Pakenham cattle prices rally as steers head north to NSW in November sale

Agents yarded about 3500 cattle, including several feature runs in consignments of more than 150 steers and heifers, on Thursday.

Much of the discussion at the market centred around the saleyard owner's decision, Victorian Livestock Exchange, to abruptly close the yards on June 30, 2024.

Ironically, prices rose to new levels not witnessed in several months, with vendor-bred cattle surging past 300 cents a kilogram on multiple occasions.

Some agents said prices for heavier cattle rose 20-30c/kg, and more than 50c/kg on the lighter end of the yarding.

"You needed $850-$900 to buy a good, black steer weighing more than 260 kilograms," Elders Pakenham auctioneer Jamie Quinlan said.

"That is probably $150-$200 a head dearer than what it was a fortnightly ago, but the recent rain and interest from the north has spurred people on to buy cattle."

Among the northern purchasers was commission buyer Duncan Brown, Albury, NSW, who bought 620 cattle - or close to 20 per cent of the yarding - for northern NSW backgrounders.

It was the first time Mr Brown had visited Pakenham in two months.

Competition among South Gippsland bullock fatteners dominated the steer section of the sale, including Eddy Hams, Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock, Leongatha, who bought more than 300 cattle, aged 12-15 months, for a plethora of restockers in the south.

Western district agent Clarke Roycroft, Elders Camperdown, made an appearance at the sale, buying 100 cattle for a backgrounder in the Riverina, NSW.

Everitt Seeley & Bennetts director Jarrod Bennetts said all classes of cattle experienced a rise in prices.

"Cattle are going north into NSW and even as far as Queensland," he said.

"It was a good $100-$200 dearer on most classes for steers and heifers.

"Little heifers took a huge jump today and that's because they attracted competition we haven't seen in months."

Among the feature lines was 81 Angus and Black Baldy steers and 25 heifers, 9-10 months, sold by Clondrisse Pastoral, Flinders.

The draft included 26 steers, 384kg, for $1150 or 299c/kg, 26 steers, 374kg, for $1120 or 299c/kg, and 29 steers, 377kg, for $1160 or 307c/kg.

The first two pens were bought by bullock fatteners at Trafalgar and Ripplebrook, respectively.

Meanwhile, Graham Bone and Scott McKay, trading as Kumbada Pastoral, Jindivick, sold 123 mixed-sex Angus cattle aged 8-10 months.

The draft included 30 steers, 311kg, for $960 or 308c/kg to Elders Yea and 30 steers, 269kg, for $840 or 312c/kg

Mr Bone also sold 241 mixed-sex cattle, 8-10 months, trading as Kumbada Black, Traralgon South.

The draft included 25 steers, 363kg, for $900 or 247c/kg, 20 steers, 318kg, for $930 or 292c/kg and 22 steers, 320kg, for $960 or 300c/kg.

The heifer portion included a pen of 23, 366kg, for $920 or 252c/kg and 33 heifers, 312kg, for $750 or 240c/kg.

Another feature of the sale was 286 mixed-sex calves, 9-10 months, including 146 steers, consigned by Glendale Pastoral, Torwood.

The annual draft included 28 steers, 338kg; for $1100 or 325c/kg, 30 steers, 310kg, for $970 or 312c/kg, 20 steers, 293kg, for $920 or 313c/kg, and 21 steers, 281kg, for $900 or 320c/kg.

The first two pens were bought by Les Seeley, Everitt Seeley & Bennetts, Pakenham, for a South Gippsland bullock fattener.

Glendale Pastoral's heifer portion included 25 heifers, 295kg, for $700 or 237c/kg, 30 heifers, 269kg, for $680 or 252c/kg, and 30 heifers, 258kg, for $670.

In other sales, GB & KA Potts, Nilma North, sold 24 steers, 18 months, 569kg, for $1330 or 237c/kg.

D Di Tella, Kilmore East, sold 20 steers, 637ckg, for $1610 or 252c/kg and 20 steers, 562kg, for $1510.

Holcombe Estate, Glen Lyon, sold 80 Angus steers, 14 months, including 20 steers, 405kg, for $1080 or 266c/kg, 20 steers, 392kg, for $1000, and 20 steers, 362kg, for $1000.

The sale started with a pen of 14 steers consigned by D & P Somerville, 588kg, which made $1410 or 238c/kg.

Guest Farming, Coldstream, sold 20 steers, 510kg, for $1290 or 252c/kg.

Burnside, Yellingbo, sold 22 steers, 18-20 months, 494kg, for $1370 or 277c/kg, 22 steers, 488kg, for $1370 or 280c/kg, and 20 steers, 490kg, for $1300 or 265c/kg.

All three were bought by Eddy Hams, Nutrien SGL.

Lancefield Livestock, Lancefield, sold 15 heifers, 555kg, for $1060 or 190c/kg, while B Trewin, Gormandale, sold 20 heifers, 449kg, for $1040.

Both pens were bought by Russell Motton, Motton Livestock, for a restocker at Korumburra.

Wilga sold 30 steers, 345kg, for $1080 or 313c/kg, 30 steers, 312kg, for $980 or 314c/kg and 30 steers, 292kg, for $940.

Wallan Pastoral sold 16 Angus steers, 560kg, for $1370 or 244c/kg, 12 steers, 555kg, for $1370 or 246c/kg and 18 steers, 545kg, for $1370 or 251c/kg.

All three pens were bought by Melbourne-based commission buyer Campbell Ross, one of the major buyers at the sale.

Meanwhile, Sunnyside, Bulla, sold 15 steers, 20 months, 511kg, for $1270 or 248c/kg, and 14 steers, 500kg, for 1200 or 240c/kg.