Wodonga store cattle sale: Confidence lifts prices

There are hopes cattle prices may have bottomed out with steer prices up on last month as buyers show better confidence. See the latest prices here.

There was more confidence at the Wodonga store cattle sale today with some observers believing the market may have bottomed out.

Steers were up to $100 dearer than a month ago and there was more confidence in the crowd, with many hanging around to see the tail end of the auction.

Selling action at the Wodonga store cattle sale where prices were judged to be up to $100 up on a sale a month ago.

While steer prices failed to break 300c/kg, good drafts of well-bred cattle still sold to improved competition and to more spirited bidding than has been seen in recent months.

One agent told The Weekly Times the prices were “better but still not good”.

“At least we are heading in the right direction now,” he said.

While commission buyers Duncan Brown and Graeme Ward both bought pens of cattle, they did not have it all their own way with restockers stepping in to fill paddocks. Cattle went as far south as Benalla, across into the NSW centre of Finley and to local bidders.

Elders Albury livestock manager Brett Shea said some producers were starting to understand there were opportunities in buying cattle.

Elders Albury livestock manager Brett Shea with some of the Tarabah Livestock Company steers from Holbrook NSW, which made $506-$700, weighing 230-290kg, or 226-243c/kg liveweight at the Wodonga store cattle sale.

“Locally, we have had one of the best springs we have had in years and as much as there are negatives in the market, there are positives and reasons to buy cattle,” Mr Shea said.

In the steer offering, 11 pens made more than $1000 and topped at $1210paid for a pen of 14 Angus sold by Yamba Station Partnership, with the 505kg steers retuning 240c/kg liveweight.

Not far behind was the $1205 paid for a pen of heavy Angus weighing 513kg which returned 235c/kg liveweight for vendor D Stevenson. The same vendor then sold 20 at 462kg for $1050 (227c/kg) and another 15, weighing 398kg, for $930 or 234c/kg.

JBS Australia buyer Peter Steer was active on select pens of heavy steers.

But buyers were picky, and most steers sold in a range from 215c/kg to 285c/kg, with the top cents/kilogram price paid for a pen of eight Angus weighing 249kg, which made $710.

Neville Renshaw (L) from Rutherglen paid $506 for 230kg Hereford steers or 220c/kg at the Wodonga store cattle sale, with agent Richard Wynne from Paull and Scollard Nutrien, Corowa NSW.

Buyer of the pen, Kevin Barker from Chiltern, said it was about the financial outlay as well as the quality when buying.

“We’ve just sold feeder steers for $1150 so we work backwards from that, and work out what we can afford to pay,” Mr Barker said.

“The idea is that these steers will grow into money.”

Dan Ivone from Ivone Agencies, Myrtleford and Kevin Barker from Chiltern who paid $720 or 285c/kg for 239kg Angus steers at the Wodonga store cattle sale.

There were two big drafts of Hereford steers in the offering, with Stephen and Ellie Wilson of Greenbank at Orange NSW bringing down 162 Herefords to capitalise on the better season further south as well as the greater acceptance of whiteface cattle.

It was a move that paid off, with their draft of 137 Gunyah-blood Herefords steers topping at $1020 (411kg, 248c/kg) with the balance making $655-$1015, or 220-256c/kg liveweight.

NSW producers Stephen and Ellie Wilson from Greenbank at Orange chose to bring their cattle several hours south to sell at Wodonga, and it was a move that paid off with their Gunyah-blood Hereford steers making $655-$1015 or 220-256c/kg.

The other big draft was from Tarabah Livestock Company at Holbrook NSW, which sold 232 Wirruna-blood Hereford steers, which sold from $506-$700 and made 220-243c/kg liveweight.

The 982 steers offered made up the bulk of the market and averaged $781 or 223c/kg.

Heifer prices also saw a lift at today’s market, with restocker competition forcing rates above kill value, though some lines were bought to process immediately.

The 483 heifers offered averaged 172c/kg or $553.

J and S Nicholson sold the top price heifers, with 17 Angus weighing 401kg making $860 (214c/kg).

There was a handful of sales above 200c/kg, including a pen of light Speckle Park heifers weighing just 207kg that made $470 (227c/kg) and a pen of Angus weighing 236kg that sold for 231c/kg, but most heifers settled in the 170-190c/kg range.