Another large yarding at Pakenham has again brought feedlot operators to the rail, in a sale which saw fewer heavier cattle on offer.
Agents yarded 4300 head of cattle, just shy of the 4600 a fortnight ago.
Read more: Massive yarding at Pakenham store sale
Alex Scott and Staff had the bulk of the yarding and Pakenham livestock manager David Setches said rates held firm, on a fortnight ago.
'We had some better drafts of weaner heifers and younger calves, which touched on 800 cents a kilogram again," Mr Setches said.
The better-bred heifer calves also sold well, with many going back to the paddock.
"The season has gone and we had late rain - it's got cold and we haven't had much growth so people are opting to take the money and give the cows a bit of spell, to get them through winter."
The large yardings at both Pakenham and Leongatha were a drawcard for the feedlots, he said.
TFI, Charlton, Teys Brothers Jindalee, Temora, NSW Hopkins River, J & F, and Keswick were all represented by either their own buyers or commission agents.
Cattle also went to Canning Downs South feedlot, Warwick, Qld and O'Connors, Pakenham.
Elders Pakenham livestock agent Carlo Taranto said four or five feedlots picked up most of his agency's offering at the sale.
"They made equal rates to what they have in the past, with most of our steers making between 590-630 cents a kilogram," Mr Taranto said.
"I think most of those bigger cattle, 500-600 have gone and we are getting into the 400-500kg cattle.
"At the price they are making at the moment, people are happy not to take them through the winter."
Nutrien Delaney Livestock and Property auctioneer Anthony Delaney said the heavy end of the cattle was 'fully firm, to a little bit more buoyant.
"We had an exceptional run of cattle and they certainly sold very well, they certainly met expectations," Mr Delaney said.
"We are getting into winter, or very close to it, without a lot of grass growth so we haven't got that local competition on a lot of these smaller spring-drop calves that are starting to come through in full force now."
"Over 400kg, cattle were still up in the high 500c/kg, the big bullocky cattle were floating around 500c/kg.
"Between 300-400kg they were selling for the high 600c/kg, depending on the quality, but we saw a price correction in the singles, the ones and twos and lesser quality cattle."
DJ and D Waterfall, Lang Lang, sold 30 Angus steers, 390kg, for $2460 or 630c/kg.
Their seconds, 32, av 323kg, sold for $2120 or 656c/kg.
Emerald Castle, Sunbury, sold 26 Coolana-blood steers, 320kg, for $2300 or 718c/kg.
Their seconds, 20, av 292kg, sold for $1960 or 671c/kg.
Emerald Castle also sold 20 heifers, 305kg, for $1940 or 636c/kg.
Tarwin Pastoral, Tarwin Lower, sold 20 Rennylea and Te Mania-blood steers, 453kg, for $2700 or 596c/kg.
Their seconds, 17 steers, 417kg, sold for $2580 or 618c/kg.
Abbots Point sold 16 Te Mania and Lawson-blood steers, 473kg, for $2820 or 596c/kg.
Their seconds, 20 steers, 442kg, sold for $2700 or 610c/kg, while a third pen of 16, av 414kg, sold for $2550 or 615c/kg.
Cardinia Ridge sold 16 Coolana-blood heifers, 398kg, for $2390 or 600c/kg.
Mt Ararat, Sunbury, sold 18 steers, 387kg, for $2350 or 607c/kg.
G King, Glengarry, sold four Leawood-blood steers, 606kg, for $3040 or 501c/kg.
Their seconds, a pen of eight, 559kg, sold for $3100 or 556c/kg.
J Jane, Clyde, sold six steers, 834kg, for $3400 or 407c/kg.
S and R Anderson, Kyneton, sold 17 steers, 638kg, for $3120 or 489c/kg.
Summerhill Pastoral, Kyneton, sold 25 Omeo-bred Hereford and Hereford/Shorthorn-cross steers, 593kg, for $3100 or 522c/kg.
Their seconds, 23, av 536kg, sold for $3000 or 560c/kg.
R & P Wuchatsch, Nar Nar Goon, sold 21 Banquet and Absolute-blood steers, 396kg, for $2800 or 707c/kg.
Their seconds, 20 steers, 342kg, sold for $2330 or 681c/kg.
Camoola, Sunbury sold 26 Anvil-blood steers 334kg, for $2310 or 691c/kg - their seconds, 303kg, sold for $2180 or 719c/kg.
S Dickinson sold 18 steers, 327kg, for $2200 or 672c/kg.
D and Y Pike, West Warragul, sold 18 Angus steers, 585kg, for $3140 or 536c/kg.
Robinson Grazing, Pakenham, sold 33 Dunoon-blood steers, 288kg, for $1950 or 677c/kg.
JES Industries sold 22 steers, 250kg, for $1800 or 720c/kg.
CT Ferguson, Longford, sold 35 steers, 275kg, for $1770 or 643c/kg.
M Tanner, Tyers, sold 14 Camoola-bred steers, 608c/kg, for $3150 or 518c/kg.
L and E Riseley, Trafalgar South, sold 16 Sharinda-blood steers, 286kg, for $1900 or 664c/kg.
C White, Heath Hill, sold 14 Banquet-blood steers, 273kg, for $1850 or 677c/kg.
Boundary Road Investment, Dromana, sold 27 Angus steers, Yea-district bred, 453kg, for $2750 or 607c/kg.
MC & PR Correll, Gelantipy, sold 45 steers, Amherst, SA-bred, 544kg, for $3120 or 573c/kg.
Ingle Park, Balnarring, sold 24 Table Top and Barwidgee-blood steers, 317kg, for $2310 or 728c/kg.
In the heifers, Malanda Pastoral sold 20 Pinora-blood heifers, 412kg, for $2290 or 555c/kg.
G K & J L Darby, Neerim East, sold 25 steers, 578kg, for $3210 or 555c/kg.
Heysen Pastora, Shady Creek, sold 21 Bongongo and Leawood-blood heifers, 490kg, for $2470 or 504c/kg.
L and E Riseley, Trafalgar South, sold 16 Sharinda-blood steers, 286kg, for $1900 or 664c/kg.
Camoola sold 22 heifers, 315kg, for $2070 or 657c/kg.
C and K White sold 20 heifers, 274kg, for $1840 or 671c/kg.
Westbury Downs, Westbury, sold 28 heifers, 315kg, for $2000 or 628c/kg.
A second pen of 28, av 318kg, sold for $2000 or 629c/kg.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
