Bairnsdale female cattle sought after for breeding operations as steer prices ease

Agents yarded about 700 cattle at the fortnightly store cattle sale where cows and calves stole the show, selling to a top price of $3100 a unit.

Bill Wyndham & Co livestock manager Colin Jones said prices for most classes of cattle eased, except on females bought with the intention to use in breeding operations.

"The joined females and cows and calves sold quite well, but the yearling steers and heifers and weaner runs were quite a bit cheaper," he said.

"It's become fairly wet and cold and people aren't buying as many cattle because they have to feed them through the winter.

"The boil has certainly come off a bit."

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Agents reported minimal support from feedlots, relying mainly on South Gippslanders and grazers from across the Bairnsdale region to pick up the slack.

Paul Whelan, Bairnsdale, sold nine Hereford second-calving cows with three to four-month-old calves at foot for $3100.

Buchan Station, Buchan, sold 30 joined cows including 13 cows for $3100, 10 cows for $2850 and seven cows for $2720.

The cows were pregnancy-tested-in-calf, aged three to seven years and were set to calve from August onwards.

The draft averaged $2928.

MD & A Kimba, Cann River, sold 10 Limousin steers, eight to nine months, 347kg, for $1680 or 484c/kg.

The same vendor also sold 12 Limousin heifers, 325kg, for $1510 or 464c/kg.

M Cowie, Marley Point, sold seven Limousin steers, 350kg, for $1560 or 445c/kg.

Elders Bairnsdale livestock manager Morgan Davies described it as a winter-like yarding.

"Prices were certainly cheaper compared to our last sale," Mr Davies said.

"It's hard to get cattle into feedlots at the moment because of the wet weather and the industry is experiencing a slowdown right across the board so it's not out of the ordinary."