A late lift in cattle numbers consigned to the November Ballarat store cattle sale did not deter buyers who pushed the market higher when compared with the October sale.
Agents had advertised for 2500 cattle, however, producers, driven by a fast closing season and the potential costs of retaining cattle for longer, pushed the yarding to 3836 head.
There were 2594 steers offered with those weighing 200-280 kilograms making to a top of 329 cents a kilogram, averaging 252c/kg, or $880 and $652 a head, while steers weighing 280-330kg sold to 295c/kg, averaging 258c/kg or $960 and $789
In the 330- 400kg range, steers sold to 265c/kg to average 240c/kg, or $990 and $871, while steers weighing 400-500kg made to 267c/kg and 233c/kg, or $1220 and $1027.
At the heavier end of the sale, steers 500-600kg sold to 250c/kg and 228c/kg or $1400 and $1223, while steers more than 600kg sold to 243c/kg and 198c/kg or $1510 or $1315.
Agents yarded 1144 heifers with those weighing 200-280kg making to 240c/kg and averaging 200c/kg or $600 and $514, while heifers weighing 280-330kg sold to 256c/kg and 216c/kg or $820 and $669.
Heifers weighing 330-400kg sold to 345c/kg and 221c/kg or $1340 and $798, while heifers weighing 400-500 sold to 218c/kg and 197c/kg or $1000 and $897 and heifers weighing 500-600kg sold to 196c/kg and 185c/kg or $1050 and $971.
TB White and Sons stock agent Tom Madden, Ballarat, said the increase in numbers could be put down to the season finishing quickly, however, all the cattle yarded presented well and had plenty of bloom.
He said most grades of cattle were dearer with the best of the grown steers making 250-280c/kg "for a fair bit of weight".
Good pens of steer weaner calves made $900 and higher which "showed a bit more promise than the last couple of months".
"What occurred today was probably a reflection of a lot of centres around the state," Mr Madden said.
He said Balllarat had not witnessed as much strength from Gippsland in recent months, however, at this sale there were three or four different faces out of Gippsland who were quite active.
Mr Madden said the Gippsland buyers put together good runs of cattle, but were selective with what they bought.
Other competition came from regular feeders, commission buyers and a good local presence.
There were a number of feature lines from producers who regularly sell at this time of year.
Mr Madden said there was an improved penning of heifers and prices picked up as buyers placed bids on cattle with breeding potential, while feeders were solid on the top end as well.
Elders livestock manager, Nick Gray, Ballarat, said there were increases of 30-40c/kg in places across steers and heifers.
"I think the wheel is turning," he said.
He said the grown steers were dearer for a significantly better yarding and bigger numbers than the month before.
The most significant aspect was the "little" cattle, steers and heifers, where the base for steers was about $800, compared with $550-$600 or $150-$200 dearer compared to a month ago.
Grown heifers did not record such an increase but were still 10-15c/kg dearer.
Of the little heifers, they rose $550-$600 compared with a base of $400 base in October.
Mr Gray said there were the usual commission buyers including an order from Goulburn in NSW.
A feature line of 286 weaners sold by Mick and Dawn Ernest, Cherrymount, Streatham, included a pen of 30 steers, 405kg that made $1000 or 247c/kg.
The seconds comprised 70 that made $960 and weighed an average of about 375kg or 259c/kg.
A third draft of 42 weighed 335kg and made $890 or 265c/kg
Mr Gray said 20 weaner heifers sold by Cherrymount attracted a "breeder premium", making $1340 for cattle weighing 387kg and equivalent to 346c/kg.
A second pen of 29 weighed 343kg and made $880 or 256c/kg, and a third pen comprising 29 at 340kg made $870 or 340c/kg.
The Cherrymount cattle went to both repeat buyers and new buyers.
Real Food Farming sold 236 mixed-sex cattle topped by a pen of 28 Black Baldy grown steers, 510kg, that made $1240 or 243c/kg.
Another pen of 28, 512kg, made $1220 or 238c/kg.
The same vendor sold 50 Angus grown steers, 433kg, making $1070 or 247c/kg.
Twenty-two steers, 366kg, made $900 or 245c/kg.
A pen of 10 Black Baldy steers, 398kg, made $930 or 233c/kg.
Real Food also consigned 12 Black Baldy grown heifers, 491kg, $950 or 193c/kg.
H Eldridge offered a pen of 24 grown steers at 528kg that made $1320 and 16 at 510kg, made $1210.
Darlea View sold a pen of seven steers, 18-20 months, 534kg, for $1160 and six at 512kg for $1170.
The same vendor sold seven steers, 448kg, for $1070.
A consignment from AE JR Russell, Mount Franklin, included a pen of nine grown steers, 482kg, that made $1120.
Another pen of nine, 415kg, made $1010.
The same vendor sold nine steers, 333kg, for $840.
The Mount Franklin heifer portion included five grown heifers weighing 505kg that made $980 and a pen of 12 at 420kg that made $890.
EAD Stone consigned a pen of nine steers, 463kg, that sold for $1110 and 11 at 395kg for $940.
A pen of 10 steers sold account Yallum Vale weighed 444kg and made $1100, while 11 at 397kg made $990.
The heifer portion of 12, 366kg, made $780.
JB Tierney sold a draft that included a line of 51 steers that weighed 408kg making $1040.
JM S Smith sold 16 steers, 413kg, for $1000, and 17 weighing 369kg for $900.
AR W Gellie sold 14 at 518kg for $1290, also 13 at 421kg for $1040.
A pen of 22 Hereford steers sold by G Boyer weighed 524kg and sold for $1200.
MT CP Mullane sold 11 steers, 334kg, for $840, 10 at 305kg for $790 and 12 at 267kg for $880.
Dunach Park sold 19 steers, 415kg, for $980 and 17 at 382kg for $940.
PJ JM Leech sold a line of 26 Angus steers weighing 338kg for $890 and a second line of 25 weighing 311kg for $800.
Barker and Wall forwarded Angus steers with eight weighing 409kg making $1010 and nine, 382kg, for $930.
Twenty-seven Angus steers sold account Twin Falls, 325kg, sold for $930 and 10 at 355kg made $930.
The same vendor also sold 31 steers 288kg for $830.
GA Crick Co consignment included a pen of 40 at 328kg that made $865 and 29 weighing 286kg selling for $825.
E Baker sold a pen of 22 steers, 380kg, for $960 and eight at 334kg for $880.
DJ AL Briody sold a pen of 14 grown heifers, 456kg, that made $1000 and five at 486kg for $900.
RS RJ Featherston sold a draft of coloured heifers with the top paid for a pen of nine, 496kg that sold for $970.
A pen of 10 second-calving Angus cows with 10 calves at foot, sold by R Gray made $1680, and a pen of seven third-calving cows with calves at foot made $1580.
