Vendors continue to turn off stock early as buoyant prices bring them to market
Buoyant prices and strong interest from feedlots remain a key driver of higher yardings at Leongatha, with another 4000 cattle offered this week. Subscribe now for unlimited accessto all our agricultural. . .
Buoyant prices and strong interest from feedlots remain a key driver of higher yardings at Leongatha, with another 4000 cattle offered this week. Subscribe now for unlimited accessto all our agricultural newsacross the nationor signup to continue readingAll articles from our website& appThe digital version ofThis Week'sPaperOur entirenetworkAgents from Alex Scott & Staff, Elders and Baw Baw Livestock yarded 3978 steers, heifers, cows and cows and calves at the Eastern Victoria Livestock Exchange on Thursday. Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) reported the yarding was up by 600 head on last week, whentwo volume buyerswalked away with more than 70 per cent of the yarding, but there was a wider spread of purchasers at this week's market. MLA market reporter Brendan Fletcher said the top of the weaner steers made 590 cents a kilogram or $2220 a head for 13 Hereford steers, while Angus steers averaging 305kg made up to 621c/kg or $1896. The best yearling steers fetched 558c/kg or $3200, while weaner heifers made 561c/kg or $2100 and yearling heifers topped out at 512c/kg or $2400. Regular feedlot buyers J&F, Teys Australia, Australian Food and Agriculture (AFA) and Midfield Meats were all present. Melbourne-based commission buyer Campbell Ross was operating on behalf of Victorian Livestock & Property, Yea, purchasing 800 cattle for clients in NSW, South Australia and Queensland. Everitt, Seeley & Bennetts, Koo Wee Rup, and Gippsland agents from Nutrien and Elders were among the local agents buying for restockers. Pictures by Andrew MillerAlex Scott & Staff livestock manager Rob Ould, Wonthaggi, said prices appeared to be bringing more cattle to market. "The price has been very good for those feeder steers, and as we know price is the best indicator for market supply," Mr Ould said. "It's wet now, the season's set up to go forward and I think that's what's going to happen. "The feedlot job's holding up the store sales and it's just flowing onto the younger cattle now. "Heifers are trading exceptionally well, I think the heifers have been a big improvement over the last few sales. "He said feedlots were chasing heavier heifers, rather than females going back into the paddock. Elders Leongatha branch manager Rohan McRae said the cattle that were coming in were very good. "Prices are attracting the cattle and the cattle are attracting the buyers," Mr McRae said. "Feedlots are operating over a wide range of weights and they are going lighter. "It must be a sign of a lack of supply. "Now we are in the middle of winter, you would think numbers would drop off soon and we have been thinking that would happen. "But this might be the new norm, with Pakenham closing, and drawing from a wider area, this might be a consistent number that keeps coming in. "Wayne Price, Clouds Creek Rural, Wooreen, was selling steers and heifers to take advantage of the good prices. Mr Price said he weaned the heifers several weeks ago, selling the steers at 326kg and the heifers at 287kg. The 10 steers sold for 607c/kg or $1980 and the heifers made 508c/kg or $1460. "I turned them off a bit earlier than what I normally would so I don't have to feed them," he said. "I would have kept them until they were 350-400kg, but you put hay into them and you would probably get the same money after winter. "He said he had some more weaners to sell. B&S Hatswell, Rokeby, sold 12, 540kg, Angus steers for 574c/kg or $3100 to AFA. A Savage, Tinamba West, sold 11, 534kg, 20-24 months, Angus steers for 571c/kg or $3050 to Mr Ross. F&D O'Connor, Berrys Creek, sold 22, 552kg, Angus steers for 577c/kg or $3190 to AFA. PM Nation, Hillend, sold 27, 572kg, 22 months, Angus steers for 517c/kg or $2960 to AFA. Grenfeld Holdings sold 22, 535kg, Connemara-blood, Angus steers for 583cc/kg or $3120 to J&F. M&A Jarvis Holdings, Yarragon, sold 16, 322kg, Angus steers for 639c/kg or $2060. Ranceby Hills Pastoral, Ranceby, sold 18, 297kg, Blackjack-blood, Angus steers for 612c/kg or $1820 to P Nation. K&C Smith sold 13, 431kg, Newcomen-blood, Hereford steers for 559c/kg or $2410 to Midfield Meats. Prospect Hill Farms sold 15, 353kg, Mawarra and Karoonda-blood, Hereford steers for 526c/kg or $1860. Moo Ridge, Pound Creek, sold 16, 263kg, Cheltenham Park-blood, Angus steers 604c/kg or $1590 to Elders. LN and VI McLeod, Calrossie, sold 18, 523kg, Landfall and Absolute Angus-blood steers for 565c/kg or $2960 to Teys Charlton. H & P & A Cliff, Hillend, sold 12, 439kg, Angus steers for 580c/kg or $2550 to Teys. D Williams, Willow Drive, sold 14, 300kg, Innesdale-blood, Angus steers for 610c/kg or $1830. J&L Lancaster, Woodleigh, sold 15, 646kg, Angus steers for 503c/kg or $3250 to VLPJ & S Mattern, Tarraville, sold 16, 629kg, Innesdale-blood, Angus steers for 500c/kg or $3150 to VLP. E & K Triantafyllou, Woodside, sold 10, 595kg, Kelly and Absolute-blood, Angus steers for 478c/kg or $2850 to Mr Ross. Fulton Farms, Shoreham, sold 22, 440kg, 15-16 months, Innedsale-blood, Angus steers for 579c/kg or $2550 to Alex Scott & Staff. Mayfield Park, Wonthaggi, sold 14, 530kg, 22-24 months, Angus steers for 579c/kg or $3070 to AFA. S & L Storti, Kongwak, sold 20, 299kg, 18 months, Battersby and Harris-blood, Angus steers for 648c/kg or $1940 and 18, 251kg, steers for 673c/kg or $1690. D & M Hancock, Poowong, sold 20, 301kg, Fernleigh-blood, Angus heifers for 561c/kg or $1690 to Elders. GJ & HT Symons sold 16, 421kg, Merlewood-blood, Angus heifers for 536c/kg or $2260 to Mr Ross. Brad Rinaldi, West Creek, sold 20, 409kg, Absolute-blood, Angus heifers for 555c/kg or $2270. Ranceby sold 22, 277kg, Blackjack-blood, Angus heifers for 527c/kg or $1460 to Midfield Meats. Avonlea Angus sold 26, 235kg, Coolana and Hazeldean-blood, 9-10 months, Angus heifers for 578c/kg or $1360 to Alex Scott & Staff. Glensheil Pastoral, Gelantipy, sold 13, 435kg, black baldy heifers for 560c/kg or $2440 to Westside. As it happensBreaking news alertBe the first to know when news breaks.