Pakenham cattle prices surge past 700c/kg at fortnightly store market

Agents yarded close to 3000 cattle for the fortnightly store market.

Feedlots chasing cattle more than 500 kilograms were dominant in the opening lanes, while Gippsland restockers also bought with confidence on the back of spring grass growth.

Among the prominent purchasers was commission buyer Duncan Brown, Albury, NSW, who bought more than 400 mixed-sex cattle for grass fatteners north of the Murray River.

Stock & Land understands the cattle were bought for clients near Dubbo, NSW, and the Northern Tablelands, NSW.

Another major buyer was Teys Charlton which bought two truck loads of mainly black cattle for its Victorian feedlot.

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Alex Scott & Staff Pakenham livestock manager David Setches said quality across the yarding was fairly mixed.

I thought the heavier feeder steers were firm to a tad softer and that was related to quality," he said.

"We had all the major buyers there including Teys, TFI and Keswick, and there were very limited runs of calves 250-300kg and what was there sold well.

"A lot of cattle did stay local, but as many went north as they did stay local."

The large consignment of cattle varied in quality and reflected a softening trend in some secondary cattle in smaller lots, agents said.

However, light cattle weighing about 300 kilograms peaked at 690 cents a kilogram in the opening lane.

Vendor J Lizza, Flinders Island, sold nine steers, 323kg, for $2240 or 693c/kg, and 10 heifers, 311kg, for $1960 or 636c/kg.

Dr G Cato, Balnarring, sold nine steers, 336kg, for $2160 or 642c/kg, and 11 heifers, 328kg, for $1880 or 573c/kg.

The sale started with a pen of 21 Angus heifers out of Te Mania and Barwidgee-blood cows which sold for $1660 and were knocked down to Mr Brown.

South Gippsland vendor Minaminkah Pty Ltd, Tarwin, sold 11 steers, 275kg, for $1940 or 705c/kg, and 11 heifers, 260kg, for $1600 or 615c/kg.

Guest Farming, Coldstream, sold 16 steers, 508kg, for $2900 or 570c/kg, 16 steers, 497kg, for $2840 or 571c/kg, 16 steers, 502kg, for $2900 or 577c/kg, and 16 steers, 474kg, for $2780 or 586c/kg.

A feature line of the sale was a draft of 85 mixed-sex Charolais cattle, 13 months, consigned by Trudi and Waye Warren, Denison.

The Warrens sold 19 Charolais steers, 453kg, for $2570 or 567c/kg, and 15 steers, 419kg, for $2480 or 591c/kg, plus 14 heifers, 460kg, for $2410 or 523c/kg, 17 heifers, 435kg, for $2310 or 507c/kg, and 20 heifers, 394kg, for $2140 or 543c/kg.

Everitt Seeley & Bennetts director Michael Everitt said the sale was strong on the better-bred cattle.

"As the country dries out, we expect the markets to become a bit dearer," he said.

"The heavier steers above 500kg were bought by feedlots and anything below that was purchased by restockers mainly from Gippsland.

"The northern blokes were very strong on the very light end of the cattle because they can fit a lot on the truck and they could be going far north for all we know."

Aquila Fields, Neerim South, sold 45 Angus steers including 15 steers, 548kg, for $2800 or 510c/kg, 18 steers, 515kg, for $2800 or 543c/kg, and 12 steers, 505kg, for $2550 or 504c/kg.

R & P Wuchatsch, Nar Nar Goon, sold 20 steers, 293kg, for $2160 or 737c/kg.

P Raferty, Coldstream, sold seven steers, 404kg, for $2460 or 608c/kg.

G & Y Virgona, Launching Place, sold nine steers, 477kg, for $2720 or 577c/kg.

Holmwood Angus, Koo Wee Rup, sold 12 steers, 479kg, for $2740 or 572c/kg.

S Failla, Willow Grove, sold 16 Angus steers, 435kg, for $2620 or 602c/kg.

Pental Island, Sunbury, sold 14 Angus steers, 389kg, for $2360 or 606c/kg, and 16 steers, 337kg, for $2020.

Goose Lake Park, Dromana, sold 16 Angus steers, 482kg, for $2800 or 580c/kg.

H Parth Nominees, Taggerty, sold 14 Hereford steers, 530kg, for $2760 or 520c/kg, and 11 steers, 473kg, for $2530 or 534c/kg.

The Estate of R Coates, Koo Wee Rup, sold 10 steers, 561kg, for $2870 or 511c/kg, and 25 steers, 503kg, for $2880 or 572c/kg.

Bergamin Pastoral, Willow Grove, sold 15 Angus heifers, 399kg, for $2240 or 561c/kg, and 12 Hereford heifers, 399kg, for $2100 or 526c/kg.