Cattle volumes are likely to increase at Bairnsdale's fortnightly store sale in the coming weeks despite fewer than 800 head which went under the hammer at the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange on Friday.
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Wet weather is one challenge farmers are navigating in Victoria's east as water-logged paddocks make it almost impossible to access with trucks for livestock transport.
Elders Bairnsdale livestock manager Morgan Davies said there was a very broad range of cattle sold.
"There were some good cattle and some pretty mixed cattle," Mr Davies said.
"The feature lines of steers sold really well and better than expected.
"Everyone was pretty worried about the sale but a lot of local competition kept it strong."
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Mr Davies said some sunny weather across the Bairnsdale district in recent days was a "promising sign" for a productive spring.
"I think numbers will start to crank up and we have feature runs of weaners starting to come through over the next two to three months," he said.
"East Gippsland is predominantly a spring-calving area and there are a lot of spring calves that will come into the yards over future sales."
Bill Wyndham & Co livestock manager Colin Jones said there were several pens of "handy cattle".
"There was no feedlot competition," he said.
"It was a very mixed yarding of cattle mainly driven by restockers."
Hansbury Investments, Kalimna, sold a consignment of mixed-sex weaners including 14 Limousin heifers, 313kg, for $1600 or 511c/kg and five Angus heifers for $1620.
The same vendor also sold nine Limousin steers, 356kg, for $1870 or 525c/kg.
LT Rijs, Wangarabell Station, Genoa, sold 50 pregnancy-tested-in-calf heifers, 18 months, as well as a few older cows to average $2628.
The consignment included 10 PTIC heifers for $2580, 13 heifers for $2620, six heifers for $2800, 10 heifers for $2560 and 11 heifers for $2580.
Holstons Pastoral, Gillingall Station, Buchan, sold 91 steers and 49 heifers, 10 months.
The steer draft included 20 Limousin steers, 274kg, for $1820 or 664c/kg and 25 Limousin steers, 254kg, for $1790 or 704c/kg, plus 30 Angus steers for $1700 and 16 Angus steers for $1120.
The same vendor also sold unweighted heifers including 24 Angus for $1590 and 22 Angus for $1250.
Bryce Eishold
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
