Leongatha steers pass 300c/kg in spring South Gippsland store market

The fortnightly Victorian Livestock Exchange sale included 3100 cattle from across southern and eastern Victoria as the mercury hit 30 degrees at Leongatha.

Strong buying support by restockers, backgrounders and feedlotters underpinned the market, with most of the cattle offered at the sale set to remain in Gippsland.

Several agents said it was the first Leongatha market in several months where prices had pushed beyond 300c/kg for vendor-bred steers.

Vendors Fergus and Chris Cameron, Wild Dog, Phillip Island, were the first sellers to pass the 300c/kg mark as they sold 92 Angus steers and 65 heifers, February and March 2023-drop.

Their consignment included 18 steers, 366 kilograms, which made $1050 a head or 286c/kg, while 18 steers, 365kg, for $1050 or 287c/kg.

Both pens were bought by a bullock fattener at Outtrim.

Boorool bullock fattener Norm Geary bought the following two pens of Cameron steers, which included 17 head, 328kg, for $1060 or 323c/kg, and 17 steers, 325kg, for $1060 or 326c/kg.

A fifth pen, 22 steers, 300kg, sold for $920 or 306c/kg and was bought by a grazier at Wonthaggi.

The Cameron's draft of heifers included 18 head, 330kg, for $780, 22 heifers, 310kg, for $730 and 25 heifers for $660.

SEJ Leongatha livestock manager James Kyle said cattle prices rose between $40-$60 on the beef-bred steers, with isolated sales higher than $60 on the feature lines of cattle.

"Generally speaking, I think it was a very positive day throughout the market," he said.

"We saw a lot of feature lines sold and those quality cattle sold to expectations and above in places."

Meanwhile, another feature of the sale was 366 mixed-sex Angus, Angus/Hereford-cross and Hereford cattle, 11-13 months, consigned by the Bowman family of The Ridge, Rosedale.

The first one of 23 Angus steers, 436kg, made $1190 or 273c/kg and was bought by a bullock fattener at Krowera.

The following two pens, 26 steers, 393kg, made $1050 or 267c/kg, and 26 steers, 353kg, made $980 or 277c/kg, were bought by a bullock fattener at Denison.

The first pen of Black Baldies and the top-priced Bowman pen, 20 steers, 430kg, made $1150 or 267c/kg and was bought by a South Gippsland grazier.

The fifth pen of Bowman steers, 26 head, 399kg, made $1000 or 250c/kg, while Jalna Feedlot bought 20 steers, 388kg, for $900 or 231c/kg, and 29 steers, 369kg, for $850 or 230c/kg.

In the Bowman's heifer draft, 22 Angus, 349kg, made $770 or 220c/kg, 23 heifers, 316kg, made $650 or 206c/kg, 24 Black Baldy heifers, 373kg, made $940 or 252c/kg and 31 heifers, 335kg, made $830 or 247c/kg.

Blackwood Grazing, Trafalgar, sold its third consignment of 105 Angus steers, 14 months, for the season.

The entire draft, excluding one steer, was bought by an undisclosed bullock fattener at Kernot.

The draft ranged from 427-467kg and made from $1270-$1390.

The sale included 25 steers, 467kg, for $1390 or 297c/kg, 15 steers, 440kg, for $1330 or 302c/kg, 14 steers, 440kg, for $1330 or 302c/kg, and 25 steers, 427kg, for $1270 or 297c/kg.

Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock manager Brian McCormack said it was one of the largest crowds he had witnessed at the VLE in several months.

"Heifers could have been up to $100 dearer than a fortnight ago, possibly more in places," he said.

"There was more competition on them, with both breeders and grass fatteners chasing the better end of the heifers."

South Gippsland cattle buyer Wayne Osborne, Tarwin, analysed the Angus, Hereford, Black Baldy and Shorthorn steers throughout the sale and said prices improved on the back of better-quality cattle.

He said steers weighing between 450-550kg averaged $1277 and rose $78 compared to the last sale in October, while steers 380-450kg averaged $1084 and jumped by $72 on average.

His analysis showed steers weighing between 320-380kg averaged $889, up by $58, and steers 280-320kg jumped $8 to average $742.

Don Jelbart, Tarwin, sold 68 Angus steers, rising two years, including 18 steers, 547kg, for $1340 or 244c/kg, 27 steers, 511kg, for $1340 or 262c/kg, and 12 steers, 470kg, for $1330 or 259c/kg.

Jasmel Nominees, Tarwin Lower, sold 56 Angus and Black Baldy steers, 14 months, including 12 steers, 420kg, for $940 or 223c/kg, 22 steers, 397kg, for $1080 or 272c/kg, and 22 steers, 375kg, for $990.

In other sales, Chester Shorthorns sold 12 steers, 439kg, for $1020 or 232c/kg.

Groves Estate sold 14 steers, 359kg, for $860 or 236c/kg to a bullock fattener at Wonthaggi.

Hartay Family Trust, Dalyston, sold 21 steers, 363kg, for $860 or 236c/kg and 22 steers, 372kg, for $910 or 244c/kg.

Katelea Pastoral, Glen Alvie, sold 17 steers, 366kg, for $910 or 248c/kg.

RW Hooker, Berrys Creek, sold seven Charolais/Angus-cross steers, 527kg, for $1120 or 212c/kg.

P Jackson, Clydebank, sold 20 Angus steers, 592kg, for $1410 or 238c/kg.

In the heifers, Cam and Steph Corrigan sold 12 Angus and Black Baldy heifers, 18 months, 476kg, for $1020 or 214c/kg.

MD Lee sold five Angus heifers, 427kg, for $910 or 213c/kg, while B Hinson sold 17 Angus heifers, 435kg, for $900 or 207c/kg.

M Maselli sold three Limousin cows with calves at foot for $1300.