There wasn't a cloud in the sky, bucking the trend of recent inclement weather at Ballarat and providing a sparkling backdrop for the Central Victorian Livestock Exchange at Ballarat's November store sale.
Agents yarded about 4000 cattle, which was higher than the advertised yarding, as a result of vendors taking advantage of a trend of feedlotters wanting lighter cattle.
Those types of cattle had many bids throughout the sale buyers were very keen on getting cattle to the feedlots.
Nutrien Ballarat livestock manager Xavier Shanahan said agents were relatively happy with prices, even with the heaviest cattle.
"The very heaviest of the cattle probably exceeded what we thought we might have got on the day," he said.
"So in the end, we were very happy with heavier cattle that sold for $3000 a head, but the genuine feeder weight cattle, sold between $2200-$2600, was that was back $150-200, which still wasn't too bad."
Mr Shanahan said some general negative sentiment has shown up in the past week that has influenced that downturn.
But much like yesterday's Mortlake store sale, weaner cattle were the pick of the buyers this month.
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"That weaner cattle we had today sold really well, and to get to the first $2000 price was easy to get, but to get north of $2200, there'd need to be a fair bit of weight," he said.
"We may have even got a tougher window this week with just a few things going against it, but the results are far from bad."
"The floods at the moment are affecting the buying fraternity and I think most people that sold today were happy to have cattle off their paddocks.
"It certainly restricted buying competition because it is just so wet over such a big area."
Significant sellers included Alexander Partners, who sold 57 Angus grown steers with Te Mania blood, with one pen of 25 Angus steers, 523kg selling for $2690 or 514 cents per kilogram.
GW & AC Hare had a good line of 91 Angus weaner steers in total, with one pen of 71 Angus steers, 430kg, selling for $2340 or 544c/kg.
Vendor Pat Mangan, Geelong also did well with a pen of 56 Hereford/Shorthorn steers, 373kg, for $2160 or 579c/kg and another pen of 25 steers of the same breed, 370kg, selling for $2210.
He said he was reasonably happy with his sale "under the circumstances".
"As we all know, cattle are down a little [in price], but I'm extremely pleased at the good line we had here, and I sold accordingly," he said.
Mr Mangan said his unique operation specifically focuses on breeding Herefords and crossing with the Shorthorn breed of cattle, which he said was "something he had focused on for a number of years now".
"We have been quite fortunate in Geelong compared to a lot of people throughout the state, so we have been blessed somewhat."
High Spa sold a pen of 29 Angus steers, 323kg for 666c/kg or $2150 as well as another pen of 38 Angus steers, 272kg, for 754c/kg or $2050, plus a pen of 35 Angus heifers, 261kg for 793c/kg or $2070.
RD & DM Sutherland sold 20 Angus steers, 380kg, for 592c/kg or $2250.
Rosevale Ridge has a significant run of Charolais for sale, with one pen of 25 Charolais steers, 498kg, selling for 510c/kg or $2540.
GS Conroy sold 11 Angus heifers, 440kg, for 522c/kg or $2300.
Old Murray Pastoral had a major dispersal of cows with calves at foot , with one pen of 24 cows and calves selling for $4380.
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