What spring feed is doing to cattle prices

Green grass is driving up cattle prices, seen in the results from Pakenham with more producers buying to fill paddocks.

GRASS fever hit the Pakenham store sale as better quality stock and a desire to fill paddocks collided.

The offering of 3300 cattle was better quality than recent sales according to Elders agent Carlo Taranto who said there were more purebred beef lines and fewer crossbreds in the line-up.

And with feed now growing, there was a spring in the step of buyers who wanted to secure numbers, he said.

“Producers have grass fever at the moment and can’t help buying cattle,” Mr Taranto said.

“Everyone has $1900-$2100 in their pockets to spend on cattle and many are buying on a dollar a head basis.”

Prices were rated as solid for feeder weight cattle but dearer for lighter lines, and an order from a Colac agent for Angus breeding heifers put a floor in this section of the market.

The heaviest steers, ranging from 500-600 kilograms, consistently made 500-530c/kg, while 450-500kg steers made 550-560c/kg.

But rates climbed as weights fell, with one pen of 320kg Angus steers selling for $2100 or 656c/kg liveweight.

The bulk of the offering of heifers fell into the 300-330kg weight range, Mr Taranto said, and made between $2000-$2150 with about 200 going to Charles Stewart and Co, Colac.

Some of the standout sales included Cascade Park, Neerim South, which sold 20 Angus steers, 12-13 months, for $2500, which at 440kg returned 568c/kg.

Barragunda Estate from Cape Schanck sold about 100 Angus, 13-14 months, with its top pen of 440kg steers making $2580 (586c/kg) while its second pen, which was 40kg lighter at 400kg, made only slightly less selling for $2540 (635c/kg).

Mr Taranto said feedlotters paid no more for cattle, and it was the producers who lifted what they were prepared to spend.

“There were more farmers in the buying group today now the feed has got away,” he said.

Carlo Taranto from Elders Pakenham with Daniel Bates from Neerim East who sold 20 Angus steers, 12 months, at the Pakenham store sale.