Feedlots push bids higher at Yea store cattle sale

Buyers hungry for cattle that can be slaughter ready in the months ahead to fill the winter gap have resulted in prices hurdling over a key threshold during the latest store sale at Yea in Victoria’s North East.

There was a spate of $2000-plus sales at Yea, including these grown Charolais at $2190. Picture: Jenny Kelly

PLENTY of weight in the steer yarding created a spate of sales above $2000 at Yea on Friday, as feedlot demand stepped up ahead of the autumn and winter.

Grown Charolais, Hereford and Angus steers all made over $2000, selling to a top of $2260 as multiple feedlot orders from JBS, Ranges Valley, Garrison, Hopkins River and Oakdale Meats all chased cattle that can be slaughter ready in the months ahead to help fill the winter gap.

On a liveweight basis prices hovered around the buoyant rates of recent weeks taking into account the majority of the yarding was above 350kg.

The top priced Angus at $2260 weighed 505kg, working out at 447c/kg; the Charolais at $2190 weighed 509kg at 430c/kg; and the Herefords at $2180 weighed 532kg at 409c/kg.

That money was still above the average rate being paid for many heavier and older steers in the prime market.

Nutrien Yea livestock agent Chris Pollard said it was why there was the unusual sight of a laneway of near bullocks being offered in the monthly store market.

“When you look at the figures it is not surprising to see so many heavier steers here as the store job is better than the fat market, simple as that,’’ Mr Pollard said.

“And it has been a good result with a lot of steers up around $2000 going onto feed and we haven’t often seen that.’’

In dollars per head terms the majority of the steers in the opening two laneways made from $1800 to just over $2000.

Included in that was the lead pens of genuine autumn drop weaners which sold to a top of $2020 for 22 Angus aged 10-months from breeder David Whitechurch of Swanpool.

Selling agent Dale Boyd, Nutrient at Benalla, said the Whitechurch calves at a big weight of 422kg had benefited from the push for good feeder steers that was evident at Yea.

“These heavy calves have piggybacked off the outstanding run of older feeder steers with buyers using these weaners with weight to top-up numbers,’’ Mr Boyd said.

At $2020 for 422kg the sale equated to 478c/kg.

Up there at similar money was K Deacons & D Robb’s February/March drop calves at 391kg which sold for $1900, and Kitelle’s 23 Angus at 375kg that made $1820 – both pens working out to 485c and selling to Hopkins River for backgrounding and feeding.

After this there were plenty of younger and lighter steer calves making from $1600 to $1800, selling to a mix of local, northeast, Gippsland and NSW store orders.

On a weight basis most sales were trending between 480c/kg to 540c/kg, with higher spikes at times for lighter calves.

Feedlot buyers also lined upfront and centre in the heifer section, but faced tougher competition from breeders wanting young females to join this autumn.

An example of that was the opening pen of 19 Angus heifers from Tom Park of Acheron. Aged 18-months they weighed 458kg, and after feedlots opened they bidding, they went onto sell for $1910 to local agent Tyson Bush.

It worked out to 417c/kg.

Later in the heifer run the Garrison Feedlot at Swan Hill paid $1900 for 10 Charolais Angus-cross at 464kg or 409c/kg.

Bidding for the lead laneways of heifers showing weight and growth generally ranged from $1400 to $1750, with smaller and plainer lots towards the end of the sale back to $1000 at times.

There was also a small selection of cows and calves at Yea which were mixed for age and quality, reflected in the prices of $1980 to a top of $2850.

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