Steers at Wodonga sell to $1655 and heifers to $1180

There was definitely an appetite for the better bred young cattle according to agents at the Wodonga store cattle sale on Thursday.

Elders auctioneers Brett Shea, Wodonga, said the market was firm overall when 1231 head of mixed quality store cattle were yarded.

"We are on the cusp of a good spring and anything that will have weight by spring, those in the 300kg to 350kg sold well," Mr Shea said.

"The cows with calves and the PTIC [pregnancy-tested-in-calf] heifers had limited attention and the weaner heifers were back a bit, but the good lines of young steers sold very well," he said.

Steers weighing 280kg to 330kg sold to $1230 (386 cents a kilogram); those weighing 330kg to 400kg sold from $850 to $1380 (378c/kg), and those weighing 400kg to 500kg sold to $1655 (351c/kg).

Heifers weighing 280kg to 330kg sold to $945 (299c/kg); those weighing 330kg to 400kg sold to $1135 (300c/kg), and those more than 400kg topped at $1180 (290c/kg).

PTIC females sold to $1825, while cows with calves topped at $1900.

Sales of steers included 15 Banquet-blood Angus weighing 492kg sold by Connolly Pastoral, Benalla, Victoria, for $1650; P and J Papworth, Bungowannah, sold 11 Angus weighing 494kg for $1655, and MA and PJ KIng, Brimin, Vic, received $1540 for 12 Raeville-blood Angus.

Other steer sales included 24 Reiland-blood Angus weighing 353kg sold by JM Star, Granya, Vic, for $1230 and 20 Angus weighing 342kg sold by Budapest, Buffalo Creek, Vic, for $1160.

AgWright, Mullengandra, sold eight Table Top Angus-blood weighing 308kg for $1080; R and M Trethowan, Cookardinia, sold 11 Glenellerslie-blood Herefords weighing 352kg for $990 and BW Pritchard, Tallangatta Valley, Vic, sold eight Rostulla-blood Herefords weighing 347kg for $860.

Sales of heifers included 21 Dunoon-blood Angus weighing 378kg sold by Burnbrae Crossing, Gerogery, for $1135; D McFarland, Bethanga, Vic, sold 15 Scotts Angus-blood weighing 406kg for $1180 and JM Star, Granya, Vic, sold 19 Reiland-blood Angus weighing 340kg for $905.

K and B Quast, Glen Creek, Vic, sold 11 Chalambi-blood Charolais weighing 265kg for $710: PB and TJ Butler, Gundowring, Vic, sold eight Rangan-blood Charolais weighing 261kg for $750 and Dundooga Pastoral, Table Top, sold 29 Table Top-blood Angus heifers weighing 234kg for $690.

Riverbend Beef, Wirlinga, Vic, sold seven second and third calf Angus cross cows weighing 619kg and PTIC to Jarobee Angus bulls for $1660.

Alan Thwaites and Sue Charmichael, Finley, sold seven mixed-age Limousin cows with calves weighing 634kg for $1900, while a second pen of 13 Limousin cows with calves sold for $1800.

It was a dispersal sale as the property has been sold.

"We have been breeding Limousin cattle since 1986 and we have retired," Mr Thwaites said.

"They are beautiful cows and I was pretty happy with the sale."

Buyers from Finley, Deniliquin, Holbrook and Albury competed with restockers from Wangaratta, Vic, and commission buyers.

Wodonga agencies Elders and Paull and Scollard Nutrien conducted the sale.