A leading Melbourne commission buyer snapped up a significant number of steers and heifers at Bairnsdale, as feedlots again stayed away.
Melbourne's Campbell Ross was among the biggest buyers of all types of cattle, with south Gippsland agents rounding out the purchasers.
Agents yarded 2737 head of steers, heifers and cows and calves as conditions in the region continue to dry out.
They said the sale was on a par with the last one, a fortnight ago, and saw an increase of 540 head more cattle yarded.
One agent said there was less and less appetite to soak lighter cattle up.
"They are everywhere," Elders Bairnsdale Livestock manager Morgan Davies said.
"We are banking on having a good hay and grain season, but it's not upon us yet, so you either feed cattle and run them on and take a punt, or you sell them out," Mr Davies said.
The feedlot buyers who attended the sale did not compete strongly, he said.
"It was basically south Gippsland all the way through, who could soak up a lot of those better, heavier calves," he said.
"Anything of 300 kilograms plus sold quite well, really, anything 250-300kg was okay but anything under that was tough going."
He said it was always good when Campbell Ross came to Bairnsdale, as he always bought a lot of cattle.
"He has orders he can fill," he said.
"You've seen your better calves along the way making 300-330c/kg, that hasn't changed in six weeks.
"The coloured cattle of extreme quality sold really, really well but it just got tougher, and tougher on the lighter cattle."
Meat & Livestock Australia market reporter Brendan Fletcher said quality improved, with a large section of the offering made up of well-bred calves.
The top of the weaner steers made $1,380/head for 15 Angus, 396kg or 348c/kg.
Angus weaner steers at more than 330kg averaged $1,103 or 313c/kg.
The top of the yearling steers made $1,700/head for 4 Herefords weighed at 578kg or 294c/kg.
The top of the heifer sale made $900/head for 22 Angus, 388kg or 232c/kg.
Nutrien East Gippsland Livestock manager Brad Obst it was a better quality yarding, with more weight in the cattle.
"The heavier weighted, weaner cattle, were the ones buyers were chasing," Mr Obst said.
"There were quite a few south Gippslanders chipping away."
One agent had a large order, from outside the area, which kept the "better end of the job up there."
"It was hard going on the heifers, there was a limited selection of heavy black heifers there and they probably met with reasonable demand," he said.
"Once you got onto the smaller heifers, the sale struggled a little bit."
He said he felt middle, light-weight calves, were "fully firm", with the heavier end of the weaner calves $15-20 a head dearer.
"The bottom end of the steers and heifers probably lost $100/hd," he said.
Bill Wyndham and Co Bairnsdale auctioneer Gerard Ogilvie said he through the sale was firm to dearer, on better drafts of breeders' cattle.
"South Gippsland agents were very keen on suitable cattle and bought steers they had picked up in the past, " Mr Ogilvie said
"We had Dan Ivone, from Nutrien Myrtleford come over for the first time in a while, Campbell Ross was strong on steers and heifers, while Jinron was operating on the heavier black calves and older steers," Mr Ogilvie said.
Secondary cattle, with less weight, were easier.
Glen Ingram, Bonang, turned off 33 steers, and said the area had started to dry out.
"We need rain, to get some fertiliser out," Mr Ingram said.
"I've got to get some cattle off to cut some silage."
Coonmoor Pastoral Company manager David Caldwell said he normally took his steers through to a heavier weight, but the season dictated an early turn-off.
Leanne Jennings, Bairnsdale, sold a charity steer, 368kg, for $1100 or 298c/kg for Steers for Students.
Started in 2013, the charity sells steers to fund bursaries for local students, with the hope they will return to the area.
Ms Jennings said several teachers and medical students had returned to the Bairnsdale area, after being recipients of the bursaries.
R Degeus, Genoa, sold seven steers, 537kg, for $1320 or 245c/kg.
RE and ME Pendergast sold three steers, 542kg, for $1430 or 263c/kg and another seven, 588kg, for $1700 or 289c/kg.
A Shauble sold 17 Sparta-blood steers, 554kg, for $1600 or 290c/kg.
J Stephenson sold 10 Sparta-blood steers, 489kg, for $1280 or 261c/kg.
Glen Ingram sold 18 Dunoon and Rosskin-blood steers, 420kg, for $1340 or 319c/kg and 15, 396kg, for $1380 or 348c/kg.
Coonmoor sold 21 Landfall and Hazeldean-blood steers, 331kg, for $1040 or 314c/kg; 21 steers, 375kg, for $1180 or 314c/kg and another 20, 353kg, for $1180 or 334c/kg.
DT and DJ Cameron sold 32 steers, 383kg, for $1110 or 289c/kg.
GA Feely sold 20 Innesdale-blood steers, 323kg, for $1040 or 322c/kg.
DL and JM Ingram sold 17 steers, 435kg, for $1260 or 289c/kg and 15 steers, 418kg, for $1200 or 287c/kg.
Crawford and Brown sold six steers, 413kg, for $1000 or 242c/kg.
Silver Fox Farming sold 16 steers, 461kg, for $1300 or 281c/kg.
M Gibbs sold 22 Sparta and Royalla-blood steers, 408kg, for $1120 or 274c/kg.
GA Dimarco sold 15 steers, 378kg, for $1160 or 306c/kg.
Bulmer Farms sold 19 steers, 342kg, for $1060 or 309c/kg.
Snow Rural sold 15 steers, 364kg, for $740 or 203c/kg.
Mawarra sold 20 steers, 389kg, for $1000 or 257c/kg.
Turner Partnership sold 22 steers, 389kg, for $1200 or 308c/kg.
.Omeo Pastoral sold 20 Karoonda and Mawarra-blood steers, 311kg, for $770 or 247c/kg and 22, 284kg, for $670 or 235c/kg.
TG and RA Faithfull sold 16 steers, 326kg, for $1010 or 309c/kg.
J Stephenson sold 17 Sparta-blood steers, 284kg, for $800 or 281c/kg.
Nungurner Hills sold 26 Leawood and Sparta-blood steers, 280kg, for $850 or 303c/kg.
Bindi Station sold 28 steers, 330kg, for $970 or 294c/kg and 27 steers, 297kg, for $910 or 306c/kg.
M Gibbs sold 22 heifers, 388kg, for $900 or 231c/kg; 23, 319kg, for $780 or 244c/kg and 14, 320kg, for $690 or 215c/kg.
D and W Rhodes sold 20 Innesdale-blood heifers, 340kg, for $790 or 232c/kg.
Lakeview, Swan Reach, soldf 14 heifers, 300kg, for $660 or 220c/kg.
Poynton Archgrounds sold 10 heifers, 273kg, for $460 or 168c/kg.
MG Allman sold 12 heifers, 228kg, for $400 or 175c/kg.
Vilenza Producer sold 18 heifers, 354kg, for $840 or 237c/kg.
Dimarco sold 15 heifers, 357kg, for $800 or 224c/kg.
Bindi sold five heifers, 289kg, for $290 or 100c/kg..
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
