EYCI: 519.25c/kg

FEEDER STEER: AVG 310C/KG (EYCI RATING +45 POINTS)

SUMMARY: 1760 HEAD

STEERS: 360-450KG $1080-$1380, AV 311C/KG; 280-360KG: $900-$1160, AV 320C/KG.

HEIFERS: 360-450kg: $930-$1280, AV 275C/KG; 280-360KG; $710-$965, AV 268C/KG.

Agents: ELDERS, PAULL & SCOLLARD-LANDMARK

BACKGROUNDERS and bullock finishers from the local northeast valleys have buoyed this month’s Landmark and Elders store cattle market held Thursday at the Northern Victoria Livestock Exchange (Wodonga).

Inspired by recent patchy falls ranging from 20 to 60 millimetres, a larger following of local support tightened demand from the bottom up as a smaller following of lot feeder buyers claimed the top of the market at prices displaying limited change to the agents’ month earlier.

West Gippsland agent, Mark Malacarne, Alex Scott & Staff, purchased Yards of Hereford steers for clients at Moe and Warragul were the season is currently very green.

Competing for a reduced offering of 1760, prices bid from the heaviest grown steers, 450kg plus, were unchanged to average 310c/kg liveweight while lighter (360 to 450kg) feeders averaged 311c/kg although occasional larger lines made 323 and 333c/kg lwt.

The Elders selling team of auctioneer, Kirsty Taylor and Matt Tinkler in action at NVLX yesterday.

Stephen Street, Elders, said the patchy falls and the depleted numbers had led to the much stronger demand.

“The feeder competition was consistent but no stronger” Mr Street said.

“The biggest lift (in prices) was in both sexes of the lighter weaners… most were at least $100 head better, and the very smallest up to $150 dearer”

Landmark’s Matthew Pitzen said the depleted supply offered only a limited number of larger feature lines.

“The supply was fairly shallow” Mr Pitzen said. “There were several larger lines which met good inquiry but generally there were lot of smaller consignments which tends to indicate the majority of spring-drop cattle have already been sold” he said.

Purchasing young heifers at Wodonga for clients in his newly formed business associated with SRL & P Finley was Deniliquin, NSW agent Steve Arentz.

Among the larger lines the Morton family’s Mount Annan line of 94 Angus steers from Holbrook, NSW were snapped up by Ravensworth Feedlot, west of Hay, NSW.

Their first draft pen of 52, 461kg, made $1445 while their second yard of 42, 430kg, made $1380.

Graham Costello, Costello Rural, Corryong and Graeme Jarvis, Cochranes Gap (near Khancoban) purchased Angus steers to finish as bullocks.

Deniliquin producer, Cassar & Edwards sold a line of Spry-blood Shorthorn steers that fetched an average of $3/kg. Their first pen of 15, 435kg, made $1382 a head while a second yard of 10, 405kg, realized $1205.

A pen of Ravensdale Hereford steers, 475kg, also sold well at $1470 a head while a second pen of seven, 412kg, made $1250.

A yard of 17 Mitchell Pastoral Angus steers, 426kg, consigned from nearby Bethanga made $1315 while Fernhill, Rosewhite, sold 13 Angus, 416kg at $1290.

A feature line of 100 Angus steers, Rennylea-blood, met special interest from the Upper Murray finishers.

Consigned to the market by J Ley of Jarvis Creek, the first pen of this lot, a yard of 25, 386kg, made $1295 while a second pen of 50, 343kg, made $1215, for a sale topping 353c/kg.

A third pen of 25 from the J Ley consignment, 320kg made $1060.

Corcoran Parker, Wodonga, director Cameron Hilton with young son Harry (5) in toe bought Shorthorn steer to client Len Paton of Corryong.

Jugiong, NSW supplier, Heavin Farms offered three pens of Angus steers in a 45 head consignment which saw their first draft lot of 13, 364kg made $1080, the seconds, 328kg were sold for $1085 while a smaller third pen of eight, 309kg made $970.

A further major consignment of 111 Shorthorn steers made by Holbrook, NSW vendor, Upper Wantagong also came under heavy scrutiny. Its lead draft of 15, 397kg, made $1200, its second line of 49, 354kg made $1150 and $1120 while a third pen of 40, 317kg made $1040.

The demand heifers, to feed and for backgrounding, was also stronger on the month earlier October sale with heavy heifer prices, in particular, rising sharply.

Heifers in general, were sold in a much tighter price range from 260 to 285c/kg compared to 220 to 270c/kg in the October sale.

Mudgegonga vendor, Almac, sold a yard of 28 Angus and Angus-cross heifers, 369kg at $1055 while Fernhill, Rosewhite, sold two similar yards of Angus and Angus-cross, 359kg and 325kg, at $980 and $905 respectively.

Other larger lots sold included a yard of 20 Cassar & Edwards Shorthorn heifers, 373kg that made $1050, a yard of 15 R & R O’Keefe, Charolais heifers, 350kg, sold at $965 while two pens of Heavin Farm Angus, 338kg and 303kg, made $905 and $795 respectively.