Fears northern buyers would be absent from the southern weaner sales were put to rest at the opening of Victoria's annual weaner sale series at Hamilton today, where northern buyers were prominent in the bidding in the first few runs of cattle.
About 2800 head were expected at the Hamilton independent agents’ Angus and Angus-cross steer sale – the first of a big run of sales in the Western Districts.
Stock & Land store market analyst Don Story, who is at the sale, said that from the first 500 head sold, weaners were averaging 356 kilograms – about 10kg heavier than last year – and returning about 174c/kg or $619.
Top price so far was set by a pen of 53 Lawsons and Te Mania-blood Angus steers weighing 334kg and offered by the Coffey partnershop.
Mr Story said northern buyers had been active – in particular Andrew Hosken from Elders Tamworth, NSW, and NSW contract buyer Peter Tudor – with interest coming from Tamworth, Forbes and St George in southern Queensland.
They were battling strong demand from local producers and those from SA’s South East.
“It’s going better than expected with 360-400kg weaned calves making 170-180c/kg in a definite premium for weaned lots,” said LMB Linke agent Bernie Grant.
Meanwhile, South Gippsland buyers dominated the opening pens at the first of the two-day Birregurra weaner sales that kicked off at Colac.
“These cattle will all see glimpses of Melbourne on their way home – because they ‘re all headed to South Gippsland,” remarked Stock & Land market analyst Murray Arnel, who is at the sales.
Top price, with the first 30 pens sold and the sale still in progress, was $675 for a pen of 410 kilogram Angus steers on offered on account of La Robe Angus that sold to Rodwells Leongatha.
Mr Arnel said Pakenham and Leongatha agents had dominated the buying with good local support evident from Camperdown and agents representing bullock fatteners in the Otways.
Thirty pens into the sale, most pends had made $570 to $675 and were returning in the mid to high 160 cent a kilogram range up to 175c. All were black cattle weighing 330-380kg.
Follow all the action from the Victorian weaner sales here on Stock & Land's website, which will feature daily updates from sales from across the state, video reports, photos and a comparative chart to track how each market fared.
View below Stock & Land's special video preview of the key factors likely to impact the market with markets analyst Murray Arnel.
Source: farmonline.com.au
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