Restockers were evident as cattle prices continue to amaze at last week’s Wodonga Special Store sale, when 2400 cattle were yarded.
Elders, Wodonga, manager Matt Tinkler said it was “a very good quality yarding considering we are having a wet winter.”
“There was a good mix of weights and everything present well,” he said.
“To find a big yarding like this in the middle of winter is pretty amazing.”
Mr Tinkler said the prices “didn’t surprise” him as “they were consistent throughout the sale.”
“But they certainly exceeded expectations … it was an outstanding result, with a lot of steers in the 200 to 330kg range making in excess of $4, and similar heifers making $3.50 to $4.10,” he said.
Cattle were sent to Finley, Wangaratta and northern areas, with females going to the Gippsland, and feedlot interests competing where they could on suitable pens.
Indicative prices for weaner steers ranged from $865 to $1360, while older steers sold from $1390 to $1720.
Unjoined heifers sold from $725 to $1325, with cows with calves topping at $2650.
A feature of the sale was the complete dispersal by the Ley Family Trust, Eskdale, Victoria, of their Angus/Friesian herd.
Top price for their offering was $2000 paid for eight cows with Limousin calves and despastured to Limousin bulls, with a second pen of 13 cows with calves selling for $1840.
Weaner steers were in demand, with the partnership of Ross and Sturgeon, Tooma, selling 26 Angus steers, weighing 312kg for $1330, and Geelong Grammar School, Merrijig, Vic selling four Angus/Murray Grey steers weighing 289kg for $1200.
Mark and Sylvia Elliott, “Hawkesdrift”, Tumbarumba, sold 12 Angus steers, Rennylea and Ardrossan-blood, weighing 276kg for $1135.
Marie Paton, Tallangatta, Vic, sold 14 black baldy steers, 10-11 months weighing 320kg for $1340, and Peter and Stuart Macoun, “Boongala”, Peak Hill, sold 24 Black Simmental/Angus steers by Brewer Beef bulls, 8-10 months, weighing 292kg for $1305.
Older steers sold to $1720, when Brian McFarland, Bethanga, Vic, sold four Angus weighing 500kg,
Ross Morton, “Delta”, Jerilderie, sold 22 Angus heifers, unjoined and weighing 373kg for $1325, with C and S Hamson, Culcairn, selling 18 South Devon heifers, weighing 353kg for $1275, and the Ley Family Trust, selling eight Angus/Friesian heifers for $1410.
Mark Beavis, “Jenabank”, Goomalibee, Vic, sold eight Angus cows with calves, and rejoined for $2650.
Wodonga agents, Elders, Landmark and Corcoran Parker conducted the sale.