Forty-year feature vendor selling weaners one month early

Mark Jacobs has sold his weaner cattle at Colac Regional Saleyards’ feature sale for forty years. Discover why he is selling one month early.

Colac Regional Saleyards is one of several Victorian saleyards hosting an influx of weaner cattle ahead of the typical selling season.

It will have about 2500 cattle on offer at its monthly store cattle sale on Friday.

Feature vendor, Mark Jacob, from Dreeite South, will sell 260 mixed sex Angus cattle one month early due to the poor season and he has been hand feeding from March through to October.

“I’m happy with the quality of my cattle, they’re small but in good condition and the quality looks very good. But who’s going to buy them and who has grass to buy them is the biggest worry,” he said.

“We’ve had rain but it’s too late for us to do any good.”

Mark Jacob, Dreeite South, will have 260 mixed sex Angus weaners at Colac Regional Saleyards' December store sale. Picture: Supplied

Mr Jacob and his family have sold at the Colac market since 1984, and previously sold early in 2015 due to similar conditions. He said he will keep his breeders over summer.

“[Colac is] one of the best markets in Victoria. When you compare the prices, we’re as good as Wodonga … Colac is as good as anywhere else for black vealers.”

Nutrien Colac auctioneer Phil Douglas said a number of feature lines will be offered this Friday, pushed one month earlier than their usual January weaner sale.

“The reason is lack of feed or poor season,” he said. “After the huge impost on time and money feeding cattle last season, producers cannot face it again.”

He said lack of hay and subsequent cost would be a “huge burden” so several made the choice to sell early and care for future breeders.

Colac’s Birregurra steer weaner and female sale is on January 9.