I'd say there could be 3000 cattle in the first run that went all potentially to feedlots and that's huge."

He said seasonal conditions in South Gippsland contributed to the large yarding.

"The reason all those cattle are in here is because the season is on the brink of turning," he said.

"The nights are getting cooler now and the best of the feed is gone, even if we do get a bit of rain because it's not the sort of grass that will fatten cattle."

The sale started early with a run of 237 Angus steer calves, seven and eight months, July and August 2021-drop, consigned by Peter and Joanne Boddy, Woodside.

The annual draft weighed between 319-237kg and included 60 steers, 319kg, which made $2340 or 736c/kg, 54 steers, 288kg, which made $2210 or 767c/kg, 28 steers, 260kg, which made $2100 or 807c/kg and 19 steers, 237kg, which made $1980 or 835c/kg.

Kuch Grazing, Darriman, sold a consignment of 105 Angus steers, European Union-accredited, 18-19 months, across five pens which weighed between 557-599kg.

The entire draft was bought by one feedlotter for $3220.

Joe and Sam Terranova, trading as G & S Terranova, Mirboo North, sold 110 Angus steers, 16-18 months, including 21 steers, 484kg, for $2990 or 617c/kg, 22 steers, 466kg, for $2850 or 611c/kg, 20 steers, 431kg, for $2700 or 626c/kg and 19 steers, 442kg, for $2700 or 610c/kg.

Stackhouse Pastoral, Yarram, sold 182 steers, 15-17 months, including 20 steers, 450kg, for $2750 or 611c/kg, 17 steers, 438kg, for $2710 or 618c/kg, 27 steers, 418kg, for $2630 or 629c/kg and 26 steers, 420kg, for $2630 or 626c/kg.

Jackson Pastoral, Cowwarr, sold five pens of vendor-bred steers including 20 steers, 550kg, for $3220 or 585c/kg, 27 steers, 532kg, for $3080 or 578c/kg, 26 steers, 515kg, for $3100 or 601c/kg and the lightest pen of 25 steers, 489kg, for $3100 or 633c/kg.

In the Hereford section, LC & GL Anthony, Meeniyan, sold 63 Hereford steers, 17 months, including 15 steers, 556kg, for $2960 or 532c/kg, 27 steers, 464kg, for $2620 or 564c/kg and 21 steers, 431kg, for $2560 or 593c/kg.

DB & DR Fairbrother, Kings Flat, Tarwin Lower, sold 75 Hereford steers, 16-17 months, including 24 steers, 478kg, for $2820 or 589c/kg, 28 steers, 438kg, for $2700 or 616c/kg and 23 steers, 384kg, for $2510 or 653c/kg.

In other sales, R Jones, Foster, sold 25 black steers including 15 steers, 657kg, for $3310 or 503c/kg and 10 steers, 577kg, for $3040 or 526c/kg.

W & J Howson sold 20 steers, 676kg, for $3620 or 535c/kg.

B Carr, West Creek, sold 13 steers, 623kg, for $3340 or 536c/kg.

E Bourke, French Island, sold 12 steers, 658kg, for $3460 or 525c/kg.

C & G White, Fish Creek, sold 16 steers, 557kg, for 43060 or 549c/kg, 17 steers, 525kg, for $3000 or 571c/kg and 14 steers, 487kg, for $2900 or 595c/kg.

Oldham Pastoral Co, Archies Creek, sold 26 steers, 460kg, for $2860 or 621c/kg, and 15 steers, 435kg, for $2620 or 602c/kg.

JA Sharp, Tyers, sold nine steers, 365kg, for $2520 or 690c/kg.

Jeetho Farms, Loch, sold 23 steers, 287kg, for $2020 or 703c/kg.

BD & WM Walpole, Woodside, sold 30 Hereford steers, 303kg, for $2340 or 772c/kg and 23 steers, 244kg, for $1980 or 811c/kg.

NR & KD Hansford, Yinnar, sold 14 steers, 12 months, 428kg, for $2490 or 581c/kg.