Producers were smiling after prices lifted at the Warrnambool October store cattle sale on Friday
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Recent local rains boosted producers’ optimism about their feed prospects ahead and that was reflected in the prices paid.
Angus steers sold up to $3.28/kg (average weight 375 kilograms), starting from $3.10/kg while Angus heifers sold up to $2.62 (av wt 418kgs), starting at about $2.48/kg.
The yarding offering 920 head, down from the 1200 advertised.
In the open auction sales, steers sold from $790 to the top of $990 with smaller steers selling between $680-$780 and little steers $520-$680.
Bigger open auction heifers sold for $650-$750 while smaller heifers went for between $470-$650.
Cross bred steers also sold well, with those weighing around 445kgs going for between $2.45-$2.66/kg. Big Freisian steers went for $750-$1000 and smaller steers $620-$750.
Angus and Shorthorn cows with calves at foot sold for about $1680 while other units selling for between $1100-$1420.
Among those smiling was Charles McLennan of Burra Pastoral at Glenfyne who gained the $750 top price for open auction heifers.
Mr McLennan said the 12-month-old 260-280kg heifers had survived the St Patrick’s Day fires in March that had whipped across his farm.
He said the prices were a big improvement on last month’s Warrnambool store sale prices but were down on last year’s when he gained $1000 for heifers that were four months younger.
Mr McLennan said the feed situation on his property was reasonable and he was keeping the heifers’ brothers in the hope a shortage of supply later might lead to higher prices.
Doug Knights of Warrnambool reckoned the market was up about 40c/kg on last month. He sold 10 18-month-old Angus cross steers for $1200 each, up from the $900 he received for similar cattle last month.
Sample prices: Angus steers – Elandary Lodge, 15, 375kgs, $3.28/kg, $1230; AW& T Johnson, 11, 392kg, $3.16, $1238; Timboon Farms, 15, 400kg, $3.20, $1280; LE & MC Lyold, 15, 341kg, $3.20, $1091. Angus Black/Baldy steers - I &JK Lyons, 12, 422kg, $2.82/kg, $1190. Angus heifers – Elandary Lodge, 18, 418kg, $2.62, $1095; F W Wensly, 10, 381kg, $2.57, $979; S & T Waterson, 7, 406kg, $2.57, $1043. Black/Baldy heifers – Timboon Farms, 9, 365kg, $2.52, $919. Hereford heifers – C M Baulch, 10, 413kg, $2.50, $1032.