Shock result at 6000 cattle strong Wodonga store sale

One of the biggest yardings at Wodonga outside weaner sales drew more than 6000 cattle on Thursday and there were some shock results. Read the full sale report here.

Northern cattle buyers provided a “get out of jail free” card to the Wodonga store cattle market on Thursday with most steer prices keeping above 400c/kg liveweight and heifers making more than 300c/kg.

It was reprieve for vendors who had collectively sent more than 6000 cattle into the saleyards as they looked to ease numbers amid tight conditions and no rain on the outlook.

The sale was also judged about $100-$200 better for steers than Euroa the day before.

Many producers were anxious, worried the big yarding might cause prices to fall, but Peter

Alex Dekoeyer and his son Louis, 3, from Barnawartha, were looking to buy cattle at the Wodonga store cattle sale but said the prices were higher than he had expected.

Ruaro from Peter Ruaro Livestock at Albury said the numbers actually worked in their favour.

“We had buyers here today that wouldn’t come to a sale unless it had the kind of numbers we did,” Mr Ruaro said.

“And the results overall have been good.”

Such was the size of the yarding that cattle were sold in pens usually reserved for loading and delivery, and even laneways were used, and pens were also refilled after the initial stock had been sold.

The bulk of the offering was steers, and most of these were Angus, with some yearlings and lines of younger, lighter weaners being offered earlier than normal due to the season.

These consistently made more than 420c/kg liveweight, with one of the best pens, offered by M Neilson and weighing 357kg making $1470 (412c/kg) for the pen of 19.

One of the bigger drafts was sold by B and T Derryhouse, from Glenellen, north of Albury, NSW, with 61 Angus weighing 310kg selling for $1340 (432c/kg) and another 65, at 252kg, making $1130 or 448c/kg.

Bruce Derryhouse said he had been anxious before the sale, due to the numbers and also the weather.

“We are really pleased with this result, given we have to lighten numbers,” Mr Derryhouse said.

It was a common theme, with vendors telling The Weekly Times they had little feed, dwindling hay and a need to move some stock on to preserve breeding herds.

Winston Hall from Burrrumbuttock sold Angus steers, 236kg, for $1080 (458c/kg) and said he was happy with the result.

“Our season has cut out and I was worried about how they would sell as the agent had told me not to come until midday, because my cattle weren’t being sold early,” Mr Hall said.

“But thanks to the good season in a big area across northern NSW and Queensland and buyers supplying these areas at the sale, it went pretty well.”

Peter and Helen Kirkbride from Badaginnie sold 23 Angus heifers, 333kg, for $1130 or 340c/kg at the Wodonga cattle sale.

Early heifer prices showed momentum, albeit at a step down from steer values, but most lines were making more than 300c/kg.

Heavy heifer results included $1260 paid for a pen of 391kg Angus (322c/kg) and $1425 for a pen of 30 Angus, 18 months, 388kg and returning 367c/kg.

Several pens of Hereford heifer weaners were offered from vendors at Adaminaby, NSW, weighing 240-280kg, and made $630-$820 or 263-293c/kg.