Leongatha steers pass 400c/kg despite mixed-quality market as return buyers step up

Agents yarded 4452 cattle at the fortnightly Victorian Livestock Exchange market in a sale agents described as mixed in quality and prices.

Among the volume buyers was South Gippslander Anthony Hullick, Middle Tarwin, who bought more than 250 steers for several feedlot operations in the region.

Bullock fattener Wayne Osborne, Tarwin, bought more than 110 Angus and Black Baldy steers, while Wayne Reid, G & K O'Connor, Pakenham, bought more than 300 cattle.

The sale started with several vendor-bred consignments of Hereford cattle, sold by agency Phelan & Henderson & Co, which sold to a top price of 438c/kg.

The lines included 50 Hereford steers bred by George and Lorraine Simmons, Woodside, with 18 steers, 10-12 months, 403kg, knocked down for $1420 or 352c/kg, 16 steers, 388kg, for $1350 or 438c/kg, and 16 steers, 361kg, for $1300 or 360c/kg.

The Simmons family also sold 13 heifers, 322kg, for $880 or 273c/kg.

Don and Kay Belcher, Wonga Park, Woodside, sold 41 Hereford steers, 10-12 months, including 17 steers, 361kg, for $1560 or 432c/kg to a bullock fattener at Nar Nar Goon, 13 steers, 332kg, for $1370 or 412c/kg, and 12 steers, 270kg, for $1000 or 370c/kg, plus 16 heifers, 283kg, for $860 or 303c/kg.

PHC director Simon Henderson said the season had reached a pivotal point in South Gippsland where feed had started to dry off.

"The whole of South Gippsland and Gippsland in general was like the Garden of Eden, but now clover has shrivelled up and people are being a bit more careful with their purchasers, even though vendors are still wanting to sell," he said.

"We're not getting those high prices we saw in January, even though we thought we'd see things go from strength-to-strength, so it is a dose of reality.

"We did, however, see repeat buyers chase the better end of calves and that put a floor on the better end of our sale."

Kevin Opray and Maree Avery, Hedley, sold 76 Angus steers, 12 months, including 13 steers, 493kg, for $1590 or 322c/kg to a bullock fattener at Walkerville, 14 steers, 429kg, for $1450 or 337c/kg to a bullock fattener at Tarwin, 14 steers, 399jg, for $1380 or 345c/kg to the buyer from Walkerville, and 17 steers, 381kg, for $1340 or 351c/kg.

P, N, D & M Moore, Yarram, sold 86 Angus steers, 9-11 months, including 23 steers, 393kg, for $1300 or 330c/kg, 19 steers, 371kg, for $1230 or 331c/kg, 24 steers, 338kg, for $1220 or 360c/kg, and 20 steers, 338kg, for $1225 or 362c/kg.

Roger and Yvonne Connely, Omeo, sold 49 Hereford steers, 14 months, including 17 steers, 520kg, for $1750 or 336c/kg, 16 steers, 480kg, for $1580 or 329c/kg, and 16 steers, 455kg, for $1400 or 307c/kg.

The three pens were bought by a bullock fattener at Wonthaggi.

Mr and Mrs Connley attended the sale and opted to send their cattle to Leongatha so they could "appeal to the bullock fatteners of South Gippsland".

Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock manager Brian McCormack said the quality of the yarding varied after the vendor-bred lines of cattle were sold.

"I thought cattle sold well, even though the quality of the cattle in our section was not as good," he said.

"Feedlots and butchers bought a fair chunk of the cattle, along with local graziers."

R, V & R Dowel, Leongatha South, sold 60 Hereford steers, 10-12 months, including 20 steers, 375kg, for $1300 or 346c/kg, 20 steers, 365kg, for $1310 or 358c/kg, and 20 steers, 350kg, for $1290 or 368c/kg.

The first two pens were bought by a buyer at Yarram, while a bullock fattened at Nar Nar Goon bought the third pen.

N Stuart, Nerrena, sold 40 steers, 12 months, including 20 Angus, 446kg, for $1630 or 365c/kg to Australian Food & Agriculture( and 20 steers, 390kg, for $1480 or 379c/kg.

M Breen, Buffalo, sold 18 Angus steers, 342kg, for $1270 or 371c/kg, and 19 steers, 306kg, for $1200 or 391c/kg.

Both pens were bought by a Mirboo North bullock fattener.

Stuart Investments sold 24 Hereford steers, 373kg, for $1400 or 375c/kg, and 17 steers, 303kg, for $1140 or 376c/kg, plus 24 Hereford heifers, 347kg, for $980 or 282c/kg.

RJ & EF Foat, Woodside, sold 17 Hereford steers, 319kg, for $1180 or 369c/kg, and 18 heifers, 296kg, for $860 or 290c/kg.

Western Park sold 14 steers, 569kg, for $1800 or 316c/kg, and 15 steers, 541kg, for $1800 or 332c/kg.

KW & RF Battersby sold 14 steers, 455kg, for $1530 or 340c/kg.

Merlewood Angus, Mirboo North, sold 17 Angus steers, 504kg, for $1620 or 321c/kg.

Leebrook Livestock, Stratford, sold 22 Angus steers, 411kg, for $1530 or 372c/kg.

MR Higgins, Glenmaggie, sold 14 Angus and Black Baldy steers, 423kg, for $1410 or 333c/kg.

BM & SM Higgins, Glenmaggie, sold 19 Angus and Black Baldy steers, 392kg, for $1310 or 334c/kg.

Somersleigh Farms, Dumbalk, sold 150 traded steers, including 20 steers Angus steers, 361kg, for $1240 or 343c/kg, 18 Hereford steers, 383c/kg, for $1300 or 339c/kg, and 15 Red Angus steers, 379kg, for $1180 or 311c/kg.

Brookeville Angus sold a draft of 117 Angus heifers, including 28 head, 398kg, for $1040 or 261c/kg, 25 heifers, 12 months, 337kg, for $950 or 282c/kg, 29 heifers, 302kg, for $900 or 298c/kg, and 23 heifers, 260kg, for $750 or 288c/kg.

SM Thomson sold 15 Angus heifers, 18 months, 444kg, for $1170 or 264c/kg, and nine heifers, 397kg, for $1000 or 252c/kg.

L Murphy sold eight Red Angus heifers, 408kg, for $1270 or 311c/kg.

S Briggs sold 15 Angus heifers, 383kg, for $1080 or 281c/kg.

A & S Filsell sold 15 Angus heifers, 354kg, for $990 or 279c/kg.

Sabeli Park sold 14 Angus heifers, 349kg, for $980 or 349c/kg.

T Georgiou sold 16 Hereford heifers, 359kg, for $980 or 272c/kg.

Deep Creek sold 11 Hereford heifers, 390kg, for $880 or 225c/kg, and 13 heifers, 331kg, for $900 or 271c/kg.