Mortlake heifers finally in demand as confidence starts to return

Buyers bid up on weaner heifers, in particular, with the top priced pen going for 352 cents a kilogram, or $1090, while the top weaner steers went for $1149 or 304c/kg.

The top price for the grown steers was $1376 a head, or 246c/kg, while grown heifers made up to $1242 or 222c/kg.

Steers made up to 278c/kg ($1288/hd), while heifers reached 260c/kg ($1089/hd).

Agents ended up selling 4431 head of steers and heifers.

Elders Korumburra, Wellington Livestock, Sale, Nutrien Wangaratta, Ray White, Albury, NSW, J&F, Teys, Charlton and Creek Livestock, Mt Gambier, SA, were among the wide spread of buyers, bidding on both steers and heifers.

The gallery was rounded out by commission buyers, Duncan Brown, Albury, NSW, Campbell Ross, Melbourne, and local agents.

J&J Kelly Stock Agency Warrnambool auctioneer Jack Kelly said it was good to see better prices.

"It was good to see a little bit more confidence restored in the job, which we do need, because it got too cheap,' Mr Kelly said.

"It was hard to tell clients to sell when the livestock is not worth very much money.

"Confidence was really down - but a lot will depend on what happens over the weekend and early next week, in the north - we desperately need them to get another of fall of rain."

He said heifers could have been anywhere to 40-50c/kg higher - "and more on those well-bred cattle.

"There were people here to buy them, to join them.

"I thought the big steers would maybe 5-10c/kg dearer, but I thought a lot of the steer weaners could easily be 30c/kg dearer, with the heavier calves 10-15c/kg dearer."

He said buyers had to have rain - 'but if you yard the cattle, the buyers will come."

Nutrien Warrnambool auctioneer Josh McDonald said the sale was traditionally a large one.

"There were some good lanes and lines of grown steers, the weaner steers were a bit better quality this month," Mr McDonald said.

"They definitely sold better than a month or so."

Feedlots were again active at the sale, he said.

"It was a pretty solid sale, with a good turnout," he said.

Heavy steers were "fully firm", while heifers saw the most improvement, from 20-40c/kg better.

"There was more interest in heifers, there has just been no interest in them," he said.

Southern Grampians Livestock auctioneer Dylan Praolini, Hamilton, said feedlots were active on the heavier steers.

"It was a lot more buoyant than it has been over the last few markets, around here, Mr Praolini said.

"There was a lot of bidding, with urgency, up to that 245c/kg, with most of it from 220-235c/kg."

In the weaner run, the thirds of the Ryan calves made 304c/kg.

"A little bit of confidence has come back with the steers and we are just starting to get that little bit of a sniff of rain around, everybody seems to think its coming - but it doesn't rain grass," he said.

"We did have one line of 274kg heifers which made 272c/kg, so the lighter they are, they are starting to pick up on those too."

GD and EE Dyson sold 32 head of Claremont-blood steers, 566kg, for $1376 or 243c/kg.

They also sold 28, 536kg, for $1261 or 235c/kg.

Barnaby sold 34 Toora West-blood steers, 508kg, for $1220 or 240c/kg.

Bush Beef Cattle Company sold 35 Ballangeich-blood steers, 549kg, for $1262 or 230c/kg.

Matlock Farm Partnership sold 23 Boonaroo-blood steers, 449kg, for $1040 or 232c/kg.

Hopkins River Pastoral sold 38 Wattletop-blood steers, 466kg, for $1108 or 238c/kg.

Colin Goldsworthy Trust sold 43 Te Mania-blood steers, 489kg, for $1193 or 244c/k and 17, 451kg steers for $1082 or 240c/kg.

Raven Park sold 12 Franc-blood steers, 415kg, for $987 or 238c/kg.

Ardmohr Pastoral sold 20 Murdeduke-blood steers, 440kg, for $1004 or 240c/kg.

DJ and JJ Nagorcka sold 12 Charolais steers, 496kg, for $1091 or 220c/kg.

Tantamount Investments sold 11 Banquet and Pathfinder-blood steers, 552kg, for $1302 or 236c/kg and 23, 481kg, for $1144 or 238c/kg.

Selkirk sold 26 Yarram Park and Ironbark-blood steers, 519kg, for $1163 or 224c.kg; 20, 502kg, for $1135, or 226c/kg and 37, 452kg, for $1030 or 228c/kg.

AJ Arundel sold 14 Ardno-blood steers, 389kg, for $738 or 190c/kg.

Ryan Pastoral sold 60 Banquet-blood steers, 361kg, for $960 or 266c/kg and 51, 326kg, for $859 or 264c/kg.

Moraine Pastoral sold 41 Banquet-blood steers, 324kg, for $876 or 270c/kg.

J Porter sold 13 Pathfinder-blood steers, 310kg for $873 or 282c/kg.

The Gypsy Valley Trust sold 25 Bowmont-blood steers, 282kg, for $789 or 280c/kg.

Gumbowie Pastoral sold 10 Angus steers, 295kg, for $737 or 250c/kg.

Karmichael Angus sold 17 Tillabudgery-blood steers, 311kg, for $864 or 278c/kg.

C Walder sold 81 Ballangeich and Banquet steers, 544kg, for $1284 or 236c/kg and 14, 481kg, for $1116 or 232c/kg.

Windy View sold 31 Angus steers, 490kg, for $1147, or 234c/kg.

Autumn Moon sold 16 Red Angus Hicks-blood steers, 444kg, for $1065 or 240c/kg.

Wandana sold 22 Banquet-blood steers, 518kg, for $1221, or 236c/kg.

Robert Bourk sold 13 Angus heifers, 301kg, for $703 or 234c/kg.

M and M Dillon sold 19 Mooramook-blood heifers, 355kg, for $815, or 230c/kg.

Kanga Creek Organics sold 12 Barwidgee-blood heifers, 416kg, for $874 or 210c/kg.

Mooramook sold 18 Pathfinder-blood heifers, 495kg, for $1009 or 204c/kg.

NS and DM Blain sold 17 Angus heifers, 456kg, for $931 or 200c/kg.

AJ Kelly sold 22 Hereford heifers, 385kg, for $731 or 190c/kg.

Ryan Pastoral sold 28 heifers, 333kg, for $1012 or 304c/kg and 48, 352kg, for $1090 or 352c/kg.

TW and JA Symons sold 23 Angus heifers, 369kg, for $855 or 232c/kg.

Bush Beef sold 30 heifers, 226kg, for $611 or 270c/kg.

K Massey and A Slee sold 22 Te Mania-blood heifers, 262kg, for $680 or 260c/kg.

Gypsy Valley Trust sold 23 Angus heifers, 265kg, for $637 or 240c/kg.

IL and PA Potter sold 16 Angus heifers, 517kg, for $1013 or 196c/kg.

Matlock sold 20 Boonaroo-blood heifers, 451kg, for $903 or 200c/kg.

J Hay and D Werchon sold 19 Angus heifers, 341kg for $806 or 236c/kg.

JT Crowe and Sons sold 17 Angus heifers, 333kg, for $820 or 246c/kg.