Heifers stand out in tough times

Vendors have experienced significant price falls as the cattle market tumbles. See how some exceptional heifers sold today.

A pen of heifers stole the show at the first of Myrtleford's two annual weaner sales today as vendors saw a significant fall in values again.

While some observers judged the rates to be better than this week’s mountain calf sales, they were also judged cheaper than Yea’s sale last week, where rates fell.

The best price at today’s sale was paid for a pen of Angus heifer weaners weighing 379kg which sold for $1725 or 455c/kg by J and B Fraser to a Corryong buyer.

But it was the highlight for the heifer offering, which saw commission buyers dominated and little restocker interest.

Prices for heifer weaners settled at 310-350c/kg for most lines and under $1000 when off-the-top pens from vendors run.

It was a similarly subdued crowd when the sale opened, with steers topping at $1640 for J and B Fraser for 416kg Angus that were 12 months old and returned 394c/kg.

Angus steer weaners settled between $1500-$1600 for the heavier lines and $1100-$1450 for those weighing less than 400kg.

Livestock agents and auctioneers from Nutrien take the bids during the Myrtleford cattle sale. Picture: Fiona Myers

In cents-a-kilogram rates, it was more typical to see steers making less than 400c/kg, though many pens broke that mark.

That included the two pens of black baldy steers sold by R Muller, with the 23 tops weighing 372kg making $1555 (418c/kg), while the second pen at 357kg made $1505 or 422c/kg.

Vendor Dino Michelini from Buckland Valley sold black baldy steers for $1445 (363kg, 398c/kg) and heifers for $1090 (336kg, 324c/kg) and said while the steer prices were acceptable, the heifer market was cheap.

“We got more than $2000 for our steers last year, and it’s our annual sale, so of course, our income is down a lot,” Mr Michelini said.

“As long as the market can stay solid around these steer levels, then that is acceptable, but the heifer prices today are a bit of a shock.”

But fellow vendor Jeff Brindley from Brindstock at Lucyvale, who sold 74 Angus steers, eight months, for $1280-$1350, said he was pleased enough with the returns.

“This was a good sale given the way the cattle market is at the moment,” Mr Brindley said.

“The calves averaged about 260kg and are only young, so to get this is pretty good.”