Leongatha store sale slightly easier as feedlot competition softens

Agents yarded about 3800 head of cattle.

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SEJ Livestock auctioneer James Kyle said the market appeared to be a little softer on previous sales.

"There was plenty of weight in the steers - we probably had more cattle in that 580-650 kilogram bracket, even Elders had a fair run of them.

"They might have been a tad easier, just off the top a little bit.

"But - don't get me wrong - they still sold very, very well."

He said many of the first pens went to feedlots, including TFI, Garrison, Charlton, Keswick, Brooklyn Park and J&F.

Mr Kyle said the slight easing in prices could be due to several things

"There have been a couple of big sales in the area in the last few days, there's been a fair few wet days up north - that does put a bit of pressure on transport operators getting cattle out," he said.

Lighter cattle still sold well, Mr Kyle said.

"They were buyable, they were easier than they had been but you still needed $1600-1800 a head for those 220-260kg cattle," he said.

"I have seen them probably dearer in the past - there was a slight easing but it was still a competitive market."

Elders Korumburra branch manager Rohan McRae agreed the heavier end of the steers eased back, but "black cattle in the slot" - 550kg - were "pretty solid.

"The cattle aren't presenting as well as they have in the past, either - we have had a really rough week and a lot of cattle have been sold," he said.

'You can't say you'll sell the tops and say you've still got them."

Mr McRae said it wasn't as "buoyant" as the last sale.

"It was acceptable," he said.

"It will be interesting to see what the sales do, from here on in, whether that easing trend continues or whether it bounces straight back."

Mr McRae said grazier competition did not appear to be there, underpinning the sale, due to wet, cold conditions in the region.

"The weather has been horrendous down here, it's been icy cold," Mr McRae said.

Shellcot Partnership, Foster, sold 18 steers, 472kg, for $2850 or 603c/kg as part of several drafts the property offers each year. Shellcot's seconds, a pen of 19, 459kg, sold for $2800 or 610c/kg.

Meg Shellcot said she and father Phil put up 85 head of cattle at the sale.

"Considering the time of year, I'm definitely happy with how they went," Ms Shellcot said.

Tania Moscript, Leongatha South, was one of the grass fatteners who did managed to secure cattle.

She picked up a pen of Malabar Farms steers, 228kg, for $1860 or 815c/kg.

"They are well bred and quiet, I'll grow them out until they're fat," Ms Moscript said.

Nutrien Ag Solutions auctioneer Brian McCormack said he believed steers and heifers sold "very, very well, under the conditions.

"Most places around here have had more than 100 millimetres of rain in a week, so there was not heaps of local competition," he said.

"Once again there was feeder and northern competition, which put a floor in the sale - a lot of cattle are going up north, I would say to the NSW border."

He rated the market firm, on a fortnight ago.

"Our bigger end steers, from 550-630kg would be 530-560c/kg, once you got back to your 400-520kg you would be up a bit over 600c/kg," he said.

"There were not to many pens of calves under 300kg, but those weighing 310-320kg would be out into the 700c/kg."

A & M Bolton sold 21 steers, 526kg, for $2990 or 568c/kg.

TJ, LJ and C Smirl sold 13 steers, 650kg, for $3270 or 503c/kg.

Formbuild, Ventnor, sold 17 steers, 514kg, for $2800 or 544c/kg.

KD Opray, Hedley sold their first pen of 14 Battersby and Leawood-blood steers, 448kg, for $2660 or 593c/kg.

Their seconds, 375kg, sold for $2420 or 645c/kg while a third pen of 14, 336kg, sold for $1960 or 583c/kg.

L J Dignam, Wulgulmerang, sold 23 steers, 325kg, for $1900 or 584c/kg.

Game and Beresford, Bega, sold its first pen of heavy steers, 702kg, for $3280 or 467c/kg.

Their seconds, 12, av 680kg, sold for $3140 or 461c/kg.

N Roberts, Berry's Creek, 16 steers, 648kg, for $3100 or 478c/kg.

Mt Lavinia, Walkerville, sold 11 steers, 626kg, for $3180 or 507c/kg.

L Van Dyke, Port Franklin, sold 19 steers, 617kg, for 502c/kg.

Rolling Hills Beef, Trafalgar South, sold 17 steers, 527kg, for $3060 or 580c/kg.

Lazy Acres, Yanakie, sold 17 steers, 585kg, for $3000 or 512c/kg.

G and B Pocklington, Dumbalk North, sold 16 steers, 498kg, for $2780 or 558c/kg.

G and C Hosking, Woodside, sold 19 steers, 250kg, for $1970 or 788c/kg.

Doonagatha, Stony Point, sold 18 Harris-blood steers, 308kg, for $1880 or 610c/kg.

D and J Burns, Ryanston, sold 12 steers, 241kg, for $1810 or 751c/kg.

Spring Valley sold 17 steers, 376kg, for $2580 or 686c/kg.

G and H Foat sold 14 steers, 288kg, for $1750 or 607c/kg.

Their seconds, 20, 267kg, sold for $1820 or 681c/kg.

F Kadir and M Atsiz sold 21 steers, 353kg, for $2200 or 623c/kg.

PG Ringer, Bass, sold six Palgrove-blood heifers, 353kg, for $1900 or 538c/kg.

KD Opray sold 13 heifers, 308kg, for $1740 or 564c/kg.

TG and RE Rees sold six heifers, 253kg, for $1400 or 553c/kg.

B and J Taylor, Mardan, sold 12 heifers, 359kg, for $2020 or 562c/kg.

M G Harrison sold 22 Innesdale and Rennylea-blood heifers, 260kg, for $1650 or 634c/kg.

G and C Hosking sold 24 heifers, 295kg, for $1950 or 661c/kg.

Bowker Pastoral. Nerrena, sold 15 Harris-blood heifers, 212kg, for $1470 or 693c/kg.

D Pickersgill, Mt Eccles, sold 12 heifers, 417kg, for $2310 or 553c/kg.