A large consignment of East Gippsland-bred cattle which went under the hammer at Bairnsdale on Friday included one draft of 400 Angus steers from a single high country vendor.
The Richards family of Brookville Angus, Swifts Creek, sold the 10 to 12-month-old draft at the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange's fortnightly store sale last week.
The family's draft included 25 steers, 325kg, for $2300 a head or 707 cents a kilogram, 25 steers, 319kg, for $2300 or 721c/kg, 25 steers, 316kg, for $2290 or 724c/kg, and 25 steers, 326kg, for $2280 or 699c/kg.
The Richards also sold 24 steers, 320kg, for $2260 or 706c/kg, 25 steers, 314kg, for $2200 or 700c/kg, and 25 steers, 317kg, for $2220 or 700c/kg.
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Elders Bairnsdale livestock manager Morgan Davies the consignment of cattle ranged 50 kilograms from the top to the bottom of the draft.
"It was nothing short of incredible," he said.
"A few went into the Yea area and up towards Myrtleford, as well as locally and they were a really good run of black steers that were suitable for a backgrounding or fattening operation.
"You would be hard pressed to find a bigger run of steers like that in Gippsland."
Vendor Peter Richards, Brookville Angus, also known as Pilso, said his annual draft of cattle were usually sold prior to winter in northern Victoria.
"We usually sell them at Barnawartha at the Northern Victoria Livestock Exchange, but were unable this year due to the snow because the day we were due to truck them, it snowed like buggery," he said.
"We carried them on through the long, wet and cold winter, but were happy with the prices.
"The cattle had a good frame about them and the cattle market has since picked up since the FMD threat."
Nutrien East Gippsland Livestock manager Brad Obst said northern and southern Victorian buyers competed for suitable lines of cattle, while three active feedlots put a floor in the market.
"The strength of the buying gallery was evident with the results and there was good strong northern competition, but South Gippslanders dominated on the better end of the cattle," he said.
"The northern competition kicked in on the lighter end of the cattle."
Among the other feature lines was Bindi Station, Bindi, which sold 92 steers including 28 steers, 300kg, for $2120 or 706c/kg, 34 steers, 260kg, for $2120 or 815c/kg and 30 steers, 218kg, for $2120 or 972c/kg.
Coonmoor Pastoral Co, Lindenow South, sold 65 Angus steers, 13 months, including 22 steers, 440kg, for $2740 or 622c/kg, 23 steers, 416kg, for $2600 or 625c/kg and 20 steers, 412kg, for $2600 or 631c/kg.
The entire Coonmoor Pastoral Co draft was bought by return clients Gary and Sheryl Green, Maffra, via Nutrien Delaney Livestock & Property.
The Camp Pastoral, Forge Creek, sold 10 Hereford steers, 646kg, 2.5 years, for $3300 or 510c/kg, and nine Hereford steers, 611kg, for $3140 or 513c/kg.
TJ & V Clues, Johnsonville, sold 21 steers, 612kg, for $3300 or 539c/kg.
Bill Wyndham & Co livestock manager Colin Jones said two volume buyers were noticeable on the lighter end of the cattle.
"We had Duncan Brown from Albury, NSW, and Jamie Quinlan from Elders Yea who were both chasing younger cattle," he said.
"Jamie bought steers and Duncan bought heifers and it was an outstanding yarding of cattle.
"There were some older cattle there and they were very good and chased by feedlots, including South Gippslander Anthony Hullick."
Most of the lighter cattle, especially the heifers, were bought by Duncan Brown, but there was still a lot of local demand along with buyers from South Gippsland who bought plenty of cattle.
Meanwhile, R Cornall, Clifton Creek, sold 18 Angus steers, 429kg, for $2520 or 587c/kg.
Craig Bush, Meerlieu, sold 19 Hereford/Angus-cross steers, 373kg, for $2420 or 648c/kg, and 20 heifers, 347kg, for $2150 or 619c/kg.
Ian Crooke, Rosedale, sold 225 mixed-sex Angus cattle,10-14 months, including 31 steers, 303kg, for $2130 or 702c/kg, 30 steers, 271kg, for $1990 or 737c/kg, and 26 steers, 267kg, for $2010 or 752c/kg.
Mr Crooke also sold 28 heifers, 355kg, for $2210 or 622c/kg, 28 heifers, 338kg, for $2000 or 591c/kg, and 21 heifers, 364kg, for $2180 or 598c/kg.
CWD Bennett, Clifton Creek, sold 27 Angus steers, 339kg, for $2400 or 707c/kg, 27 steers, 300kg, for $2240 or 746c/kg, and 28 steers, 263kg, for $2000 or 760c/kg.
Smith Graziers, Tambo Crossing, sold a draft of steers including 30 steers, 341kg, for $2330 or 683c/kg, and 20 steers, 308kg, for $2180 or 707c/kg.
Batty & Valentine, Swifts Creek, sold 12 Hereford steers, 668kg, 26 months, for $3420 or 511c/kg, and 10 Hereford steers, 622kg, for $3260 or 524c/kg.
A & J Pappin, Bairnsdale, sold six Angus steers, 625kg, 2.5 years, for $3300 or 528c/kg.
P Smith, Omeo, sold seven Hereford steers, 565kg, two years, for $3000 or 530c/kg.
H & SE Pendergast, Benambra, sold 16 Hereford steers, 399kg, 16 months, for $2360 or 591c/kg.
KP Hurley, Woodglen, sold 15 Angus steers, 373kg, 12 months, for $2480 or 664c/kg, and 20 Angus steers, 357kg, for $2480 or 694c/kg.
G Raynor, Cabbage Tree, sold 14 Simmental-cross heifers, 343kg, 14 months, for $2080 or 606c/kg.
Nambrok Station, Nambrok, sold 111 heifers including 25 heifers, 455kg, for $2140 or 470c/kg, and 31 heifers, 333kg, for $2030 or 609c/kg.
LEW & HJ Johnstone, Orbost, sold six Angus/Friesian-cross heifers with calves at foot, eight to 10 weeks, for $3360.