Euroa heavy steers see a dip in price, lighter weights sell better

Agents yarded 1278 head of steers, heifers and cows and calves.

Rodwells Euroa auctioneer Ryan Carpenter said the whole yarding was $100-150 a head cheaper, across the board,, than last month.

"Going on the store sales around lower Gippsland, to Yea and around the north-east, it is on par for this month, but definitely cheaper than August," Mr Carpenter said.

"In saying that, where we took the biggest decrease was in the heavier end, the lighter steers and heifers were firm.

"I just thought the top end of the steers were just lacking a bit of support, they were getting around 290-310 cents a kilogram, with the best touching 320c/kg.

Most of the yarding was soaked up by local, Goulburn Valley and Yea producers.

Conroy Brothers was the main feedlot operating, with agents saying there were another three smaller operators who didn't pick up substantial drafts.

Albury commission buyer Duncan Brown and Ray White bought cattle for northern orders.

"There was no western district or Gippsland orders," Mr Carpenter said.

"We soaked them up here, Benalla bought a fair few, with a few going up to Albury and Myrtleford," he said.

"The price stayed firm, for the younger steers, everyone was after those younger grass feeders."

It was hard to say if the market had now bottomed out.

'We have had a beautiful spring here, there is plenty of feed," he said.

"With a bit more quality, a bit more heat, the calves will look better, but there is just not enough confidence.

"Everyone has the El Nino on their minds."

Nutrien Euroa branch manager Russell Mawson said a lot of areas in Victoria still had good feed.

"In Victoria, they are talking El Nino," he said.

"That is not a positive direction for the industry when it comes to confidence, but in our region you couldn't drive on a paddock without getting bogged - so it would appear we are going to have a good season," he said.

"The problem we are all suffering from is lack of confidence.

"Because the industry took a 50 per cent hit, everyone has worn that, somewhere or another.

"Everyone is frightened to go back in, no-one wants to take another hit."

He said producers were still "trading on", with good black weaners making $900-1100 a head at Euroa.

"We all know heifers to China, at 240kg or better, are making $1100 - but those same heifers, in the yards, are $750 a head."

He said feedlots were paying more for grain and with the cost of diesel going up, everyone had "become cautious and conservative.

"There is still good opportunity, there were a lot of good cattle at Euroa.

He said he was disappointed with the heifer prices.

"When I am looking at the heifers as low as a $1/kg and up to 250-270c/kg, its disappointing, the quality was right for someone to buy and breed on," he said.

"Confidence is all we lack.

"We need to keep getting rid of old cows, out of the industry

''I encourage everyone to do that - if they do that, they are dead, gone, they are out - if they are exports, the numbers go down again."

Brendan Lee, Kilmore, said he was looking to be pro-active, in the face of predicted drier conditions.

He runs a herd of 40 cows and calves.

"It's a bit drier, but we need a bit of warmer weather," Mr Lee said.

"I thought I'd come down and have a look, to make my mind up as to what I'm going to do - it's all about the weather, at the moment."

Newblax, Euroa, sold 17 Angus steers, 549kg, for $1510 or 275c/kg; a pen of 16, 503kg, for $1430 or 284c/kg and 17, 554kg, for $1440 or 259c/kg.

Monument Valley sold nine steers, 541kg, for $1450 or 268c/kg.

Dropmore Pastoral sold 19 Conamarra-blood steers, 408kg, for $1270 or 311c/kg.

Burnview Angus Moglonemby sold 12 Margni Park-blood steers, 458kg, for $1320 or 288c/kg.

W and D Ellis sold nine steers, 437kg, for $1380 or 315c/kg.

Helen McKernan, Balmattum, sold 11 Tarcombe-blood steers, 515kg, for $1270 or 246c/kg.

Wappan Station sold 25 Alpine-blood steers, 371kg, for $1090 or 293c/kg.

Gooram Estate sold eight Conamarra-blood steers, 359kg, for $1050 or 292c/kg.

HOG Pty Ltd sold 17 Prime-blood steers, 357kg, for $1090 or 305c/kg.

L Vearing, Gooram, sold six Rennylea-blood steers, 360kg, for 294c/kg.

Springfield sold 18 Comamarra-blood steers, 324kg, for $1000 or 308c/kg.

Lamagal sold 11 Violet Hills and Banquet-blood steers, 299kg, for $950 or 317c/kg.

Avonleigh Farms sold six steers, 445kg, for $1220 or 274c/kg and eight, 407kg, for $1100 or 270c/kg .

Verge Pastoral, May Park, sold nine Dunoon-blood steers, 394kg, for $1100 or 279c/kg.

Gibson Park, Sheans Creek, sold 12 Rangan-blood steers, 372kg, for $1090 or 293c/kg.

Wharnleyside sold six Tarcombe-blood steers, 419kg, for $1120 or 267c/kg.

L and K Pastoral sold five Newblax-blood steers, 296kg, for $800 or 270c/kg.

River Gum, Undera, sold nine Conamarra-blood steers, 328kg, for $970 or 295c/kg.

Valley View, Pyalong, sold 11 Conamarra-blood steers, 284kg, for $880 or 309c/kg.

Watson Park, Trentham, sold eight Newnham-blood steers, 312kg, for $1000 or 320c/kg, a pen of 16, 261kg, sold for $850 or 325c/kg.

East Five Mile sold 18 steers, 312kg, for $980 or 314c/kg.

Balfours Creel sold 17 Witherswood and Landfall-blood steers, 274kg, for $830 or 302c/kg.

Cottleswood Pastoral sold 14 Rennylea-blood steers, 233kg, for $840 or 360c/kg.

FHN Angus, Alexandra, sold 17 Riddelvue and Kelly-blood steers, 239kg, for $720 or 310c/kg.

Balthayock, Avenel, sold six Conamarra-blood heifers, 439kg, for $1020 or 232c/kg.

Watson Park sold seven heifers, 366kg, for $890 or 243c/kg.

Spring Farm sold eight Merridale-blood heifers, 364kg, for $760 or 208c/kg.

Gooram Estate sold 11 Conamarra-blood heifers, 370kg, for $860 or 232c/kg.

Watson Park sold 25 heifers, 321kg, for $740 or 230c/kg; another pen of 28, 253kg, sold for$620 or 245c/kg.

HOG sold 16 heifers, 338kg, for $670 or 198c/kg.

Lamagal sold 11 heifers, 272kg, for $520 or 191c/kg.

AG Leith sold nine Prime-blood heifers, 359kg, for $710 or 197c/kg.