Although steady, prices were considered mostly off-the-pace at Landmark Ballarat’s 43rd annual grown and weaner cattle sale on Friday.
Offering a total penning of 3564-head to smaller and more reserved gallery of buyers, rates achieved for heavier pens of grown steers fell back by margins of 20- 25c/kg lwt while black feeder steers averaged five cents less.
Heavier pens of weaner steers also struggled to keep pace with Ballarat’s week-ago market averaging 10-15c/kg lwt lower however as weights declined the demand gathered important interstate competition which resulted in pens of young spring-drop weaners nudging 400c/kg as most drafts of 220-250kg black steers registered sales between $900 and $1000 a head.
Heifer prices were fully firm on recent late Ballarat rates as most sales realized 280-310c/kg lwt.
Interstate restocker inquiry from Southern Qld (heifers), NSW and South Australia were the dominant buyers on the day while processor-lot feeders were also more active in the absence of the completed live export inquiry which didn’t return.
Gippsland inquiry was also more subdued along with other regional Victorian districts.