Leongatha prices 'firm' as 13,000 Gippsland cattle go under the hammer in four days

Five Mountain Calf Sales featured more than 9000 cattle, while store markets at Sale and Leongatha in the latter half of the week rounded out the first week of autumn.

Agents yarded more 2653 steers and heifers on Friday at the Victorian Livestock Exchange in what agents and buyers alike described as a mixed-quality yarding with the odd run of well-bred, vendor-consigned cattle.

Agents said prices for beef and vendor-bred cattle were firm to slightly easier, while secondary and Friesian types eased by $100 a head.

The volume buyers included Wayne Reid, G & K O'Connor, Pakenham, who bought 210 steers to feedlot.

South Gippsland commission buyer Anthony Hullick, Tarwin Lower, bought 100 British and Euro-cross steers split across two operations, Keswick Pastoral and Westside Meat.

Bullock fatteners across West and South Gippsland were also out in force, despite conditions across eastern Victoria drying out considerably.

Many graziers said they opted to send their cattle to Leongatha's market on March 8 because they did not have the feed available to retain excess numbers.

Among the feature cattle in the sale was 121 Angus steers consigned by NP & JA Chandler, Hedley, aged 10-12 months.

The first pen included 16 Angus steers, 392kg, for $1370 or 349c/kg, 19 steers, 355kg, for $1350 or 380c/kg, 13 steers, 341kg, for $1240 or 363c/kg, and 13 steers, 321kg, for $1230 or 383c/kg.

The first pen was bought via Elders Leongatha and Korumburra, while the next three pens were bought by bullock fatteners at Bunyip and Drouin.

Katathani Farming, Tooborac, sold 13 Angus and Black Baldy steers, 544kg, for $1850 or 340c/kg, 15 steers, 523kg, for $1800 or 344c/kg, and 14 steers, 500kg, for $1660 or 332c/kg.

Lester Farms, Leongatha, sold 64 Angus and Black Baldy steers, 18 months, including 22 steers, 532kg, for $1680 or 315c/kg, 14 steers, 566kg, for $1580 or 279c/kg, and 10 steers, 490kg, for $1440 or 293c/kg.

Two of the pens were bought by J & F Feedlot.

The three pens were bought by bullock fattener Brad Carr, Wonthaggi.

Nutrien South Gippsland Leongatha director Eddie Hams dominated the opening lane, buying the first six pens or 62 cattle, of the sale for two Gippsland bullock fatteners.

The sale started with seven Hereford steers, 620kg, consigned by K & J Shea, Leongatha, which made $1940 or 312c/kg, and five Angus steers. 568kg, for $1570 or 276c/kg.

K Graham, Mirboo, sold 12 Angus steers, 606kg, for $1800 or 297c/kg, while P Novotny, Toora North, sold 11 Angus steers, 594kg, for $1800 or 303c/kg.

D Hall, Foster, sold 15 Angus steers, 486kg, for $1660 or 341c/kg, and 15 steers, 452kg, for $1520 or 336c/kg.

M & M Cattle Co, Powlett River, sold seven Angus and Black Baldy steers, 451kg, for $1310 or 290c/kg, and 15 steers, 387kg, for $1300 or 335c/kg.

Fidel Ag sold nine Angus steers, 499kg, for $1700 or 340c/kg.

B & S Phillips sold 10 Angus steers, 482kg, for $1530 or 317c/kg, and 10 Black Baldy steers, 414kg, for $1340 or 323c/kg.

L & R Powney sold eight Hereford steers, 558kg, for $1510 or 270c/kg, and six steers, 511kg, for $1440, with both pens knocked down to bullock fattener and breeder Alan Mitchell, Wonthaggi.

Phelan & Henderson & Co director Simon Henderson said the dry forecast and hot temperatures had made people "nervous" in the lead up to the sale.

"I thought the better-bred and heavier feed-on cattle were firm and the best of the weaners that I saw made up to 380c/kg," he said.

"The secondary cattle and crossbreds were all cheaper and some sales could be $100 or more cheaper compared to the last fortnightly sale.

"The best of the heifers were firm, but once you got off the tops, they were $50-$100 cheaper."

I & D Ricardo, Dumbalk North, sold 16 steers, 594kg, for $1810 or 304c/kg.

Melaleuca Pastoral Trust, Ruby, sold 18 Angus steers, 486kg, for $1580 or 325c/kg.

Maitland Downs, Toora, sold 19 Angus steers, 480kg, for $1450 or 302c/kg, and 22 steers, 455kg, for $1320 or 290c/kg.

GM Kensley, Nerrena, sold 15 Angus steers, 439kg, for $1450 or 330c/kg to a bullock fattener at Bena.

Account Clifton, Toora, sold three pens of traded Angus steers, including 22, 308kg, for $1090 or 353c/kg, 26 steers, 291kg, for $1070 or 367c/kg, and 20 steers, 283kg, for $1020 or 360c/kg.

The three pens were bought by a Bunyip bullock fattener.

In the heifers, Katelea Pastoral, Ryanston, sold 21 Angus heifers, 401c/kg, for $1000 or 249c/kg to Mr Reid.

N & J Stringer, Foster, sold 13 heifers, 404kg, for $1050 or 259c/kg.

Perry Pastoral Holdings, Yallourn North, sold 17 Angus heifers, 16 months, 412kg, for $1160 or 282c/kg to Melbourne-based commission buyer Campbell Ross.

P Milner sold 11 heifers, 391kg, for $1120 or 286c/kg.

Telegraph Pastoral, Hedley, sold 12 heifers, 350kg, for $840 or 240c/kg.

The Pommeraie sold 18 heifers, 298kg, for $760 or 255c/kg.

Von Pace sold 15 Angus and Black Baldy heifers, 15 months, 438kg, for $1400 or 296c/kg.

C Christensen sold 12 Angus heifers, 15 months, 420kg, for $1140 or 271c/kg.

Ross Lawson sold 14 Angus heifers, 12 months, 225kg, for $950 or 285c/kg.

Amber Creek Farm sold 12 Simmental-cross heifers, 310kg, for $900 or 290c/kg.