Cattle prices surge at Bairnsdale store cattle sale after rain

Favourable seasonal conditions are pushing cattle prices even higher including at Bairnsdale for a 3000-strong yarding. Top prices here.

Cattle breeders Kym and Ken Skews from Ensay who sold an outstanding line of 169 Hereford steers to a top of $2350 or 626c/kg at the Bairnsdale store sale.

Recent dry conditions brought 3000 cattle forward for the Bairnsdale store sale today, and recent rain ensured they sold to dizzying heights.

“A fortnight ago the season was touch and go; in South Gippsland it was probably too wet and here was getting a bit dry,” Elders Bairnsdale auctioneer Morgan Davies said.

“We’ve had a lot more rain since so everything’s changed again … It’s a pretty unbelievable sale really,” Mr Davies said.

Heavy steers above 500kg sold from 470c/kg-520c/kg while those between 350kg-400kg returned from 600c/kg-700c/kg and anything below 300kg consistently returned from 700c/kg-800c/kg.

In comparison to the previous market at Bairnsdale last fortnight, Mr Davies said the prices today were “more consistently dearer” with several pens cracking over the $8/kg mark.

One such vendor making over $8/kg was renowned breeders Smith Graziers who sold two pens of Angus over $8/kg. They made $2170 or 801c/kg and $2110 or 802c/kg, respectively.

The large yarding had some coloured cattle variety about it as well. Top-quality Hereford breeders Ken and Kym Skews from Ensay sold 169 Hereford steers to a top of $2350 or 626c/kg for 24 at 375kg. Cents-per-kilogram wise the Skews topped at 687c/kg for another 24 Hereford steers at 316kg.

“Everyone said it was going to be a big sale today but (there prices) were better than we expected,” Mr Skews said.

“We normally sell privately but the prices and competition at the market is so good these days,” he said.

The market did not slow when the heifers started selling either.

A quality pen of breeder heifers from Gino Dimarco had keen prospective buyers quickly dispersing from the rails as the price climbed.

“You lost me at $2000,” remarked one hopeful bidder of the starting price. The pen of 18 Angus heifers at 324kg was finally knocked down at $2160 or 666c/kg. Their second pen of 15 Angus heifers at 278kg returned $1840 or 662c/kg.

Feeder weight heifers above 350kg returned from 540c/kg up to 590c/kg or 600c/kg for quality breeding types.

A large portion of the heifers on offer were lighter calves from 200kg to 300kg. They sold from 625c/kg up to and over 700c/kg depending on weight and quality.