Pakenham Angus steers pass 800c/kg, feedlots and restockers clash

Agents yarded about 3300 head during the fortnightly market on Thursday.

Prices for heavier and feedlot-weighted cattle eased across the board, agents said, while yearling and weaner cattle sold to similar rates of recent sales.

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The sale started with a pen of 22 Charolais/Angus-cross steers consigned by Ballywarra Pastoral, Modella, 565 kilograms, which made $2720 a head or 481c/kg, and 15 Angus and Black Baldy steers, 584kg, for $2800 or 479c/kg.

Both pens were bought by prominent South Gippsland buyer Anthony Hullick, Keswick.

Lineham Farm, Vervale, sold 120 Angus steers including a pen of 30 steers, rising two years, 586kg, for $2800 or 477c/kg, and 35 steers, 545kg, for $2600 or 477c/kg.

Both pens were bought by South Gippsland agent Michael Foote, Elders Korumburra and Leongatha.

The Lineham family also sold a pen of 53 younger steers, 15-18 months, 455kg, for $2520 or 553c/kg.

Among the feature drafts was a consignment of 238 mixed-sex Angus calves, eight to 10 months, offered by Kumbada Pastoral, Traralgon South.

The draft included 35 steers, 319kg, which made $2240 or 702c/kg, 30 steers, 265kg, for $2150 or 811c/kg, and 40 steers, 276kg, for $2040 or 739c/kg.

The Kumbada draft was part of a feature offering of 1420 cattle sold by agency Everitt Seeley & Bennetts from numerous vendors as part of its end-of-spring sale.

ESB director and auctioneer Jarrod Bennetts buyers from across Victoria were active throughout the sale.

"The quality of cattle was exceptional and you wouldn't see as good cattle anywhere in the country really," he said.

"The heavier cattle were definitely cheaper and that's in accordance with trends across the national, but as we got onto the heavy weaners and deadset Angus weaner calves I don't think it was any cheaper."

Wet weather - and the inability for graziers to consume significant volumes of cattle - was a driving factor of the cheaper market.

"A lot of cattle were here because people couldn't finish them for the summer period because they're living in mud at the moment," Mr Bennetts said.

Kiloran, Stathkellar, consigned a pen of 32 steers, 333kg, from the western district which made $2250 or 675c/kg.

South and West Gippsland agents were active throughout the opening lanes of the sale, buying cattle for restocking clients across both regions.

Alex Scott & Staff Warragul livestock manager Neil Darby it was challenging to sell some cattle.

"It was a very mixed yarding in our sale but the well-bred cattle were okay," he said.

"It's still very wet, there's a backlog of cattle to get into meat works to be killed now and the fat job has come right off the board.

"A lot of the heifers in our sale could have been up to $200 a head cheaper compared to our last sale."

Tullarmore Pastoral, Cannons Creek, sold 18 steers, 618kg, for $2920 or 472c/kg, and 20 steers, 596kg, for $2800 or 496c/kg.

Volpaia Park, Drouin South, sold two pens of steers to Charlton Feedlot, including 22 steers, 492kg, for $2640 or 536c/kg, and 17 steers, 498kg, for $2640 or 530c/kg.

G & M Unthank, Wyuna, Tuerong, sold 17 heifers, 472kg, for $2260 or 478c/kg, and 20 heifers, 380kg, for $1920 or 505c/kg.

Westbury Downs, Westbury, sold 28 heifers, 434kg, for $2080 or 479c/kg, and 26 heifers, 408kg, for $1920 or 470c/kg.

Brae-Heid, Barwon Downs, sold 27 steers, 346kg, for $2280 or 658c/kg, and 26 steers, 277kg, for $2140 or 772c/kg.

R Hughes, Nar Nar Goon, sold nine steers, 588kg, for $2600 or 442c/kg, and 18 steers, 541kg, for $2550 or 471c/kg.

Kara Mia Pastoral Pty Ltd, Longwarry North, sold 18 steers, 594kg, for $2720 or 457c/kg.

Fineview Pty Ltd, Violet Town, sold 25 steers, 533kg, for $$2500 or 469c/kg.

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