Bairnsdale cattle sale dominated by South Gippsland agents

Agents yarded about 860 cattle for the fortnightly East Gippsland Livestock Exchange sale where prices were firm compared to recent sales.

Among the features of the sale, Sandra and Gus Crisp, Omeo, sold 60 Hereford and Hereford/Shorthorn-cross steers, as well as 24 Hereford and Hereford/Shorthorn-cross heifers at the fortnightly sale.

The sale included 12 spring-drop steers, 420kg, for $990 a head or 235 cents a kilogram, 12 steers, 400kg, for $930 or 232c/kg, 14 steers, 390kg, for $810 or 207c/kg.

The Crisps heifers included a pen of 18 heifers, 354kg, for $720.

Nutrien East Gippsland Livestock manager Brad Obst said the buying gallery was dominated by restockers from West and South Gippsland.

"Prices generally improved across the yarding with the betterb-bred weaner and grown steers benefiting the most," he said.

"Dairy and off-bred types didn't capture the benefits of the better market and were generally firm on previous sales.

"Heifers sold to strong demand to local and West Gippsland agents looking for breeders or cattle to fatten ... the prices were generally firm to $50 better than last sale, depending on quality."

Bill Wyndham & Co livestock manager Colin Jones said graziers in the Bairnsdale district were exercising a degree of caution, with the season on the cusp of "not being any good".

"With the wind we've had recently, we only need a warm week or warm wind and we'll be back to where we were a month ago before we got that rain," he said.

Mr Jones said cattle prices were mostly unchanged compared to the last sale a fortnight ago.

"There might have been an odd pen of quality cattle that was a fraction dearer, but other than that the job was much the same," he said.

"South Gippsland agencies Nutrien and Elders bought a bulk of the cattle, while only a few cattle stayed in the Bairnsdale district and out to Orbost."

Meat & Livestock Australia National Livestock Reporting Service reporter Brendan Fletcher said the sale attracted limited processor enquiry, while feedlot competition was absent again.

"Quality declined with only a limited supply of well-bred calves and yearlings as the majority of the offering was of unfavourable breeding or condition," he said.

"Prices improved up to $100 a head on some sales while quality affected some results with averages slightly softer in other categories."

MLA said the top of the weaner steers made $770 for five Angus steers, 336kg, which made 229c/kg.

Meanwhile, the top of the weaner heifers, 18 Herefords, 54kg, made $720 or 203c/kg.

Mr Fletcher said the top pen of yearling steers, 13 Herefords, 513kg, made $1270 or 247c/kg, while the top pen of three yearling Hereford heifers, 420kg, made $740 or 176c/kg.

H & S Regan, Walpa, sold 12 Angus and Black Baldy bullocks, 2.5-3 years, 619kg, for $1300 or 210c/kg

PA Smith, Omeo, sold 14 Hereford steers, 14-16 months, 437kg, for $980 or 224c/kg, and 14 steers, 410kg, for $970 or 236c/kg.

Sandy Family Trust sold five Hereford steers, 508kg, for $1100 or 216c/kg, and 16 Black Baldy heifers, 357kg, for $720 or 201c/kg.

K & R McCole sold two Charolais-cross steers, 568kg, for $1070 or 188c/kg.

G & V Geddes sold two Angus-cross steers, 385kg, for $630 or 163c/kg and four Hereford steers, 376kg, for $660 or 175c/kg.

The same vendor also sold one Hereford heifer, 605kg, for $1100 or 181c/kg and one heifer, 410kg, for $560 or 136c/kg.

Tim Woodgate, Buchan, sold 33 Hereford steers, including a pen of 16 steers, 385kg, for $780 or 202c/kg, and 17 steers, 345kg, for $780 or 226c/kg.

GA Feeley sold 10 Angus heifers, 382kg, for $850 or 222c/kg.

J Hayward & Partners, Ensay, sold 11 Angus and Black Baldy heifers, 330kg, for $670 or 203c/kg.

C Morton sold four Angus heifers for $500.

S Ford sold eight Speckle Park cows with calves at foot for $750.

Hedera Anna Nominees sold two Angus cows with calves at foot for $1300.