‘Cattle are 100kg lighter than they normally are in spring’

A lack of widespread rain is impacting cattle demand but there was an unexpected surprise at Wodonga’s store cattle sale on Thursday.

Heifers were the unlikely bright spot in Wodonga’s store cattle today sale making up to 363c/kg liveweight as the effects of the season showed in cattle on offer.

The yarding of 1678 included many clean-out lines and lacked the polish and finish normally seen in cattle sold in the spring in North East Victoria.

And some calves as young as three-to-four months old were in the lineup as producers quit older cows and sell calves to ease grazing pressure at home.

Lizzie Austin and her 10-month-old son Bobby, from Barooga, NSW, and her father Steve Skehan from Katamatite, were checking out prices at the Wodonga store cattle sale.

Agent Peter Ruaro from Peter Ruaro and Co said heifers had sold firm on recent price levels, but steers were cheaper.

Part of that was to do with quality, he said, but the lack of feed not only meant cattle were not as well prepared as normal but the buying strength was affected too.

“Some of these cattle could be 100 kilograms or more lighter than they normally are at this time of year,” Mr Ruaro said.

One of the best results, and the top on a cents-a-kilogram basis was achieved by Des and Chris Varker from Chiltern, who sold EU-accredited Angus steers, 253-290kg, for $1160-$1330 or 458-459c/kg liveweight.

Des Varker from Chiltern sold Angus steers, 290kg, EU-accredited for $1330 (459c/kg) and another draft weighing 253kg for $1160 (458c/kg) at the Wodonga store cattle sale.

It was one of the few times that the 400c/kg mark was broken with most steers selling from 330-390c/kg, regardless of weight.

The top steer price was a pen of heavy black baldies sold by Nankervis Nominees, with the pen of four weighing 561kg selling for $1880 or 335c/kg.

Dan Holt from Paull and Scollard Nutrien, and buyer Wal Wood from Tallangatta who bought two pens of steers from D and C Varker, paying up to 459c/kg liveweight for the run at the Wodonga store cattle sale.

Included in the yarding was a big draft of composite steers offered by Raymond Pastoral. The top pen of 40, at 281kg, made $1100 (391c/kg) and the second pen, lighter at 255kg, made $1000 (392c/kg).

In a relatively uncommon sight at the Wodonga yards, pure Santa Gertrudis steers were offered by Kilcock Nominees from Deniliquin, NSW. The top pen, weighing 349kg, were good enough to kill, and at 12 months sold to Westside Meats for $1160 to return 332c/kg.

Chloe and Matthew Way from Deniliquin, NSW, sold many pens of cattle at the Wodonga store cattle sale including a pen of Santa Gertrudis steers, 349kg, 12 months, for $1160 or 332c/kg, going to Westside Meats.

The same vendor made their presence felt at the top end of the heifers too, selling four Santa Gertrudis-cross weighing 496kg for $1480 or 298c/kg.

But heifer prices broke through the 300c/kg mark on many occasions, including for a pen of 28 Angus sold by W and L Hotson, with the 303kg heifers making $1100 or 363c/kg.

Euro-cross heifers were keenly sought, including the pen of 11 Charolais from Kenmere which made $1140 (326kg, 360c/kg) and two pens from Bogong View Limousins, with the 17 reds making $1235 (341kg, 362c/kg) and the blacks $1220 (356kg, 343c/kg).

Paul Carkeek from Cudgewa was selling heifers to lighten numbers at the Wodonga store cattle sale which sold to a top of $980 or 300c/kg liveweight.

CADC Investments sold a run of lighter Angus heifers, with the tops at 274kg making $880 and the balance, which weighed down to 215kg, selling for $640-$790 to return a range of 298-328c/kg.

There was a limited offering of cows and calves which received almost no bidding support and many were passed in to be sold later.

The top price for cows and calves was $2700 paid for a pen of Kenmere Charolais cows, second and third calvers, weighing 734kg and the calves 229kg.

School holiday fun meant a trip for the yards for Ted McEvoy, 10, from Wodonga; Jarvis Hopper, 11, from Wodonga and George McEvoy, 8, from Wodonga, who were all at the Wodonga store cattle sale.