Renewed confidence bolsters prices at Leongatha

Cattle consistently sold for $4/kg at the Leongatha store cattle sale today, where 3000 cattle were yarded. See the sale recap.

Cattle consistently sold for $4/kg at the Leongatha store cattle sale last week, where 3000 cattle were yarded.

All major feedlotters and local buyers made for a strong group of bidders, and renewed confidence bolstered prices.

Elders Leongatha livestock agent Rohan McRae said the sale was dearer than the previous sale, with a “nice run of cattle”.

“They’re going to the regular feedlot competition, Riverina and South Australian feedlots,” he said.

“It’s dearer than our previous sale, cattle were making consistently $4/kg to $4.40/kg.”

Grown steers made 320-375c/kg, while most weaner steers made 380-440c/kg.

SEJ Leongatha livestock agent Paul Phillips said he believed the heavy feeder cattle were on par with the previous fortnightly sale.

“The weaner cattle, certainly the good-quality weaner cattle were dearer than we were hoping,” he said.

“We had a good run of weaner calves all from the same place, we were hoping for $4/kg but they well exceeded that.”

There was a strong crowd of feedlotters and local buyers at Leongatha.

He said weaner calves sold for about 20c/kg dearer.

“Once you get into the odds and sods it’s probably tough going,” he said.

He said all the main feedlotters were present alongside “plenty” of local competition.

“There’s a lot of people here, there’s a few extra new faces around with the closure of Pakenham,” he said.

“There’s lots of confidence and confidence causes people to spend money.”

Bec Vuillermin, Vuiller Shorthorns, Yanakie, sold 10 Shorthorn steers, 387kg, for $1260 (325c/kg) at Leongatha.

Bec Vuillermin, of Vuiller Shorthorns, Yanakie, sold 10 Shorthorn steers, 387kg, for $1260 or 325c/kg.

“Feedlotters are chasing steers 400 kilograms and up because they’re ready to go,” she said.

“Feedlotters always buy our steers, and the Shorthorns always perform so we’re really happy.”

Nutrien Yarram livestock agent Kevin Morgan and Arthur Baillie, Tyers, who sold 55 Angus steers, two-years-old, Leawood blood.

One of the top grown steer prices was from Baillie Bros, from Tyers, which sold 17 Angus, Leawood blood, two-years-old, 670kg, for $2300 (343c/kg), and another 19, 647kg, for $2250 (347c/kg).

Arthur Baillie, Tyers, said he had been hoping for $2200, so the price exceeded his expectations.

He sold 55 Angus steers in total at the store sale.

Kernot-based family Brendan Phillips, who was buying at the sale, with his children Matilda, Lachlan and Sophie Phillips, and their cousins Laura and James Jacobs.

One of the local buyers, Brendan Phillips, Kernot, said he was doing “opportunistic buying”.

“The market is a little bit stronger than what it was last week but that’s reflective [of current conditions],” he said.

“I’ve got cattle on grain so some I bought we’ll put on grain to fatten and sell in a couple of months, the others will go on grass until January and feed them through the summer.”

Ian Hitchings, Wonthaggi, planned to sell and buy at Leongatha Victorian Livestock Exchange.

Meanwhile, Ian Hitchings, Wonthaggi, hoped to guage the market before selling between 15-20 bullocks more than 600kg at the next store sale.

“I’ll sell big ones and buy little ones and I’ll trade in the same market, otherwise you’re a gambler,” he said.