Yea Angus weaner cattle bought by South Gippsland bullock fatteners

Agents yarded 2800 cattle for the Nutrien feature sale on Friday where black cattle sold to buyers from South Gippsland, the Yea district and in some cases northern Victoria and NSW.

A majority of the cattle were aged between nine and 11 months, with the tops of the drafts selling anywhere between $1800-$2060.

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Southern Victorian buyer Simon Henderson, Phelan & Henderson & Co, Yarram, bought 100 Angus steers for three clients in the first hour of the sale.

His bullock-fattening clients were located at Ellinbank, Korumburra and Phillip Island, and his purchases included the first two pens of the sale.

The two pens were consigned by Geoff and Mary Oliver, and their son Thomas Oliver, Homewood, who sold 100 mixed-sex calves at the sale.

The first pen of 17 Angus steers, February and March 2022-drop, 409 kilograms, made $2060 or 503 cents a kilogram, while 16 steers, 417kg, made $1990 or 477c/kg.

Another Gippsland agency, Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock, Leongatha, also bought about 100 Angus steers for various bullock fatteners in the south.

The Olivers also sold 17 steers, 396kg, for $1830 or 462c/kg, and 25 steers, 349kg, for $1830 or 524c/kg.

The yarding was mostly made up of Angus cattle, with only a dozen or so pens of Herefords and a handful of Euro pens.

Lee Mallamaci, Combi Farm, Reedy Creek, sold the third pen of steers with 11 Angus, 10-11 months, 418kg, knocked down for $1900 or 454c/kg.

S Tanner sold 17 Angus steers, 407kg, for $1920 or 471c/kg, and a second pen of 15 steers, 351kg, for $1650 or 470c/kg.

The same vendor also sold seven heifers, 415kg, for $1690 or 407c/kg, and 14 heifers, 348kg, for $1670 or 479c/kg.

Strath Rural sold 28 steers, 10-11 months, 383kg, for $1870 or 488c/kg, and 24 steers, 341kg, for $1800 or 527c/kg.

Heifers in the first lane of the sale ranged anywhere on average from $1600-$2060, including a top pen of 40 Angus heifers consigned by BM & MM Griffiths, 374kg, which made $2060 or 550c/kg, and 44 heifers, 326kg, for $1700 or 522c/kg.

The pens were bought by Corcoran Parker agent Jackson Meehan, Wodonga, who also bought the first heifer pen of the sale consigned by the Oliver family, with 20 heifers, 379kg, knocked down for $2010 or 530c/kg.

The family also sold 15 heifers, 353kg, for $1670 or 473c/kg.

Among other major volume buyers was northern purchaser Andrew Lowe, Wagga Wagga, NSW, who bought more than 300 cattle for an undisclosed buyer in NSW.

Victorian commission buyer Campbell Ross was also out in force and bought 300 cattle for various backgrounding operations in northern NSW, south-east South Australia and Gippsland.

Commission buyer Duncan Brown, Albury, NSW, was also buying for a number of clients, and had more than 100 cattle in the book before the end of the sale.

South Gippsland agent Owen Kindellan, SEJ Leongatha, also made the trip north and secured 140 cattle during the sale.

Other Nutrien agencies across Victoria were also among some of the biggest buyers of cattle.

Delaney Nutrien Livestock & Property director and sale auctioneer Anthony Delaney said the sale was on par with the northern weaner sales at Wodonga.

"You can see weights and prices but without comparing the cattle and who is competing on them is hard judge," he said.

"We had a good spread of competition with a lot of cattle heading north thanks to those commission buyers, local agency competition plus Gippsland competition.

"The first lane was very consistent in weight from 380-400kg, and the tops of the cattle sold much better than what I was expecting."

Ian and Judy Marshman, Limestone, sold 102 Hereford steers including 16 steers, 376kg, for $1720 or 457c/kg, 17 steers, 349kg, for $1830 or 524c/kg, and 18 steers, 326kg, for $1810 or 555c/kg.

J & S Horkings sold 13 steers, 412kg, for $1930 or 468c/kg, and 11 heifers, 377kg, for $1760 or 466c/kg.

R & P Paget, Ruffy, sold 47 weaners including 14 Angus steers, 403kg, for $1900 or 491c/kg.

Bardon Park, Glenburn, sold 80 mixed-sex weaners including 17 steers, 10-11 months, 377kg, for $1810 or 480c/kg, and 18 steers, 342kg, for $1800 or 526c/kg.

Bardon Park also sold 20 heifers, 340kg, for $1780 or 523c/kg.

Manooka Estate sold 16 steers, 383kg, for $1850 or 483c/kg, while C Justice sold 20 steers, March and April-drop, 362kg, for $1810 or 500c/kg.

BM & MM Griffiths sold 25 steers, February and March-drop, 350kg, for $1800 or 514c/kg.

Campsie Glen sold 24 steers, 10-11 months, 419kg, for $1890 or 451c/kg, and 27 steers, 356kg, for $1630 or 457c/kg.

The same vendor also sold 28 heifers, 388kg, for $1690 or 435c/kg, and 26 heifers, 358kg, for $1600 or 446c/kg.

Webb Pastoral sold 22 steers, April and May-drop, 350kg, for $1800 or 514c/kg, and 22 heifers, 300kg, for $1630 or 543c/kg.

In the heifer sale, Williamson Pastoral sold 13 heifers, 374kg, for $1640 or 438c/kg, and 22 heifers, 298kg, for $1480 or 496c/kg.