Local grass fatteners buy up big at small Bairnsdale store cattle sale
Market trends at the latest Bairnsdale store cattle sale have “been the opposite” of what is being seen elsewhere in Victoria. SEE PRICES FETCHED
A small yarding of about 500 cattle at the Bairnsdale store sale today saw local grass fatteners dominate the market.
“The yarding consisted of mainly lightweight, well-bred weaner cattle with a sprinkling of older cattle,” Nutrien Ag Solutions Bairnsdale livestock manager Brad Obst said.
Weaners from 220kg to 360kg made from 580c/kg to 680c/kg while the heavier end of the cattle returned from 580c/kg to 600c/kg.
They smaller yarding saw buyers predominantly come from the local area in East and southwest Gippsland, with some feedlot orders from across the border picking up some heavier cattle.
“Grass fatteners were purchasing a lot and there was a strong interest from repeat buyers for the Kent Park steers and the D & A Cleave cattle, which were great quality steers. All the Charolais steers from JCJ and LM White went to feedlotters interstate,” Mr Obst said.
While most store sales across Victoria have been dominated by feedlot buyers putting a floor in the prices of cattle weighing down to 350kg in an effort to secure their kill rates over winter, Mr Obst said Bairnsdale had “been the opposite”.
“We have been very grass driven as opposed to feedlot driven because we haven’t really had the heavier end of the cattle suitable to go on feed. This sale we had a few though,” Mr Obst said.
Mr Obst said the season in East Gippsland had been wet and was just starting to dry off now, which was “to be expected” and had not overly affected producers’ selling patterns over the winter months.
“We have a lot of breeders in our area and we’ve found they have forward-sold some cattle. The season has been wet and is just starting to dry off now and we’re looking froward to the feature lines of cattle coming on to the market in spring,” Mr Obst said.
“We’re looking forward to the feature lines of cattle coming onto the market in spring.”
TOP LOTS
Kent Park: 21 Hereford steers, 315kg, $1800 or 571c/kg; 18 Hereford at 278kg, $1760 or 633c/kg.
D & A Cleave: 16 Red Angus steers, 284kg, $1760 or 620c/kg.
JCJ & LM White: 16 Charolais X steers, 362kg, $1830 or 505c/kg; 16 at 326kg, $1740 or 534c/kg.
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