Vendor spirits lifted last Friday at the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange
where prices bounded upwards thanks to recent rains spurring on local restockers, as well as northern demand and buyers chasing cattle at feedlot entry weights.
Young cattle were heard to be ‘stupidly dearer’ than the previous store sale and according to the National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS), prices were generally $100-$200 a head dearer for most grades.
The top of the weaner steers sold to $1670 for 28 Angus, weighing an average 393kg or $4.25/kg, with the average price sitting at $1569/head at 371kg or $4.22/kg.
The top of the yearling steers made $2480 for a pen of 21 Angus weighing 554kg or $4.48/kg, that category averaging at $2219 for an average weight of 502kg or $4.42/kg.
Those top-priced yearling steers were sold by Alan Wilson, at Bumberrah on the Tambo River, who had bought 45 head as weaners the previous August for around $900.
“The agents said prices were going up and they did,” Alan said.
“I haven’t had these steers 12 months yet, but they’ve done really well on the river flat pasture.
“They also weighed more than I thought they would so that was good.”
Alan’s brother Matt Wilson, also his stock agent, said earlier in the sale young cattle weighing 200kg from Benambra had made $1150 a head, which made them $5.75/kg.
He agreed there wouldn’t be many as many cattle around in spring as usual and suggested female cattle would be a good investment, as when they were sold again they represented a three-way split, the selling possibilities being joined; unjoined or as fats.
The Elders Bairnsdale sale report said the 2162-head yarding was surprisingly high and uncommon for June.
While there was minimal competition from South Gippsland, the strong local support, as well as three major feedlot operators pushing cattle to significantly dearer prices.
The next prime sale in Bairnsdale will be held from 8.30am on Wednesday, June 25 and the next store sale will take place on Friday, June 27, from 9am.
