Week two of the annual weaner sales opened at Northern Victoria Livestock Exchange on Wednesday when Corcoran Parker offered 1870 Hereford and other mixed breed steers and heifers.
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Most of the cattle had been weaned, and weaned well with conformation and condition a stand out, which led to solid prices.
“The people breeding these coloured cattle should be very, very proud of what they put up today,” Corcoran Parker auctioneer Justin Keane told Fairfax Media after the sale.
Leading the sale was T&S Randall, Lagoona, selling 16 of 68 Hereford & Hereford-Angus steers, 14-16 months. Competition was light, but demand was solid, and these steers, 350-478 kilograms liveweight, sold from $1070-$1460.
BM Hewitt & TL Justin, Upper Gundowring, sold 43 Hereford steers from $1380-$1440, and most yearling steers equaled 290-312c/kg.
While there was a broad spectrum of areas represented in the buying gallery, one buyer from Scone, NSW, and Landmark International, for a future live export order, traveled the distance. Most of the competition came from within the region.
“I think the vendors will be happy,” Mr Keane said.
“There just seems to be a consistent of cents-per-kilo with the black cattle the week before, and very consistent not only here in our area but with the rates that are getting achieved down in the Western District.”
Honours of top price for of the 2017 drop steer calves went to Rangan Charolais, Charleroi, selling 22 Charolais steers, 427kgs, for $1310. M&E Truner, Red Bluff, equaled this top price for 11 Charolais-Angus steers, but theirs weighed 444kgs lwt.
Meanwhile, prices at Euroa’s weaner sale on Wednesday were also on a par with those seen at other centres, Wangaratta Landmark agent Daniel Fischer said.
But he said it had been the first time in “a long time” since agents had seen cattle selling for less than $1000.
“Based on last week’s sales, the heavy cattle were on a par – generally the heavy calves made from 300 to 315 cents/kilogram, with the medium weights making 330c/kg,” Mr Fischer said.
“It fell away in the lighter end.
“It’s been a long time since we have seen cattle under $1000, there were not a lot, but certainly a lane or two.”
Burnview achieved the top priced pen, with $1280 for 15, nine to 10 month old Kilcoolin blood Angus steers, weighing 414kg, or 309c/kg.
Bob and Jean Duff, Duffields, Euroa, made $1140 for 13 eight to nine month old Riga and Nublax steers, weighing 341kg, or 334c/kg.
Other drafts to make more than $1000 were 14 Connamara blood steers making $1180, or 316c/kg and another pen of nine, weighing 373kg, which sold for $1135, or 330c/kg.
Black Magic sold a draft of 12, 10 month old steers, by Black Magic bulls, for $1100, or 340c/kg.
Pankina had a draft of eight to nine month old, 311kg steers, which sold for $1040, or 334c/kg.
Mr Fischer said Harmony Agriculture and Landmark were very active in the sale, for “anything with a bit of weight in it.
“There is certainly a price premium for blacks at the moment, being from the two main buyers, but the restockers took up the slack on the other cattle,” he said.
The heavier end of the Herefords made between 290-300c/kg, “which puts them very well in line with what Hamilton and Casterton did.”
Robert Love’s Jumbuck Pastoral, Violet Town, topped the heifer section, selling a pen of 22, 10-11 months old , weighing 331kg, for $1090.