THE focus of the southern cattle industry shifted to Victoria last week as the state’s annual run of weaner calf sales began at Wodonga with more than 14,000 steers and heifers sold at the Northern Victorian Livestock Exchange.

Heavy summer rainfall across large parts of the eastern states helped the market find consistent price form as southern and northern-based restockers and feedlots competed across four days of back-to-back selling at Wodonga.

Featuring mostly Angus, Hereford, black baldy and European-cross calves aged 8-12 months, the sales grossed $14.44 million at an average of $1107/head for 8922 steers and $867 for 5268 heifers.

Despite an uplift in prices from favourable late-2023 rainfall, the sales experienced price consolidation, reinforcing the lasting impact of the 2023 trading year on market dynamics.

For steers, 300¢/kg liveweight was the benchmark rate, with sales mostly 10pc either side of this level at 270¢ to 330¢/kg depending on calf breed, quality and weight.

For heifers, the base rate was 250¢/kg, with bidding then mostly 10pc either side of this level at 230¢ to 275¢.

The following are the top prices and market averages recorded each selling day at the NVLX last week:

Tuesday feature Angus sale: 3438 steers sold to $1450 and averaged 307.3¢/kg or $1109/head; 1811 heifers sold to $1580 and averaged 272¢/kg or $884.

Wednesday feature grown Angus and weaner sale: 2058 steers sold to $1725 and averaged 303.75¢ or $1070; 1234 heifers sold to $1205 and averaged 265¢ or $869.

Thursday feature Hereford and European-cross sale: 1857 steers sold to $1500 and averaged 296¢/ or $1055; 1246 heifers sold to $1290 and averaged 254¢/kg lwt or $861/head.

Friday feature Hereford and European-cross sale: 1,569 steers sold to $1,480 and averaged 283¢/kg or $1,056/head; 977 heifers sold to $1,090 and averaged 258¢/kg lwt or $844/head.

Buying power was concentrated on the local north-east Victorian regions and into central and northern NSW and southern Queensland. Agents estimated an even split of about 50:50 between the cattle that remained in a 200km radius of the NLVX selling centre and those that went further north, as far as Toowoomba in Qld.

The weaner sales will continue in Victoria this week where the focus shifts to the south-west at Hamilton and Casterton.

The opening southern weaner sale at Mortlake last week suggests the tight price pattern for calves could continue. NLRS reported this sale as part of its ongoing coverage of the fortnightly store sales at Mortlake. The average for the main lines of Angus steer weaners sold at Mortlake was 312¢/kg.

Source: NLRS