Leongatha cattle prices bolstered by improved weather outlook, restocker competition

Agents yarded 2905 cattle at the Victorian Livestock Exchange where 10-month-old cattle sold for more than $1100 a head.

Strong feedlot and restocker support resulted in better competition across the sale, while annual consignments of well-bred cattle attracted interest from buyers across Gippsland and further afield.

Only a handful of feedlotters operated during the sale, with prices firm on the heavier end of the market.

Light steers rose significantly compared to the last fortnightly sale, largely due to improved seasonal conditions in parts of Victoria and NSW.

Among the feedlot buyers was Wayne Reid, O'Connor, who bought about 100 Angus steers, 500-560kg, for Bunnaloo Feedlot, Bunnaloo, NSW.

Meanwhile, agency SEJ raised $16,500 for the Fish Creek Football Netball Club after its clubrooms were destroyed by a suspicious fire on November 4.

Nineteen vendors donated 28 cattle, with the entire proceeds donated to the club's recovery appeal.

The cattle were bought by a range of meat buyers, feedlots and restockers from across Victoria.

SEJ Leongatha livestock manager James Kyle said he was humbled by those who supported the cause, including the vendors who donated cattle for the fundraiser.

"Fish Creek is one of the most successful clubs in Australia in terms of the number of premierships they've won over the years, and to see their rooms burnt down is absolutely devastating," he said.

"I thought the sale was substantially dearer than a fortnight ago, especially on the lighter-weight beef-bred cattle."

Among the feature lines was 80 Angus steers, 9-10 months, sold by Micah Berry, Wonthaggi, with each steer pen fetching above 300c/kg.

The draft included 24 steer, 309 kilograms, which made $1070 or 335c/kg, 22 steers, 268kg, for $900 or 335c/kg, 19 steers, 262kg, for $840 or 320c/kg, and 15 steers, 231kg, which made $850 or 367c/kg.

Kevin Opray and Maree Avery, Hedley, sold 150 Angus steers, 14-16 months, including 15 steers, 521kg, for $1350 or 259c/kg, 15 steers, 511kg, for $1380 or 270c/kg, 15 steers, 502kg, for $1270 or 252c/kg, and 14 steers, 496kg, for $1300 or 262c/kg.

The first pen was bought by Bunnaloo Feedlot, while the second and third pens were bought by a bullock fattener at Trafalgar.

Elders Leongatha and Korumburra livestock manager Rohan McRae said producers' short-term fears of an El Nino had eased in recent weeks, largely due to rain in parts of Australia.

"You'd have to say the market was between $100 and in some places up to $200 dearer," he said.

"I guess the rain in the north has lifted a lot of the northern markets, and grass fever has been delayed until now, but I thought we saw some of that in the market at Leongatha."

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 $1240 and dropped by $37 compared to the last sale in early-November, while steers 380-450kg averaged $1091 and lost $7 on average.

However, his analysis showed steers weighing between 320-380kg averaged $1076, up from $889 or $187 on average, and steers 280-320kg jumped $213 to average $955, up from $742.

Steers weighing more than 550kg averaged $1379, up $100 on the last sale.

Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock manager Brian McCormack said the market was full of confidence.

"I'd say a lot of cattle would be $100-$200 dearer across the board, and even plainer cattle rose by up to $100," he said.

"There wasn't huge competition from outside of Gippsland, but the rain and the northern competition coming into the likes of Wodonga and Yea and a few of those places, people are stepping up in the local market."

Copperleaf Pty Ltd, San Remo, sold 104 mixed-sex steers, including 11 steers, rising two years, 569kg, for $1370 or 240c/kg, 12 steers, 561kg, for $1330 or 237c/kg. And nine steers, 526kg, for $1270 or 2421c/kg.

The same Chris sold a run of 10-month-old weaners, including 20 steers, 357kg, for $1240 or 347c/kg, 12 steers, 336kg, for $1180 or 352c/kg, and 13 steers, 319kg, for $1100 or 344c/kg.

The first two weaner pens were bought by a return bullock fattener at Wonthaggi.

Doonagatha, Sandy Point, sold 40 Angus steers, including 20 steers, 355kg, for $1180 or 332c/kg and 20 steers, $1070 or 319c/kg.

D & P Burns, Stony Creek, sold 22 steers, 357kg, for $1090 or 305c/kg and 12 steers, 324kg, for $950 or 293c/kg.

P & H Norman, Archies Creek, sold nine steers, 316kg, for $1000 or 316c/kg.

The sale started with a pen of eight steers, 558kg, consigned by R & R Rhodes which made $1100 or 197c/kg and was bought by Melbourne commission buyer Campbell Ross, one of the major buyers throughout the sale.

Patanga Properties, Bombala, NSW, sold a draft of Herefords, including eight steers, 460kg, for $1080 or 234c/kg, 20 steers, 385kg, for $990 or 257c/kg, and 19 steers, 362kg, for $870 or 240c/kg.

The first two pens were bought by Kev Clark, Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock, for a bullock fattener at Morwell.

R & K Telling, Woodside, sold 23 steers, 8-9 months, 356kg, for $1100 or 308c/kg and 20 steers, 305kg, for $1060 or 347c/kg.

In other sales, G & G Thomson, Fish Creek, sold 16 steers, 444kg, for $1230 or 277c/kg and 11 steers, 419kg, for $1100 or 262c/kg.

P & J Sibly sold 20 steers, 373kg, for $1050 or 281c/kg and 17 steers, 316kg, for $1050 or 332c/kg.

P & S Campbell, Mardan, sold 17, two years, steers, 675kg, for $1620 or 240c/kg and 18 steers, 625kg, for $1560 or 249c/kg.

SJ & LK Campbell, Mardan, sold 22, 13-14 months, steers, 440kg, for $1160 or 263c/kg and 23 steers, 406kg, for $1140.