Leongatha: store prices vary by as much as 200c/kg liveweight

There was one factor that caused prices to vary wildly at the Leongatha store sale where gaps of up to 200c/kg liveweight emerged.

Dromana’s Patrick Clancy made his first trip to the Leongatha sale yards last week, as he, like hundreds of fellow cattlemen and women prepare for the closure of their local yards at Pakenham.

“It is unfortunate and difficult to see how it is all going to work with the big numbers here, but that’s what it is,” MrClancy said.

“It is a nice drive to get here, but it will be a bit of a trek for the cattle.”

Mr Clancy said he was going “for a look” to last week’s Leongatha store sale but ended up buying 13 Hereford steers, 341kg for $800 or 234c/kg - which he described as cheap.

Across the yarding a gap of up to 200c/kg emerged in the monster yarding of about 5600 cattle.

While the best and heavier feeder steers found plenty of competition, it was tough for lighter cattle with some crossbred and light heifers selling as cheaply as 150c/kg liveweight.

And while northern competition was enough to underpin prices at Wodonga’s store sale the week before, there were no restocker orders to head over the border.

Elders Korumburra livestock manager Michael Foote said the market was steady for feedlot ready cattle but it was not a trend seen for all weights.

He said the best Angus and coloured feeder steers in the 400-580kg bracket made 330-412c/kg to be firm, with extra heavy steers selling from 300c/kg to 330c/kg.

Weaner steers attracted good competition from restockers and backgrounder orders with the best making 370-410c/kg, with second runs 320-270c/kg.

The sale’s top steer price was $2050, paid for a pen of 24 Angus sold by C Jorgensen, which returned 323c/kg as well as for a pen of 23 Angus sold by V Albanese, with the 23 Angus steers, 584kg, returning 351c/kg.

In all, three pens of steers cracked $2000 mark, with Jilliby selling 23 Angus, 501kg, for $2010, or 401c/kg.

Leongatha Store cattle sale, Rob Ould, from Wonthaggi. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

The best of the weaner steers made $1540 with Ranleigh Downs selling a pen of 22, weighing 396kg to return 388c/kg, and their second pen, 28 weighing 395kg, for $1530 or 387c/kg.

Mr Foote said there was good demand for those that fell into the 400-600kg range.

“If they are good enough to go straight on feed, there is competition,” he said.

Feedlot orders came from Teys Charlton, Midfied, J&F, Thomas Foods International, AFA, Bunnaloo and AMG and they competed with commission buyers Campbell Ross and Anthony Hullick to secure the bulk of the offering on the suitable lines .

The best of the heifers with weight and breeding sold firm to slightly cheaper than previous sales at 280-330c/kg, but heifers under 300kg made 220-280c/kg and lighter and crossbred heifers sold from $200 to $500 “which look value for money for anyone wanting to handle them”, Mr Foote said.

“The little heifers were very cheap,” he said.

Leongatha Store cattle sale, Jake Follett and his daughter Grace, 2 years old, and Russell Follet from Poowong. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

The best heifer price was $1660 paid for a pen of 27 Angus, 499kg, sold by A Walker which returned 332c/kg.

The tough market for lighter heifers took the shine off other prices, which were quoted as solid on rates seen at other recent markets.

Yet those orders for lighter cattle, which were so prevalent at Wodonga last week and where 90 per cent of the cattle went out of the district and as far north as central Queensland, were missing from the Leongatha buying gallery.

Most cattle sold to local buyers, Mr Foote said.

He said the price dip for those cattle that were not ready to go on feed immediately was starting to emerge in other areas too.

“We have heard that little cattle up north are getting cheaper too,” he said.

Leongatha Store cattle sale, Wayne and Jenny Price, from Wooreen. Picture Yuri Kouzmin