A cluster of major buyers including one purchaser who bought more than 2000 cattle for a South Australian feedlot has underpinned one of the last feature store cattle sales at Pakenham.
Agents yarded 2000 cattle for the fortnightly market, which featured a large consignment of vendor-bred cattle ranging from weaner to grown cattle, as well as several pens of cows and heifers with calves at foot.
The majority of the yarding was sold by Elders Delaney Livestock & Property and marked the end of several long-term vendors' association with the Pakenham saleyards ahead of its closure in June 2024.
Among the major buyers was Melbourne-based Campbell Ross who bought 400 cattle, the bulk steers, for four backgrounding and feedlotting clients in Victoria, NSW and SA.
Mr Ross bought a majority of the cattle in the first three lanes of the sale, competing against Elders national livestock manager Peter Homann, Rockhampton, Qld, who bought 221 steers.
Mr Homann purchased the Angus steers, 440-500 kilograms, for Princess Royal's feedlot in Burra, SA.
Feedlotters Teys Charlton, J&F Feedlot and processor Gathercole's, Carrum Downs, were among the other prominent companies represented at the buyers' rail in the first two hours of the sale.
One volume buyer said feeder steers experienced the biggest price rise throughout the sale, with prices jumping 30-40 cents a kilogram to sit around 370c/kg at the Victorian Livestock Exchange sale.
Elders Delaney Livestock & Property director Anthony Delaney said the sale marked the end of a long association for many cattle breeders with the Pakenham saleyards ahead of its imminent closure.
"The sale went extremely well and it was very well supported by everyone in the feedlotting sector," he said.
"That led to very solid rates of 330-345c/kg on the heavier end of the sale.
"A majority of the cattle were yearling cattle and weaner cattle, with spring-drop weaners in excess of 400c/kg and our yearling cattle in the high 300c/kg range."
Two feature lines included Cascade Park, Neerim South, which sold 140 mixed-sex Angus cattle, 13-14 months, and Eagleglen Pastoral, Kinglake, which sold 120 mixed-sex Angus calves, 12-13 months.
Cascade Park sold 20, 500kg, Angus steers for $1820 a head or 364c/kg to J&F Feedlot, and 15, 471kg, steers for $1750 or 371c/kg, 16, 458kg, steers, for $1700 or 371c/kg, and 20, 428kg, steers for $1500 or 350c/kg to Teys Charlton.
The same vendor sold 28, 360kg, heifers for $1100 or 305c/kg.
Meanwhile, Eagleglen Pastoral sold 14, 483kg, Angus steers for $1720 or 356c/kg and 18, 448kg, steers for $1690 or 377c/kg to Princess Royal, and 18, 429kg, steers for $1500 or 349c/kg and 13, 416kg, steers for $1480 or 355c/kg to Teys Charlton.
Eagleglen Pastoral also sold the first pen of steers which passed 400c/kg, with 10, 380kg, steers knocked down for $1550 or 407c/kg to Mr Ross.
The same vendor sold 18, 384kg, heifers for $1240 or 322c/kg, and 18, 370kg, heifers for $1210 or 327c/kg.
John and Elena Trantino, Trandarra, Moondarra, sold 18, 461kg, steers, 12 months, for $1730 or 375c/kg, 16, 423kg, steers for $1580 or 373c/kg, and 15, 400kg, steers for $1390 or 343c/kg to Teys Charlton.
Graham Bastin, Erica, sold 51 Angus steers, 12 months, including 15, 456kg, steers for $1690 or 370c/kg, and 20, 416kg, steers for $1570 or 377c/kg to Princess Royal.
D Johnston, Erica, sold 13, 472kg, steers for $1780 or 377c/kg, and 12, 414kg, steers for $1460 or 352c/kg to Princess Royal.
The sale started with a run of cows and heifers with calves at foot, including R Girling, Nar Nar Goon, who sold seven Charolais heifers, redepastured to a Charolais bull to calve in August and September, with calves at foot for $1840 a unit.
The same vendor sold eight Charolais cows with calves at foot for $1840, two Charolais heifers with calves at foot for $1440, and three Charolais heifers with calves at foot for $1340.
The first two pens of the Girling cattle were bought by Gathercole's, while commission buyer Duncan Brown, Albury, NSW, bought the following two pens.
Becxon Agriculture, Shady Creek, sold 30 mixed-sex Limousins and 85 Angus heifers, including 13 and eight Limousin, 274kg, steers and heifers for $1000 or 364c/kg.
The same vendor also sold 15, 319kg, Angus heifers for $850 or 266c/kg.
Cameron Park, Yarra Glen, sold 14, 618kg, steers for $1950 or 315c/kg, and 10, 569kg, steers for $1900 or 333c/kg to Mr Ross.
GA Horne, Flinders Island, sold 12, 603kg, steers for $1960 or 325c/kg to Mr Ross.
EJ & ML White, Kilmany, sold 12, 563kg, steers for $1960 or 348c/kg to Princess Royal.
RJ Sandy, Cloverlea, sold 18, 519kg, for $1840 or 354c/kg, and 21, 487kg, steers for $1750 or 359c/kg to Princess Royal.
Delma Investments, Woodstock, sold 18, 568kg, steers for $1880 or 325c/kg and 14, 553kg, steers for $1880 or 334c/kg to Mr Ross.
D & G Hunter, Trafalgar, sold 55 mixed-sex Angus cattle, including 12, 560kg, steers for $1880 or 335c/kg, and 14, 517kg, steers for $1830 or 353c/kg.
D Hourigan & S Morton, Glengarry, sold 20 Angus and black baldy, 424kg, steers for $1570 or 370c/kg, and 20, 373kg, steers for $1380 or 369c/kg to Teys Charlton.
In the heifers, MS & SL Reedy sold 20, 362kg, heifers for $1000 or 276c/kg.
The Estate of JWP & AP Doake sold 25, 329kg, heifers for $900 or 273c/kg to Westside Meats.
Bryce Eishold
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
