Pakenham October cattle sale records softer prices as restockers, feedlots underpin market

Agents yarded 1300 cattle for the first October market, where a decline in buyer support and a mixed-quality yarding caused prices to ease across all categories.

Prices have continuously fallen across store markets since the start of spring, despite many insiders' predictions rates would rise with the change in seasons.

Agents said prices fell by $100 compared to the last sale a fortnight ago, and by more than $150 in some places.

The feature line of the market, which equated for 28 per cent of the yarding, was 376 mixed-sex Angus cattle, 8-10 months, consigned by Peter Evans, Bass.

His steers ranged from 425-268 kilograms and $970-$1500.

The draft included 11 steers, 425kg, which made $970 or 228 cents a kilogram, and 17 steers, 405kg, for $1000 or 246c/kg.

Both pens were bought by a bullock fattener at Warragul via Alex Scott & Staff, Warragul.

The same vendor also sold 15 steers, 389kg, for $990 or 254c/kg, and 13 steers, 389kg, for $985 or 253c/kg.

Both pens were bought by Ripplebrook-based bullock fattener Bernard Sheather.

Mr Bass sold more than 60 heifers, including 12 heifers, 378kg, for $690 or 182c/kg, 14 heifers, 366kg, for $660 or 180c/kg, and eight heifers, 366kg, for $680 or 185c/kg.

The three pens were bought by Tim Anderson, Moyarra, Korumburra.

Alex Scott and Staff manager and auctioneer Neil Darby said it was hard to pinpoint the cause of the soft prices.

"We are having one of the best springs that I can remember and here we are in the middle of spring giving store cattle away," he said.

"It's very disappointing for the breeders."

Mr Darby said the results of the store sales largely hinged on what we happening at prime markets.

"The biggest problem is we're having trouble getting bullocks out at the other end to enable us to bring little, young cattle back in," he said.

"We've seen good weaner Angus steers back to 240-250c/kg and they are beautiful calves, admittedly unweaned, but a year ago they would have been at least $1000 dearer."

D Bristow, Yering, sold 15 steers, 634kg, for $1560 or 246c/kg, and 23 steers, 576kg, for $1440 or 250c/kg to agent Ed Hams, Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock, Leongatha.

One buyer, who bought a pen of 12 heifers, 299kg, for $415 said, "I don't need them, but I couldn't walk away from them at that price".

Volume buyer J & F Feedlot, owned by JBS, bought the third pen of Bristow steers, 561kg, for $1320 or 235c/kg.

The same buyer also bought two pens of JL Branca Pty Ltd, Mooroduc, steers, including a pen of 19, 498kg, for $1210 or 242c/kg, and 20 steers, 478kg, for $1210 or 253c/kg.

Elders Pakenham auctioneer Michael Robertson said the sale lacked life.

"There was competition on the feedlot cattle among J & F and commission buyer Campbell Ross and in recent weeks we haven't seen anyone buying those cattle," he said.

"Lighter-weight weaner cattle were anywhere from 200-240c/kg, while feeder cattle were 250-280c/kg."

In other sales, S Barwick, Drouin, sold 15 steers, 468kg, for $1160.

Jorgensen Holdings, Tonimbuk, sold 10 steers, 487kg, for $1140 or 234c/kg to J & F Feedlot, and 10 steers, 447kg, for $1160 or 259c/kg.

B & A Howard, Maffra, sold 11 Hereford steers, 568kg, for $1020 or 179c/kg to commission buyer Campbell Ross, Melbourne, and 10 steers, 535kg, for $1060 or 198c/kg to Cobe Investments, Loch, via Motton Livestock, Poowong.

Mr Ross also bought nine steers, 503kg, for $1030 or 204c/kg consigned by Lyncroft, Shoreham.