ELDERS and Paull and Scollard Nutrien Ag Solutions agents switched their usual pink and green shirts for brightly coloured ones for their monthly sale at Northern Victoria Livestock Exchange on Thursday, all in the name of mental health.
The two agencies wore Trade Mutt shirts supporting TIACS, This is a Conversation Starter, to raise awareness for mental health in the agriculture industry.
Elders Albury agent Harry Cozens said it was good to see a crowd supporting the cause.
"Mental health is something that affects our industry," he said.
"We have to be aware of it and have people know that it's okay to have a conversation about it and it's okay to not be okay.
"We want to essentially create awareness because people in the farming industry are known to stay quiet so we want to start those conversations."
Read more: Cows with calves sell to $2200 top at Forbes
Several steers and a heifer were donated for the cause which were auctioned before the usual store sale began with the top of these a 640kg Charolais steer donated by DG and JH Gray, Jindera sold for $4000.
Other charity animals included a 415kg Angus steer donated by the Diemel family, sold for $3100, a black baldy steer, 360kg, donated by Wantagong, Holbrook, sold for $2600, a black baldy steer, 300kg, donated by DW and CM Phegan, Walla Walla sold for $2500 and another black baldy steer, 280kg, donated by Mick Lumby, Barranduda, sold for $2050.
An Angus heifer donated by DFK Heywood and Sons, Everton, was sold for $2900 to Nutrien Ag Solutions and was re-donated to be sold for $2400 in the store sale.
A number of other animals were donated throughout the store sale.
Two Trade Mutt shirts were also auctioned and sold for $300 and $360.
In the store sale a total of 3630 head were yarded which Mr Cozens said was exceptional with quality runs of genuine weaners.
Mr Cozens said the market was overall really firm for steers and a touch dearer for calves in the 300kg to 330kg weight range.
"The heifers were a bit sticky in places, there wasn't as much movement there," he said.
"There were some lines of really well-bred light heifers offering buying opportunities."
Lighter steer weighing less than 330 kilograms mostly sold for $1020 to $1360 a head while heavier steers mostly made $1220 to $1980.
Heifers weighing less than 330kg mostly sold for $730 to $1260 while heavier heifers mostly made $1200 to $1660.
Cows with calves mostly sold for $2175 to $2600 and pregnancy-tested-in-calf cows made $845 to $1920.
In the steers DFK Heywood and Sons, Everton, sold several lines of Angus steer with Quarterway, Fernhill and The Glen Angus blood, including six, 458kg, for $1830, 18, 406kg for $1720, and another 48, 366kg, for $1600.
A line of seven Angus steers, 514kg, from MK Vagg Pastoral, Hillston, sold for $1980 and GJ and PJ Yensch, Jindera, sold three Angus steers, 520kg, for $1950.
Willgrow Pty Ltd, Kyalite, sold 23 Hereford steers, 497kg, for $1815. The same vendor sold another 23 Hereford steers, 444kg, for $1765.
In the heifers MK Vagg Pastoral, Hillston, sold eight Angus heifers, 505kg, for $1660 and DK Stevenson, Tallangatta, sold 21 Angus heifers, 401kg, for $1540.
Bewer Pastoral Co, Koetong, sold several lines of Angus/Simmental heifers including 17, 285kg, for $1020, one of which was donated.
Fraser Earthmoving, Howlong, sold nine Hereford heifers, 350kg, for $1110.
Riddle Creek, Lavington, sold three Angus PTIC cows with calves for $2600 and another one Angus cow with calf for $2310.
Pine Lodge, Tocumwal, sold nine PTIC Hereford cows for $1920.
Alexandra Bernard
Journalist based in Wagga Wagga covering all things agriculture in southern NSW.
Journalist based in Wagga Wagga covering all things agriculture in southern NSW.
