'Wicked' run of weaners trigger heated bids at Yea spring weaner sale

The 3495-head yarding opened at $2410 a head, paid to Ron Harris, RJH Maranoa, Nagambie, with the first pen of the sale, 20 Angus steers, 373 kilograms, Te Mania and Lawson blood.

Dominating the buying gallery was the Nutrien Ag Solutions team from across Victoria, as well as commission buyer Duncan Brown, Conroy Bros, Alex Scott & Staff's Neil Darby and Rodwells Euroa's Mick Curtis.

Malcolm White, Inverugie, Yea, offered 166 Angus weaners, including a pen of 24 steers, 338kg, August/September-drop, that sold to $2380.

The first 40 pens of Angus weaners sold failed to fall below 700 cents a kilogram, with most 300-350kg cattle averaging 730-770c/kg.

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Rod Anderson, Derrinal, purchased a pen of 18 Angus steers, 304kg, at $2260 or 743c/kg, offered by Marlene Walsh, Taggerty.

Mr Anderson said it was $500 more than the same sale last year, although the average weight of the cattle was 40kg higher.

"The is a huge yarding so plenty of choices for buyers," he said.

"On a dollars a head basis prices are still okay, on a cents a kilogram [basis] they're up there."

Backgrounders chased a pen of 18 Poll Herefords, offered by Perkins Pastoral, to 781c/kg, with the steers averaging 288kg and fetching $2250.

Bob Christopher and Marian Rennie, Mundroola, Taggerty, sold 110 Angus steers for an average of $2025 or 775c/kg.

"They are great prices but this is also a great yarding of weaners," Mr Christopher said.

Jared Burke, Bargunyah Pastoral, Ivanhoe, NSW, purchased several pens of Jim McCooey's cattle from Inverness, Caveat, including 24 Charolais cross seers, av 226kg, to $1860, or 823c/kg.

Mr Burke's Ivanhoe property was inundated with grass and wanted to increasing stocking with Charolais-cross cattle, which he said "held on" longer when the season turned.

In total, Mr McCooey sold 122 weaners, with his 56 steers topping $1860 a head, and av $1683, or 747c/kg, and 66 heifers topped at $1670, av $1583, or 749c/kg.

In the heifer run, a stand-out pen was offered by John Waterhouse, Waterhouse Ag, Caveat, who sold 18 Angus heifers, av 266kg, to $1960, or 737c/kg, as well as 16 steers to $2140, or 769c/kg.

Mr Waterhouse ran a breeding operation with his father, John Snr Waterhouse, who passed away last month.

"I know he is with me and he would be as baffled as I am with these prices," he said.

"It's a nice tribute to him to have this interest in the heifers and a positive for me going forward."

The "exceptional" season in the north was behind Duncan Brown's purchase of more than 220 steers and 500 heifers, which all fell from $1420-$1970, and av 700-750c/kg.

Mr Brown's purchases were heading as far as Queensland, with most heading to central NSW at Tamworth and Dubbo.

"The females made nearly as much as their brothers but prices weren't as silly as you think," Mr Brown said.

"You are buying frame here so on a c/kg basis they're still respectable value."

He said the market indicated strong demand in spring.

"While it keeps raining, cattle prices will hold up - there won't be a problem," he said.

Echoing his market views was Rodwells livestock agent James Cleeland who said the sale was "measuring stick" of the market going forward.

"It's a wicked run of calves with major lines on sale so it'll be a true barometer of what the cattle market is doing," Mr Cleeland said.

Campsite Glen Angus: sold 101 weaners steers in total, with a top price of $2120 at an average of $2053 a head or 727 cents a kg.

Notable vendors included The Brilliant, offered 277 weaners, including 151 steers to $2090, av $1795, or 763c/kg, and 126 heifers to $1740, av $1578, 699c/kg.

Larkfield Pastoral offered 128 weaners, with 116 steers topping at $1910, av $1715, or 744c/kg, and 12 heifers to $1400, av $1200, or 638c/kg.

BM & MM Griffiths, Seymour, sold a notable pen of 12 steers at $2140, or 823 c/kg.