Feedlotters and commission buyers upped the ante at Pakenham on Thursday as prices for the better end of beef breeding stock rose by $100 a head compared to the January store sale.
Agents yarded about 2000 for the fortnightly Victorian Livestock Exchange market, where quality was largely mixed and only a few feature vendor-bred lines were yarded.
Alex Scott & Staff Pakenham livestock manager David Setches said most grades of cattle reported slight rises in demand and price compared to the most recent store sale.
"The biggest improvement was on the bigger drafts of heifers which were up by about $100," he said.
"Heifers weighing around 350 kilos were making more than 500c/kg.
"There were also good runs of weaner calves from 320-380kg and they were chased after by bullock fatteners and backgrounders."
Buyers from across West and South Gippsland, as well as outside the region, underpinned the sale.
Nutrien Euroa were among the buyers who travelled from outside the district to buy cattle for a feedlot.
"We've certainly seen the bottom of the job, and I think there was more urgency in the market today and that was propped up by a good gallery of buyers," Mr Setches said.
Elders Pakenham livestock auctioneer Michael Robertson said there was more "excitement" about the sale.
"You can also sense that the autumn break might not be too far away so the market generally speaking had more of a positive feel about it," he said.
"The straight-bred heifer job was $100-$150 dearer."
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HD Middleton, Trafalgar, sold 130 Angus mixed-sex weaners, eight to 10 months, including 20 steers, 376kg, for $1850 or 492 cents a kilogram and 20 steers, 348kg, for $1740 or 500c/kg.
The same vendor also sold 15 heifers, 357kg, for $1700 or 476c/kg.
Mrs L Brewer, Warragul, sold 14 steers, 689kg, for $2800 or 406c/kg and 16 steers, 627kg, for $2570 or 409c/kg.
EM & VE White, Kilmany, sold 36 Angus heifers, Pinora blood, including 22 heifers, 353kg, for $1840 or 521c/kg.
Nutrien Livestock & Property director Anthony Delaney described it as a very "mixed-quality" market.
"Every agent had three or four decent pens but there was a lot of secondary cattle," he said.
"I think the whole job felt a bit brighter with more local competition and the commission buyers who were a lot stronger.
"The better ones sold well."
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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.
