Stock agents and farmers said there was an increasing supply of store cattle in places such as NSW as farmers there sought to sell off cattle because of a shortage of feed.

Ross Bowen from Saffin Kerr Bowen Rodwells said northern competition had not featured in bidding at Friday’s sale.

The sale yarded 2775 head, down from the 3263 presented for the May store sale last year.

Among the vendors not impressed with the prices was Tom Robertson, of Moyne Falls, Macarthur, who presented 910 head in his bi-annual store sale offerings at Warrnambool.

Mr Roberston said his sale average price was “down quite a lot” on the top prices he received for his offering at last year’s May store sale.

Last year he received an average price of $1113.20 for 500 steers and $1042 for 286 heifers.

This year his takings from the hundreds of eight-month old steer calves he offered ranged from $240-$690 a head. 

Mr Robertson said this year’s price drop was more than he expected but last year’s May prices had been up more than he anticipated.

He said the price drop wouldn’t dissuade him from continuing to invest in good genetics because they delivered quality outcomes every year.

Among the top prices paid to other vendors were $2.91-$3.03/kg for 36 Angus steers weighing 481-511 kilograms from “Toora West” while “Springbank” got $2.77c/kg for 19 Hereford steers weighing 411-445kgs.

Angus heifers, from “Toora West”, 361-402kgs, made from $2.97-$3.04 while those from “New Haven”, 332-369kgs, made from $2.88-$3.07c/kg. Charolais heifers, from “Roseneath North,” 405kgs, sold for $2.84c/kg. Twelve Angus/Freisian cows with Limousin calves at foot, from S&B Green, sold for $1650.

Don Collins of Hamilton got 210c/kg for five 11-12 month old Herefords, 324kgs, which he said was “ordinary.”

In the open auction section, the top steers sold between $670-$880 while smaller steers went for $480-$670 and very light steers from $400-$480.

Open auction heifers sold from $580-$650, younger heifers $450-$580, cross-bred steers and Freisians for $1.70-$2.02c/kg, mid range Freisians for $475-$575 and smaller Freisans for $300-$400.