Pakenham: Wintry yarding sees price push despite FMD concerns

Pakenham saw a typical winter yarding, but strong competition for the smaller field saw prices lift 100c/kg. See what the cattle made.

Nutrien Ag Solutions agent Ron Rutledge outcompeted strong competition at Pakenham to pick up 72 steers for backgrounding. Picture: Zoe Phillips.

Prices jumped at Pakenham’s store sale last week by as much as $300 on the previous sale’s rates as buyers found their mojo again.

As the market uncertainty fuelled by the threat of a foot and mouth disease outbreak eases, many cattle sales have settled back into “normality”.

About 750 cattle were yarded at the Pakenham store sale last week in a typical winter offering – fewer than the 1000 advertised prior to sale.

Nutrien Ag Solutions agent Ron Rutledge said it was welcome to see a rise in the market which was seeing “a lot more normalisation”.

“We are hearing less conversations about foot and mouth, and more about normality,” Mr Rutledge said.

“It's a threat that we’ve lived with for a long time, and we haven’t got FMD so we need to keep moving forward.”

Trevor and Donna Row from Catani looking to buy at the Pakenham Saleyards cattle sale. PICTURE: ZOE PHILLIPS

Mr Rutledge bought 72 Angus steers for backgrounding for his Riverina-based clients. The steers averaged 556c/kg at an average weight of 362kg.

Alex Scott and Staff agent David Setches said all weights and grades of cattle certainly sold to a dearer trend.

“Better lines of cattle were a good $200 dearer, and in places $300 dearer on the previous fortnight,” Mr Setches said.

Weaner cattle from 230kg to 350kg “took the biggest jump,” Mr Setches said, with steers in that weight range making from 780c/kg to 820c/kg.

“When you work it out, it’s up nearly $1/kg on those lighter cattle from last fortnight,” he said.

Feedlot type steers from 450kg to 600kg also received strong competition, making from 545c/kg to 600c/kg.

Notable pens sold at the sale included:

D Saunders, Tonimbuk, sold 8 Angus steers, 581kg for $3050 (525c/kg).

JF Glover, Lang Lang sold 6 Angus steers, 501kg for $2700 (539c/kg).

C Penfold, Balnarring, sold 10 Angus steers, 316kg for $2140 (677c/kg).

Kangernong Pastoral, Dromana, sold 13 Angus steers, 300kg for $2090 (696c/kg).

G Kouroupis, Pearcedale, sold 8 Charolais-cross steers, 234kg for $1890 (807c/kg).

In the heifer market, cattle from 250kg to 300kg averaged about 650c/kg to 700c/kg while

heavier heifers, 400kg-plus, made about 500c/kg.

Caitlin Cunningham with Jackson and Ruby from Strzelecki at the Pakenham Saleyards cattle sale. PICTURE: ZOE PHILLIPS

Vendor C Penfold from Balnarring sold 14 Angus heifers, 285kg for $1860 or 663c/kg in one of the best prices for this weight range.

“The better lines of little lightweight heifers were almost on par with the steers on the day,” Mr Setches said.

Earlier this month buyers were prepared to pay more at Wangaratta where prices spiked by about $200 a head.