Ballarat store sale: Females top at $1950 in softer market

Females at Ballarat didn’t crack $2000 as prices eased considerably compared to rates before Christmas. See the best lots here.

The crowd was moderate, and so were the prices for runs of breeders offered at Ballarat today.

A moderate crowd of buyers perused the runs of female cattle, many of who commented that the market had come back since levels seen before Christmas and the January sales but was still a worthwhile venture, buying or selling.

The advertised yarding of 3000 corrected to about 2700 cattle on the day, broken down into just under 2000 weaners and under 1000 grown heifers.

“Any good lines of breeder cattle sold really well didn’t matter if they were 450kg or 250kg,” TB White and Sons auctioneer Tom Madden said.

A moderate crowd of buyers perused the runs of just under 3000 cattle yarded at the Ballarat female sale.

The best end of the mature heifers sold between $1500 to $1900 while the best of the weaners sold between $1400 and $1750.

The height of the market was seen early in the sale with the first pen selling for the top price of the day at $1950 or 347c/kg for DF Hayward’s 12 Angus heifers at 562kg.

Only a handful of pens pushed past the $1900 mark.

Daelroem Angus from Mount Mercer put forward 50 heifers to top at $1900 or 454c/kg for 11 at 418kg and 21 of their seconds made $1880 or 473c/kg.

In the weaner portion of the market, the Shaw family from Rocklyn sold 20 Angus heifers at 373kg for $1700 or 456c/kg.

“We’re pretty happy with how it all went – they’re all breeders cattle and bred and prepared for this sale every year,” Mr Madden said.

“In comparison to other sales at the moment, we’re pretty happy with how they’ve gone.”

Bidding action at the Ballarat female sale.

Three or four big commission orders propped up the sale with prominent commission buyers Campbell Ross and Duncan Brown picking up a large portion of the yarding, and Hardwicks active on the lighter heifers.

Outside the big operators, local buyers throughout western Victoria were active with some Gippsland competition, as well as action from southeast South Australia and the Goulburn Valley.

Brothers Chris and Scott McKay sold three pens of Shorthorn and Angus cross heifers to a top of $1400 or 378c/kg. They are pictured with niece and Elders agent Shanae Hepworth at the Ballarat female sale.

Brothers Chris and Scott McKay said the market was noticeably down from previous sales but were happy with the prices for their Shorthorn cattle.

The McKay’s sold three pens of Shorthorn and Angus cross heifers to a top of $1400 or 378c/kg.

“The market is back 30 per cent on last year, if not a little bit more,” Scott said.

“Calves here today making $1600 made $2200 last year and we haven’t cracked the $2000 mark today.”

Ballarat will continue their run of February sale as the associated agents gear up to sell 4500 steers at the yards next week.