Angus steers hit 400c/kg as feedlots battle for cattle at Leongatha

Agents yarded more than 5000 cattle at the fortnightly Victorian Livestock Exchange sale on Thursday, where more than eight feedlots competed for their share of the market.

Phelan & Henderson & Co director Simon Henderson said the highlight of the market was heavier Angus steers which were dominated by the feedlot buyers.

"We saw a lot of these cattle make a similar price a kilogram compared to the weaners, so there is obviously good demand from the feeder industry to have cattle fed and turned off as prime steers," he said.

"It means you can unload your heavier feeder steers if they're suitable and replace them for a similar price a kilo, and make a nice profit in the meantime."

Unlike the heavier cattle, lighter steers attracted only modest price rises due to the dry conditions across large parts of Victoria, except in east Gippsland where pasture conditions remain reasonable a week out from winter.

"It was good to see an agent from Dubbo, NSW, who purchased cattle to go back to that region because their season is outstanding and they have a lot of crops," Mr Henderson said.

Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock manager Brian McCormack said steers weighing more than 300 kilograms rallied in places by 10-20 cents a kilogram.

"Your bullock market is erratic week-to-week and now we're in the back end of May, so people are only selling a few bullocks and buying a few replacements," he said.

Feedlots including Teys Charlton, Thomas Foods International, Bunnaloo, Australian Food & Agriculture, Princess Royal, J & F Feedlot, Keswick Pastoral and commission buyer Campbell Ross, Melbourne, were among the major buyers.

Among the feature lines of the sale was 46 Angus, six to eight-month-old, steers consigned by Rodney and Coral Donat, Mirboo, which sold to 411c/kg.

The draft included 25, 270kg, steers which made $1100 a head or 411c/kg, knocked down to a restocker at Mirboo, and 22, 239kg, steers, for $920 or 384c/kg.

The Donats also sold an older pen of 14, 10 to 12-month-old, steers, 346kg, for $1370 or 395c/kg.

G & C Hocking, Woodside, sold 22 Angus, 333kg, steers for $1270 or 381c/kg, 22, 280kg, steers for $1150 or 410c/kg, and 21, 243kg, steers for $930 or 364c/kg, with all three pens bought by a West Gippsland backgrounder.

The sale started with 15, 609kg, Angus steers, 609kg, for $1900 or 311c/kg, knocked down to Mr Ross.

Radvenjoy sold 16 Angus, 608kg, steers for $1850 or 304c/kg to Mr Ross, and 10 Angus, 549kg, steers for $1960 or 357c/kg to TFI.

The same vendor sold 30 Angus, 556kg, steers for $1940 or 348c/kg, with 16 head knocked down to J & F Feedlot and 14 sold to TFI.

HP & MR Stollery, Mirboo North, sold 19, 703kg, steers for $2100 or 298c/kg to Mr Ross, and 19, 655kg, steers for $2100 or 320c/kg to a buyer via Nutrien SGL.

White Pastures sold 19 Angus, 564kg, steers for $1920 or 340c/kg.

Yanakie Farms sold 14 black baldy, 545kg, steers for $1760 or 322c/kg, 15, 556kg, steers for $1790 or 321c/kg, and 15, 514kg, steers for $1700 or 330c/kg.

The first two pens were bought by Mr Ross, with the third knocked down to J & F Feedlot.

Malanda Pastoral, Stradbroke, sold 25 black baldy, 510kg, steers for $1740 or 341c/kg to Teys Charlton.

Holloway Agri, French Island, sold 20 Hereford, 439kg, steers for $1470 or 334c/kg, and 20, 425kg, steers for $1300 or 305c/kg.

McRae Pastoral, Inverloch, sold 17 Angus, 472kg, steers for $1700 or 360c/kg to TFI, and 16, 458kg, steers for $1710 or 373c/kg.

Armstrong & White, Johnsonville, sold 24 Angus, 416kg, steers for $1570 or 377c/kg.

Livingston Partnership, Buchan, sold 18, 309kg, steers for $1200 or 388c/kg, and 22, 260kg, steers for $860 or 330c/kg.

P Kosta, Binginwarri, sold 23 Angus, 548kg, steers for $1860 or 339c/kg, and 20, 517kg, steers for $1700 or 328c/kg.

Chesterfield, Glenmaggie, sold 20, 20-22 months, 570kg, steers for $1970 or 345c/kg, 19, 522kg, steers for $1930 or 369c/kg, and 20, 536kg, steers for $1990 or 371c/kg.

T & L Butcher, Allambee South, sold 20, 578kg, steers for $1960 or 339c/kg, and 18, 527kg, steers for $1900 or 360c/kg to Bunnaloo Feedlot.

In the heifers, R Wight & Sons sold 18, 462kg, for $1510 or 326c/kg.

KP Trotman sold 19, 377kg, heifers for $1090 or 289c/kg.

CT Ferguson, Seaspray, sold 17, 385kg, heifers for $1050 or 272c/kg, and 24, 239kg, for $990 or 292c/kg.

Pinora Angus, Heyfield, sold 18, 487kg, heifers for $1570 or 322c/kg.

A & A Missen, Woodside, sold 24, 422kg, heifers, for $1370 or 324c/kg.

RW & P Savoy, Orbost, sold 28 Angus, 362kg, heifers for $890 or 245c/kg.