Cattle prices: Prices still strong at Warrnambool during stormy day

Light heifers went as high as 650c/kg as restockers flocked to the Warrnambool yards amid an unusually wet Spring.

A rainy day at the Warrnambool yards still attracted a sizeable crowd of bidders with local restockers bringing strong competition for 2400 cattle yarded.

With impressive rain recorded the night before, along with fierce wind and storm conditions, the dreary weather didn’t deter buyers.

“We just had 50mm of rain overnight. A lot of people have just cut silage and the regrowth is fantastic so it’s a great time of the year to get (the rain),” Warrnambool stock agents association president Jack Kelly said.

“Next week they’re forecasting 25-28 degrees so we’re laughing.”

Paul Finnigan from Toolong North sold a total of 43 steers and heifers at the recent Warrnambool sale including 15 Angus heifers for 642c/kg. Picture: Supplied

Heavy steers eased in price with most around 600kg returning about 440c/kg – a reduction in price from last month’s Warrnambool sale and other sales this week.

However, from there the competition grew with most prices firm on the last market. Steers weighing 430-510kg returned 550c/kg to 580c/kg and weaner steers from 330-380c/kg made from 620c/kg to 720c/kg.

“Those heavier steers have come off the pace a little bit but once you got into the lighter weight cattle things really took off,” Mr Kelly said.

In the heifer market, those weighing 490-560kg made 440c/kg to 479c/kg while the lighter heifers at 290-350kg returned 600c/kg to 650c/kg.

“The heifers between 290-340kg were consistently making around 670c/kg, there was a lot of good pens of them today,” Mr Kelly said.