Dennis Heywood, Everton, reviews weaner sale

Weaner rates last week were solid on recent prices, but for this producer they were almost $100 lower than hoped.

It’s the annual pay cheque for cattle producers like Dennis Heywood who sold more than 700 weaners at last week’s sales.

And it was a major blow that the rates weren’t higher.

Mr Heywood, who runs an Angus breeding operation, sold 452 Angus steer weaners to a top of $1285 and an average of $1131 while his 286 heifers sold to $950 and averaged $864.

“You can go back through the results from two years ago and our calves averaged $2400,” Mr Heywood said.

“The results are good compared to pre-Christmas rates, but they certainly aren’t good overall.”

Mr Heywood said he had a gut feel the north (northern NSW and Queensland) would be stronger.

Brett Shea from Elders, with Jan Griffiths and Dennis Heywood, Everton, who was selling 780 Angus weaners at the Wangaratta weaner sale.

“Perhaps it was too early for them in terms of the growth after the rain,” he said.

“But it is also about the supermarkets and processors not putting out prices yet, and that is holding the job (store sales results) back.

“Why would you go out and spend money when you have no idea what you are going to get at the other end?”

Mr Heywood said he had hoped his best calves would have made $1350, and averaged 350c/kg liveweight.

“Christmas is definitely over for cattle producers,” he said.

“Thankfully we did get those good rates a couple of years ago that allowed us to do some fencing and put up a shed or two and upgrade equipment.

“I understand why buyers don’t think they can spend any more but it is still pretty disappointing.”