Gippsland and north-east agents, feedlotters underpin Bairnsdale cattle sale

Agents yarded 1934 cattle at the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange where agents said the overall quality of cattle declined compared to the last sale two weeks ago.

However, local agents said the buying gallery was more buoyant compared to the April sale, with agents from across eastern and north-eastern Victoria among some of the biggest buyers.

Meat companies Gathercoles, Carrum Downs, G & K O'Connor, Pakenham, and NSW-based Thomas Foods International were active throughout the sale, while southern agents from Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock, Elders Korumburra, Wellington Livestock and SEJ Leongatha were also bidding at the rail.

G & K O'Connor buyer Wayne Reid bought more than 150 steers in the first two hours of the sale.

North-east Victorian agent Justin Keane, Corcoran Parker, Wangaratta/Wodonga, made the trip over Mount Hotham, buying more than 100 cattle for a handful of backgrounders north of the Great Dividing Range.

South Gippslander Anthony Hullick was another regular buying, purchasing cattle for Westside Meat and Keswick Pastoral.

D Conway, Murrindal, sold four pens of Angus and Charolais steers in the first lane of the sale, including 20 Charolais, 367 kilograms, for $1120 or 305 cents a kilogram to Gathercoles, and 20 Angus, 373kg, for $1180 or 316c/kg to Eddie Hams via Nutrien SGL.

Ms Conway also sold 17 Charolais, 332kg, for $1040 to Gathercoles, and 12 Angus, 300kg, for $880 to a grazier at Mountain View.

Bruce Treasure, Stratford, sold 77 Hereford steers, 10-11 months, including 30, 367kg, steers for $780 or 212c/kg, 27, 231kg, steers for $740 or 320c/kg, and 20, 204kg, steers, for $760 or 372c/kg.

The three pens were bought by Elders Bairnsdale livestock manager Morgan Davies for a grass-fed beef operation at Lindenow.

Mr Davies said cattle prices at the sale were "fully firm" when compared with the last sale a fortnight ago, despite a decline in quality.

"Those black feedlot-weight steers were the highlight of the sale, weighing up to 530kg and selling for $1820," he said.

"It was a pretty positive result because we had a much broader range of cattle despite a big decline in how the cattle presented."

The sale started with 16 Angus, 644kg, steers consigned by Pine Hill Park which made $1910 or 296c/kg.

Owner Turner sold 13, 557kg, steers for $1790 or 321c/kg.

RM Tanner sole 11, 561kg, steers for $1700 or 319c/kg, and nine, 533kg, steers for $1700!94 318c/kg.

H Sandy sold four Angus, 623kg, steers for $2020 or 324c/kg to Mr Hams.

RT Russell sold 13 Angus, 432kg, steers for $1380 or 319c/kg, and 10 Angus, 385kg, for $1220 or 316c/kg to G & K O'Connor.

Linden Park, Ensay, sold five Angus, 353kg, steers for $1200 or 339c/kg.

D & L Cameron sold 13 Angus, 357kg, steers for $1240 or 347c/kg.

R & F Jondahl sold 12 Angus, 318kg, steers, for $990 or 311c/kg to Mr Keane.

T Beveridge sold eight, 355kg, steers for $1080 or 304c/kg.

Mipash, Mount Taylor, sold 14, 553kg, steers for $1820 or 329c/kg to TFI.

Mannavalley sold 10, 536kg, steers for $1700 or 317c/kg to TFI.

Melton Park sold 20, 391kg, steers for $1340 or 342c/kg to G & K O'Connor.

Vilenza Produce sold 21 Angus and black baldy, 388kg, steers for $1360 or 350c/kg.

A Duncan sold 16, 393kg, steers for $1280 or 325c/kg.

In the heifers, GH & AJ Burston & Partners, Benambra, sold 15 Angus, 362kg, for $900 or 248c/kg.

TJ & HJ Lee, Maffra, sold 17 Angus, 304kg, heifers for $730 or 240c/kg, and 20, 265kg, for $730 or 275c/kg.

D Conway, Murrindal, sold 21 Angus, 326kg, heifers for $720 or 220c/kg, and 20 Charolais, 335kg, heifers for $850 or 247c/kg.