Mortlake's first regular store sale outside of the feature weaner season may as well have been a part of it, as prices continued to trend 20 to 40 cents a kilogram dearer, with heavier cattle in hot demand.
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Agents yarded 4210 cattle in a sale that begun with a bang, with feedlots, processors like Teys and Midfield Meats along with many commission buyers all competitive for excellent quality heavier grown steers.
Prices in that section surpassed the expectations of agents with one pen of 13 Angus grown steers from Gundamain weighing 624kg, sold for 312c/kg or $1947 a head.
Other cattle in the grown steer run who were over 550kg would get close to that $2000 mark, including a couple of pens from Parkdene, who sold a pen of six 10 and 11 -month old Angus grown steers, 590kg, for 334c/kg or $1973 and another pen of 26 Angus grown steers, 506kg sold for 346c/kg or $1752.
Another vendor in that run, Peter and Roslyn Craig, Colac, also sold 27 Angus grown steers, 552kg, for 338c/kg or $1866.
Peter Craig said the sale had been a good reward after a challenging year of fluctuations in prices.
"Things did start off really tough for us, but the prices have boosted, and the season has also been surprisingly good," he said.
"The weather meant there was no trouble in putting on weight, and from spring right through to most of summer, it's been pretty good."
Mr Craig said while prices "could always be a little better," he had been happy with the price trend.
"We are particularly keen to see what's ahead, and after a rainy summer we could expect a drier autumn, but then again it may not be."
Agents representing northern clients in NSW and bidders via AuctionsPlus became very active as the sale headed to the lighter-weighted steers, with prices for cattle between 330-400kg achieving up to 366c/kg for a pen of 21 Angus weaner steers, 332kg, from S & C McCluggage.
Woodburn sold a pen of 25 Angus weaner steers in that run, 320kg, for 350c/kg.
Nutrien Warrnambool livestock agent Josh McDonald said continued wet weather in the north was keeping demand up post the western district weaner sales.
"The grown cattle really bounced out of the box, probably meeting and going well above expectations, and weaner steers were pretty much the same," he said
"I'd say it was even 30-40 cents dearer in places, with an extremely solid sale."
He said the grown heifer job also had good demand, with weaner heifers being tough to sell in some places but most of that run had been solid too. sold
"A lot of rain around both here in Mortlake and up north simply puts confidence in buyers," he said.
"The northern and AuctionsPlus interest really solidified that, and Teys in particular were really strong buying around 700 steers in that first grown steer part of the sale.
"There was also a lot more confidence around areas like Gippsland and South Australia as well."
Elandery Lodge yarded a total of 180 mostly heavier cattle, with one of their pens of 20 Angus grown steers, 524kg, sold for 324c/kg or $1700.
Longview Agriculture sold 19 Angus grown steers, 471kg, for 328c/kg or $1546.
Waight Properties sold a consignment of more than 50 cattle, with one pen of 12 Angus weaner steers, 400kg, sold for 354c/kg or $1412.
D & H Kosch sold 25 Angus weaner steers, 321kg, for 388c/kg or $1248.
Glencairn sold 18 Angus grown steers, 562kg, for 340c/kg or $1912.
Malseed sold 14 Limousin/Angus-cross weaner steers, 368kg, for 302c/kg or $1253.
Purleigh sold 16 Angus grown heifers, 544kg, for 274c/kg or $1491.
Hopkins River sold 14 Angus grown heifers, 523kg, for 284c/kg or $1485.
Hemly Pastoral sold 13 Limousin grown heifers, 465kg, for 270c/kg or $1256.
G Gubbins sold 10 Angus weaner heifers, 410kg, for 298c/kg or $1223 and topped the weaner steer run for a per-head price with a pen of four Angus weaner steers, 451kg, sold for 352c/kg or $1588.
