Mortlake store sale: Northern influence buoys prices

Northern buyers picked up a clear majority of the latest, 3500-head cattle yarding at Mortlake, according to agents, as prices continue to soar for weaner calves beyond the feature sales.

Northern buyers picked almost 60 per cent of the 3500-head Mortlake yarding. Picture: Madeleine Stuchbery.

NORTHERN buyers underpinned the market at Mortlake yesterday with around 60 per cent of cattle heading to northern Victoria and NSW.

The Mortlake store and feature female sale yarded just over 3500 cattle, with market rates comparable to recent weaner sales.

“The market was very comparable to the big weaner sales in the first week of January. Rates were pretty similar and maybe even a big dearer on the heavier end of the weaner calves,” Nutrien Ag Solution agent Josh McDonald said.

“I would say about 60 per cent of the yarding headed up north between AuctionsPlus and the commission buyers there.”

Grown steers returned from 410c/kg to 448c/kg, making to a top of $2084 while the 1175 weaner steers on offer returned an average of 490c/kg to top at 578c/kg or $1969.

Some lighter weaner steers under 200kg made out to 715c/kg or $1220.

Geoff and Joanne Saffin of Mailors Flat were awarded the best-presented pen of steers for their 34 Angus weaners at 386kg, which returned $1969 or 510c/kg.

Mr Saffin said their offering was a slight deviation from their normal production system but they were keen to take advantage of the bolstered prices.

“We normally wean and hold onto them until April or May and then sell them into the store market but things were so good that we decided we’d take the opportunity to sell a little bit earlier,” Mr Saffin said.

“It was a difficult decision because we still have so much grass.”

In the female portion of the sale, grown heifers returned from 400c/kg to 440c/kg and made to a top of 450c/kg or $2084.

The top end of the weaner heifers pushed above 500c/kg making to a top of 552c/kg or $1663 and a feature pen of pregnancy-tested in-calf Speckle Park heifers offered by R & C McNamara returned a top of $3650.

Nampara Pastoral Company also sold a line of 186 PTIC Angus heifers for an average of $3031 and top of $3340 for a pen of 10 Angus PTIC females awarded best-presented pen of heifers.

In response to the predictions of an easing market, Mr McDonald said the levels seen at Mortlake showed anything but falling prices.

“We’ve still got green grass in the Western Districts and was a lot of northern influence throughout the whole sale,” Mr McDonald said.

“There’s also still quite a shortage of cattle and with the weaner cattle out of the system now after the feature sales and this being one of the first store sale back with grown cattle.”

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