How Victoria’s weaner calf sales have unfolded
Restockers rebuilding the nation’s cattle herd are central to extraordinary results from four Victorian saleyards on the final day of the first week of the state’s calf-sales season.
CATTLE producers have stopped at nothing to secure their future breeding stock as the reality of a depleted national cow herd materialised in relentless bidding and extraordinary demand for young heifers.
Heifer prices reached into mid-600c/kg territory were recorded at several centres today, and they regularly fetched high-500c/kg rates, as producers from across the eastern seaboard paid extraordinary rates to refill paddocks.
WODONGA
The final stage of the four-day weaner fixture at Wodonga saw prices cross 600c/kg for steers and 545c/kg for heifers.
The insatiable demand to restock saw cattle sold as far north as Toowoomba, Queensland, and as far south as Tasmania as buyers continued to find more money to secure numbers out of the offering of Hereford and Euro-cross cattle.
The results for the top steer weaner rates showed the spread of that competition with the Campbells’ 31 black baldy steers, 422kg, selling for $1970 (467c/kg) to Princess Royal feedlot, Burra, South Australia.
MORE: STRONG PRICES HOLD AT WODONGA
HAMILTON
When the opening pen of heavy Angus heifers at Hamilton today sold for 582c/kg, to break $2100 each, the crowd was left speechless.
And spectators could only shake their heads in awe when lightweight Hereford heifers peaked at 632c/kg.
Demand for heifers was extreme, particularly for any well-bred type, to go into breeding herds.
Fattening-style heifers made from 480c/kg-530c/kg, with the sale expected to average well over 500c/kg when final figures are calculated.
MORE: HEREFORD HEIFERS SMASH RECORDS AT HAMILTON
CASTERTON
Heifer prices stepped it up a gear at Casterton as buyers pushed weaner calf returns 100c/kg higher than even the selling agents dared to hope, ending what has been a historic selling week on a new high.
Often prices wane by the end of a big week of January calf sales in Victoria, but not this year.
This season even the locals were out-competing eager would-be buyers who had travelled down from the drought-revived north in search of fresh breeding livestock. But many of the NSW hopefuls walked out empty-handed.
MORE: CASTERTON HEIFER PRICES END HISTORIC SELLING WEEK ON NEW HIGH
YEA
COMMISSION buyers dominated at the special blue ribbon sale at Yea today where buyers said prices were up $200 on what they had expected to pay.
Overall the yarding of 3439 weaner steers and heifers averaged $1766.
The steers averaged $1832 and the heifers trailed not too far behind with an average price of $1647.
Heavier steers weighing 390kg-430kg made 470c/kg-490c/kg while steers from 300kg to 380kg returned from 500c/kg to 540c/kg.
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