FOUR important upcoming late summer weaner sales in Victoria will provide a litmus test for young cattle values and demand heading into autumn.

Offering around 18,800 steers and heifers from weaner weights through to light and heavy feeders, the upcoming sales will be among the largest young cattle trading periods ever seen in the region.

The main sales comprise:

• CVLX Ballarat combined agents will offer around 6000 head at its Male Grown and Weaner sale next Friday 16 February.
• The day before, about 4000 weaner and grown steers will go under the hammer at the Western Victorian Livestock Exchange Mortlake on Thursday, 15 February.
• Due to rising numbers, Mortlake made the decision to split its traditional single February feature sale in two, with around 3800 grown and weaner heifers to follow on 21 February.
• The same week, Nutrien will hold its annual Premier Weaner sale, offering around 5000 steers and heifers at Ballarat on Friday 23 February. The yarding will include around 1000 grown steers and heifers and 4000 steer and heifer weaners.

With rain across northern Australia prompting interest from northern NSW and Southern QLD, there are high expectations over the coming Victorian weaner sale circuit. Additional weight in many of the listings will appeal to feedlot buyers, both northern and southern.

Xavier Bourke, from TB White & Sons, Ballarat said while Victoria’s January weaner sales were mostly focussed on the Western District around the Hamilton area, the Ballarat/Mortlake region was traditionally February for the large annual feature sales.

“Numbers might be up 10-15pc on last year – we held a heifer sale today with 3000 stand-alone heifers. Some of that is due to the early and late spring prices being tougher, meaning breeders hung on to cattle, adding more weight.

“It means that within the combined agents Ballarat sale on 16 February offering 6000 steers, there will be around 2300 heavier steers 370kg and higher – up to around 540kg,” Mr Bourke said.

“The yarding will include a lot more heavier cattle than normal. Spring drop calves from last year would normally get sold in the following spring as 12-month olds, but many of those got delated and pushed through to feeder weights,” he said.

“We anticipate that that will pull more northern feedlot buyers down, for what is an extremely good quality and conditioned yarding, of mostly black cattle.”

Mr Bourke said the backgrounder and feeder markets had risen significantly since the first round of Victorian weaner sales in January.

“Feeder-weight heifers at today’s sale made 300-345c, and steers are now making perhaps 10-15c above that. We’re anticipating that the heavier end at next week’s sale will make around 340-410c/kg.”

“The market’s moved a long way since December, and even early January – 30-60c in places. It’s looking very promising.”

He said there were plenty of listings of 20-50, and some larger, in next Friday’s sale.

“Ninety nine percent will be black, with only a handful of coloured cattle out of the 6000 steers.”

Going on past years’ performance, Gippsland grass fatteners are strong on lighter cattle, with southern feedlots like Teys Charlton, TFI, Hopkins River and others would be active on heavier types.

“The heavier cattle seen to be very sought after, and with the north getting some good rain, having more of those feeder weight cattle is great to see for feedlot buyers from further north.”

Xavier Shanahan from Nutrien Ballarat said next week would represent the last of the Western District sales for summer 2024.

He said the timing of the lift in young cattle prices could not ha been better for next Friday’s 6000 head steer yarding at CVLX Ballarat.

“The market for weaner type cattle has picked up 50-60c in places. It might not yet be a solid 400c/kg, but there’s been plenty of sales in the high 3s, and a few +400c recently,” he said.

Friday’s sale would include around 2000 grown cattle, 400-550kg, attractive to lotfeeders, he said.

“The last eight weeks around here have been fantastic, season wise, There’s been a real flush of feed from mid-December onwards, so cattle are in good order.”