YARDED: 2700

EYCI: 998c/kg

Feeder (EYCI) rating: +34pts

Steers: 500-650kg: $2780-$3480, av 532c/kg: 360-500kg $1940-$2800 av 573c/kg; 280-360kg $1750-$2100, av 617c/kg; 200-300kg $1480-$1920, av 710c/kg

Heifers: 360-500kg: $1800-$2340, av 523c/kg; 280-360kg $1530-$1870, av 554c/kg; 200-280kg: $1300-$1800, av 624c/kg

DOMINANT feeder demand again underpinned a lift in Ballarat store cattle values on Friday when an increased penning of 2700 was offered at Central Victorian Livestock Exchange.

Coupled also was a broader spread of restocker orders spanning areas from northern NSW to South Australia.

The market valued heavy steers 60c/kg live ($330/head) higher while feeder steers, 360-500kg, averaged 42c/kg live or $170/head dearer.

“It was a terrific result led from the top a dominant feeder demand which was continued by an equally willing restocker demand for replacement cattle,” Nutrien auctioneer John McKinnon said.

The market traded from the middle to high $5/kg for the heaviest steers to the early $8/kg for the lightest. But the result was helped by the surprisingly good condition of the heavier cattle while the penning also contained a number of water-effected little cattle, he said.

TB White principal Leo White agreed with the dominance of the feeder demand and the good condition of the heavier was important for determining various results.

As an example, Mr White cited the sale of 36 Angus steers, 420kg, that were bunker trained by Wylie & Co, “Daelraom” Mt Mercer. These made $2480/head while in the previous month’s sale the same cattle, 12 kilograms lighter, with the same preparation had made $2250.

“Where the work has done, the effort was rewarded” Mr White said. “And there were a good number of feedlots trying to buy cattle with condition which has kept prices climbing to new levels month-on-month”.

James Haddrick, HF Richardson, said the pace was set early in the sale when the first pen sold made $5/kg. They were not your normal feeders these were steers that weighed 695kg and made $3490 which put everyone on notice that something special was about to happen he said.

“And by the fourth pen we had 480kg Angus steers making $2800 which was slightly over 580c/kg which was breathtaking” Mr Haddrick said.

Among the early sales vendor AC Lang sold 19 Angus steers, 528kg at $2840/head while Longview Ag sold 12 Angus, 505kg at the same money.

S&P Attard sold the abovementioned fourth pen- a yard of 20 Angus, 480kg at $2800 followed by a second pen of 20, 436kg bid to $2560 which also equated to 583c/kg lwt.

Mt Ararat was also a volume feature-line vendor clearing 37 Angus, 464kg, at $2660 while a second yard of 30 Angus, 435kg, made $2520.

At the top of the weaner run Garvan Park, Avoca, sold 25 Charolais steers, 392kg at $2220 (566c/kg) while Cain Bros, sold two pens of Angus steers: 24, 418kg at $2400 (574c/kg) and 34, 365kg at $2250 (616c/kg).

Vendor Pental Island Producers, sold 25 Angus steers, 411kg, at $2390 (579c/kg) while Missen family, Myrniong sold 22 Angus, 352kg at $2250 (639c/kg).

Around the 300kg mark resultant prices rose beyond $6/kg edging about $6.50 with the best of these a pen of 25 Angus, 296kg by EH Harrison that made $1940 (655c/kg).

Vendor Yallum Vale sold two yards of Angus- 16, 328kg at $2000 and 12, 296kg at $1920.

The Bourchier family, Jilpanger, sold 14 Angus, 278kg at $1920 while DF Heyward sold 17 Angus, 273kg at $1900.

Most pens of lighter weaner cattle agents said often carried the signs of a very wet western districts winter.

Nonetheless demand for these seldom saw values slip below $1700 as purchase rates rose beyond above $7/kg to $8/kg for lots around the 200kg mark.