Leongatha cattle prices fail to rally in second spring sale for 2023

Agents yarded more than 3000 cattle at the Victorian Livestock Exchange on Friday, where some prices eased by more than $200 a head during the second spring sale.

Industry insiders had hoped for a spring-driven reprieve, however, the change in seasons has failed to rally cattle prices, which have instead shed value since the start of spring.

Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock manager Brian McCormack said prices across the board were "lacklustre and cheaper".

"Our run of older feeder steers would have been $100 cheaper and sold in the mid-200 cents a kilogram range," he said.

"The very best of the calves, the yearling off cattle, I thought they sold quite OK because of some reasonable competition.

Those cattle ranged from 350-380kg and they were sought after by bullock fatteners who were chasing them, but the rest of the cattle after that would have been $100-$200 cheaper."

Mr McCormack said the decline in prices was driven by the fall in the prime cattle market where cows have shed 40-50c/kg in the last month alone.

Elders Leongatha and Korumburra branch manager Rohan McRae said it was impossible to avoid the cheaper prices, regardless of which major selling centre you visited.

"Black steers are anywhere from 260-300c/kg with the odd pen making over 300c/kg, and Hereford steers are 200-250c/kg to be honest," he said.

"I think it's uncertainty in the season and the uncertainty where prices are going.

"We just need the right rate at the right time to give people a bit of confidence where there is a good season, especially in South Australia, the western district, West and South Gippsland the the southern Riverina."

Volume buyers Keswick Pastoral and Westside Meats, and J & F Feedlot were "active to a degree", Mr McRae said, while bullock fatteners were the strongest group of buyers.

Groves Estate, Lang Lang, sold 15 Banquet-blood Angus steers, 15-16 months, 450kg, for $1340 a head or 297c/kg, and 17 steers, 400kg, for $1300 or 325c/kg.

EA, GE, RI & GJ Baillie sold 22 Angus and Black Baldy steers, 20 months, 584kg, for $1590 or 272c/kg.

G Ross sold 15 Angus steers, 524kg, for $1480 or 282c/kg.

Melaleuca Pastoral sold 21 Angus steers, 487kg, for $1320 or 271c/kg.Malone sold 13 Angus-cross heifers, 414kg, for $800 or 193c/kg.

A Conisbee & Co sold 11 Angus heifers, 402kg, for $850 or 211c/kg.